How to Drive from Lima to Cusco in Eight Easy Steps

Is is possible to travel by car from Lima to Cusco? I think it is and will describe how to make this drive from Lima to Cusco (also spelled Cuzco) in this post.

Each of the steps listed below have links to more detailed descriptions of this drive, which can be done in three to five nights - depending on how many things you want to see along the way.

If you have at least three weeks in Peru, there are more than two people traveling with you, and it is not the rainy season, I highly recommend traveling by car from Lima to Cusco. Here’s why: the trip itself provides you with fantastic vistas and you will have plenty of options to get off the beaten track. The other reason is the awesome scenery along the way that you will be able to experience fully by driving during the daytime.

Step 1: Get the book - Aventura 757 km. So far, it's only available in Spanish, but I highly recommend it if you can read even a little bit of Spanish.

Step 2: Get a rental car. There are several agencies, and I won't recommend any in particular. I will say that it might be a good idea to get the full coverage insurance - so long as it is not too expensive. I will also recommend paying with your credit card so that the credit card agency can deal with any mishaps related to being over-charged, etc.

Step 3: Get out of Lima and drive at least to Pisco. Depending on when you leave Lima, there can be a lot of traffic to get out of the city. If you leave at a high-traffic time, it can take up to three hours just to get to Pisco.

Step 3: Check out the Reserva Natural de Paracas. You could skip this step and save yourself a day of travel, but you'd miss out on sea lions, flamingos, jellyfish, and delicious tamales.

Step 4: Check out the Nazca Lines. The Nazca Lines are on the way, and they are right on the highway, so there is no reason not to stop and see them. You just want to make sure that you get to Kilometer 408 and Kilometer 424 before dark so that you can actually see the lines. After seeing the lines, there are plenty of places to stay in Nazca. (If you have limited time, you can leave Lima early and still get to Nazca in time to see the lines.) Either way, you will have to spend the night in Nazca.

Step 5: Drive to Puquio. It is only 90 kilometers from Nasca to Puquio, but I suggest going as slowly as possible because it is also a 4000 meter (12000 feet) ascent. If you go too quickly, you are sure to get altitude sickness. You can take your time, check out the vicuña reserves along the way, and drink plenty of coca tea to ward off altitude sickness. There are places to stay in Puquio as well.

Step 6: Drive to Chalhuanca. You could go straight to Chalhuanca from Puquio if you are in a rush. But, my suggestion would be to spend the night in Puquio, and then set out for Chalhuanca in the morning. This would allow you plenty of time to check out the amazing hot springs of Pincahuacho on the way. You can spend the night in the community-operated hot springs, which I recommend doing.

Step 7: Drive to Carahuasi. This is another amazing drive. And, there is a great turnoff point for the Pachachanca bridge, where you can see a colonial bridge and even go horseback riding. You can spend the night in either Carahuasi or Abancay. From there, you are very close to Cusco!

Step 8: Last leg of the trip. From Carahuasi (or Abancay) to Cusco. Be sure to make time to stop at the ruins at Tarawasi on the way. You can easily make it to Cusco by the early afternoon, even with this stop.

In sum, you can make it from Lima to Cusco by spending five nights on the road - and you would get to see all these amazing sights. If you are in a rush, but still want to play it safe by only traveling by day, you can leave Lima early, spend the first night in Nazca, the second night in Chalhuanca, the third night in Abancay, and be in Cusco on the fourth day. That would be the fastest I would recommend.

You can drive back the same way, or take a detour through Puno and Arequipa, and see other amazing sights.

An amazing (and inexpensive) meal in Comas, Lima, Peru

Lima, Peru is one of the world’s gastronomic capitals. There are many people who write about this, but you see less information online about inexpensive restaurants in working-class neighborhoods. 

As I am staying in Comas – a working-class neighborhood in the northern cone of Lima – I can tell you that the food in these establishments can be delicious and cheap. You just have to find one of these places and know the difference between the menu and the carta.

Today, for example, my husband and I had amazing menus for 6 soles – about $2.50. My husband, Nando, had caldo de gallina (chicken soup) and adobo de res (beef stew with rice and beans). I had ceviche for an appetizer and fried fish with rice, salad, and yucca for a main course.

Sign in restaurant advertising food from the menu

The place we went today is called “Restaurante Cevicheria Sabor Norteño,” and is on Avenida Mexico near the intersection with Tupac Amaru Boulevard in Comas. It’s a few blocks from where we are staying, so we walked over there.

Outside the restaurant, there is a chalkboard which announces the “menu.” In Peru, the “menu” is the two-course meal of the day. Most restaurants have a few choices for this low-priced lunch. The Cevicheria we went to today had a choice of ceviche or chicken soup as a starter, and then a choice of about eight different main courses, including tallarin verde (pesto), tallarin saltado (Peruvian-style lo mein), seco de pollo (cilantro chicken) and others.

When we first sat down, the waiter gave us the menu. In Spanish, the menu is called “la carta” and has all of the expensive items. It is not to be confused with the “menu” which is the low-priced meal of the day. We looked at the “carta” and decided to try the 6-sole menu instead of paying 25 soles for a ceviche or 35 soles for a parihuela, even though the pictures looked tempting.

Nando enjoying his caldo de gallina

The first thing to come out was Nando’s caldo de gallina – a steamy, flavorful chicken soup. I enjoy eating it with a bit of cancha. Cancha is Peruvian popcorn – except the kernels are so big the corn grains don’t actually pop.

Next, my ceviche came out. The ceviche had rocoto peppers, onions, and cilantro mixed in and was served with Peruvian corn, sweet potato and lettuce. It was delicious. We also ordered a passion fruit juice – which you can see in my glass in the photo below.

Nando’s main course was adobo de res, served with beans, rice, and a bit of salad.

Finally, I had my pescado frito, which was served with fried yucca, rice, and a bit of salad. This was also quite tasty.

We left very satisfied and ready to take our siestas!

A Hook, a Fish Line and an Air Mattress: Improvised fishing with the kids in Negril

I am very happy with my daily routine in Negril this summer. For me, this routine involves happy writing each weekday morning, then having lunch with the family, and going to the beach in the afternoons. Being able to swim in transparent waters every afternoon is blissful for me. I have not missed a day at the beach in the six weeks we have been in Negril. Even when it rains, I will at least go for a long walk by the sea when the rain clears.

My three kids, however, have decided that they need more entertainment than simply going to the beach. Their morning routine starts with home schooling for two hours with their tutor, then playing in the yard with their friends until lunch is ready. There are two small children who live in front of us and they often catch butterflies or other small creatures together. My daughters also love to help our neighbor herd his goats and take them out for grass each morning. After lunch, they play video games, read, or play outside or inside. When I ask if they are ready to go to the beach, they often claim they do not want to go. Without exception, they have fun when we get to the beach; so, often the trick lies in getting them there.

Our latest “trick” is the promise of going fishing. The first time the girls went fishing, it was with some friends who invited them to go on a boat early in the morning. That boat trip costs US$50, so that was the only time they did that. Instead, now we rely on my husband, Fernando’s ingenuity, and the kids can go fishing whenever they want, practically for free. This is how it works.

Fernando buys some hooks and fish line for a few cents at the hardware store. They go to the nearby beach and look for sand crabs and snails for bait. Nando sets up the rudimentary hook, line and sinker. Then, he paddles the girls out on our air mattress to where the fish are. We have one of those inflatable air mattresses, and it works great as a raft! (You can see our fishing equipment in the photo behind us!)

The girls put on their face masks which allow them to see the fish underwater. Tatiana and Soraya – my nine year old twin daughters – love fishing like this. You can see when the fish begin to nibble at the bait. When you see them nibbling, you just pull a bit, and there you have a fish. When the girls catch a fish, they yell out in excitement. Nando pulls in the line and puts the fish into a plastic bag that he keeps on the raft. Then, the girls go back in for another fish.

The other day, they caught sixteen little fish, giving us plenty of fresh fish for dinner. The fish are small – so it is quite a bit of work to clean and de-scale all of them. But, it is definitely worth it to have the tasty, fresh fish. Plus, it is our best way to get the kids out of the house - for now, at least. I am sure that soon they will become bored with this and we will have to find a new way to entertain them soon.

Sundays on the Public Beach in Negril, Jamaica

If you are looking for the “real Jamaica,” you will have a hard time finding it in Negril – a touristy town on the westernmost end of Jamaica. That said, there is one beach in Negril where you will find more Jamaicans than foreign tourists – the public beach at the south-westernmost tip of Seven-Mile Beach.

It is quite remarkable that most tourists in Negril tend to stay within a 100-meter radius of their hotels. There are the adventurous few who take it upon themselves to walk up and down Seven-Mile Beach. Some of these tourists make it to the end where the public beach is, but almost none of them swim in this part of the beach. Because of this self-segregation, the public beach almost always has only Jamaicans. People who are not Jamaican at the public beach are almost always expatriates who are living in Negril – usually North American and English women with Jamaican boyfriends.

The public beach is about 200 meters from the closest hotel, thus making it beyond the normal radius of most tourists. It is the closest beach to the Negril River, which, at times, can make the water quite unpleasant. However, most days the water at the public beach is crystal clear, just like the water in the rest of Seven-Mile Beach. Unlike much of the rest of Seven-Mile Beach, the public beach has several trees which offer ample shade.

On Sundays, the public beach is a lively place where local DJs set up enormous speakers that blast out dancehall tunes for the listening pleasure of beachgoers and anyone close enough to hear. Families sit beneath one of the many trees and picnic. Kids jump and play in the water and teenagers show off their gymnastic abilities on the sand.

There is a restaurant/bar on the beach, currently operated by Sanchez, who is from Sav-la-Mar. Sanchez’s place serves up delicious food and ice-cold beverages at a fraction of the price of most places on the beach. You also can try the conch soup which is served by a local man right off of his bicycle. He has a gas tank on the back of the bicycle and a burner on the front, which ensures that the tasty soup is steaming hot all afternoon long.

Last Sunday, we spent a couple of hours at the beach with my kids. They had a great time running around with all of the other children there. This was a nice change, as we often go to the beach in Negril and there are few if any children around.

Negril, Jamaica: Sea, Sand and Fun

We have been in Negril, Jamaica for nearly a week now.

We are staying in an inexpensive cottage called Silver Star. It is located a fifteen minute walk from the famous Seven Mile Beach and a five-minute walk from a smaller beach that is great for snorkeling. As someone who loves to be able to walk to the beach and on the beach, this is fantastic.

The accommodations are quite modest, but they are clean and comfortable, so we are happy. The small size of the cottage just means that we have to make sure and keep it tidy and keep everything in its place.

It is very hot here in Negril so we take advantage of the relatively cool mornings to do work and do household tasks. I spend my mornings writing in my office (whish is just a separate hotel room) and the children are doing their schoolwork in the mornings. We have hired a tutor to give the girls lessons, and that is working out great so far! After lunch, we are all free to spend the afternoons as we like.

Of course, most days we go to the beach. If you can believe it, some days the kids complain about going to the beach. Mostly, they are not keen on the 15 minute walk in the hot sun. However, once we arrive at the sea, they have a blast.

The first day we got to Negril, the sea was amazing. It was absolutely transparent, even up to about 30 feet deep. Snorkeling in that water was fantastic. However, the next day it rained and the water has not been the same since. There are two reasons for this. One reason is that when it rains the sea gets more turbulent and brings the sand up into the water, making it less transparent. The other, less pleasant, reason, is that the rain means that the muddy, dirty river water gets into the sea, turning it a brownish color.

We have found thus far that we can walk or take a taxi about another mile down the beach - away from the river - and get to the clean part when the river comes into the sea. Hopefully it will not rain much and we can enjoy the transparent water once again. Honestly, this year, after seeing so many amazing beaches, we are getting harder to please!

None of the beaches we have seen so far in Negril have any waves to speak of. The girls complain that this makes it boring. However, it also makes it easier for us as we do not have to worry about the girls being pulled out to sea. Yesterday, I went snorkeling with Tatiana and Soraya - my nine-year old twin daughters - and we were able to get pretty far out without me being worried. However, as it was our first time, I did not stay too long. I was worried they (or I) might get tired.

I am looking forward to spending the next two months in Negril, and, slowly but surely, getting to know the rest of the Seven Mile Beach.

The Children’s Museum in Santo Domingo: Lots of learning, less fun

The Children’s Museum in Santo Domingo is a worthwhile trip if you have small children, but don’t count on spending the whole afternoon there. The museum consists of a guided tour that does not last more than an hour. The Museo Infantil Trampolin's motto is "Where learning is fun," yet the focus is more on learning than on fun.

Last Saturday, I took my daughters – eight-year old twins and a six year old – to the Children’s Museum in the Colonial City. We found the museum to be more focused on learning than on play, but enjoyable nonetheless. Instead of being a free play museum as in other cities, it is actually more of a guided tour through a series of rooms.

The first room involves a large a large-screen film about the solar system. Each of the other rooms is similarly educational. The room about natural disasters had an earthquake simulator, which the children enjoyed. They also liked the room with the dinosaurs, especially the game where you try to fit the dinosaur fossils into the holes in the wall.

Luckily, however, the tour is less than an hour, as the children began to get a bit antsy towards the end. The last room (pictured left) is the only one where the kids can engage in free play. After about ten minutes, however, the tour guide suggested our tour was over, as the next family was coming through. I asked if we could stay while the next family came in, and he consented.

This last room has a hopscotch design on the floor, a pretend hospital, a make-believe store, a pretend school, and lots of other great things for children’s imagination. When the tour guide asked us to leave a second time, I didn’t protest, although I did think that they should let people stay in that last room as long as they wished. All those wonderful toys and little rooms go to waste if kids can’t play in them and let their minds run wild.

When we left the museum, we were not quite ready to hop in a taxi back home. Just to the left of the museum is Fort Ozama. This is a great place to take kids who like to run around. First, we explored the huge fort and imagined what it must have been like to ward off pirates approaching in the sea. Then, we came back to the ground, and the girls had fun climbing on the various cannons.

The girls made friends with other children that were there playing, and played for a long while on the grass and on the cannons. It was a good thing that they were able to run around in Fort Ozama, as it would have been a shame to go home after just an hour in the children’s museum.

Christmas in Sosúa: Lovely Beaches and Great Restaurants

When my parents told me they had chosen Sosúa as their destination in the Dominican Republic, I wasn’t sure they had made the best decision. For me, Sosúa was most famous for its dubious fame as a sex tourism hot spot. I soon, however, learned that Sosúa is actually a great place for a family vacation.

First of all, unless you go out to bars at night, you barely notice the prostitution. For me, with three kids sure to wake up at the crack of dawn, hanging out until late at the bars was not a viable option. So, I never went. As I did not engage in the night time revelry, I did not experience any of the problems that one might think are associated with a Caribbean sex tourism destination.

Instead, we spent our days on Sosúa’s lovely beaches and our nights at its great restaurants. We stayed at an apartment hotel near the center of town called Perla de Sosúa. This was a great option for us, as the apartment hotel had two bedrooms, a dining room, and a kitchen. That way, we could prepare food and relax as if we were at home when we were not inclined to leave the hotel. It also had a small swimming pool, which the girls used to cool off in when we weren’t at the beach.

There are two beaches in Sosúa – Playa Alicia and Playa Sosúa. Playa Alicia is smaller, with a lovely rock cliff at one end. It does not have much natural shade, but has the advantage of having less people and fewer vendors asking you to purchase things than Playa Sosúa. Playa Alicia is a gorgeous yellow-sand beach with a quite strong surf. The kids had a ball getting knocked over by the waves.

Playa Sosúa is at least twice as long as Playa Alicia, and is very well-shaded. There is natural vegetation all along the beach. Nearly all of the sand is taken up by lawn chairs which you can rent. Or, you can park yourself between them for free on the few pieces of open sand. There are over 150 stalls along the beach. When we were there, that meant there were more vendors than beachgoers. Despite that, the vendors were not particularly aggressive, and allowed us to chill on the beach once it became apparent that we did not plan to purchase anything.

After a day relaxing on the beach, there are plenty of good dining options in Sosúa. The two best restaurants we went to were Bailey’s and Orchidee. We had Christmas dinner at Bailey’s. I had a fabulous steak dish. I was impressed with the quality of the meat and the richness of the sauces. Everyone enjoyed their meals, and the girls’ pizza was unusually good. Also, for a nice restaurant, it is remarkably kid-friendly. There is a metal playground right next to the dining room. Orchidee is a bit less expensive, and the food is also good. It is much smaller than Bailey’s and has a nice homey feel to it. There, I had a gyro, which was reasonably tasty, although I definitely was disappointed that it didn’t come with pita bread. My mother said her breaded fish platter was excellent.

Aside from eating and going to the beach, we didn’t do much else in Sosúa; it was a beach vacation, after all. We did walk around town a bit, and the vendors can be somewhat insistent. It is hard to blame then when there are so many shops and so few tourists. I did notice that nearly all of the vendors are Haitian. That made negotiating with them a bit complicated, as they tended to speak English better than Spanish, and my first reaction is always to speak in the local language. However, they soon came to recognize me, and stopped asking me to buy trinkets or to braid my hair when they realized that I kept saying “no.”

In sum, we had a lovely winter holiday in Sosúa, and I am glad we went there instead of one of the expensive all-inclusive resorts, which are the only option in many parts of the island.

A lovely day at the beach in Boca Chica

After nearly three weeks in the Dominican Republic, we finally made it to the beach! The beach at Boca Chica is just a 45 minute bus ride from Duarte, in central Santo Domingo. Once we were ready to go, we hailed a cab in front of our house that took us to the bus station. The cab driver offered to take us all the way to Boca Chica for 1,000 pesos (US$28), but we declined the offer. Instead, we boarded an air-conditioned gua-gua (bus) that charges 60 pesos (US$2) a person, and had a nice, cool, fast ride to Boca Chica.

The bus let us off at a small plaza, and we walked about two short blocks to get to the beach. The beach at Boca Chica is reasonably nice. We went on a Monday, so it was not crowded. It is a white sand beach dotted with palm trees. The transparent water is warm and sufficiently clean. There are no waves, and the water is shallow, making it a great beach for children or for swimming. On one side of the beach, an industrial port or factory is in sight, making the beach less idyllic than it could be. In all though, it is a nice beach – much better than many.

There are quite a few vendors on the beach, selling coconuts, sunglasses, necklaces, water toys, boat rides, and sno-cones, or offering corn-rows or massages. However, the vendors are not persistent or aggressive, so I didn’t mind. There seemed to be a fairly even split between Haitian and Dominican vendors on the beach. At one point, two Dominican vendors stood near me and complained about a Haitian vendor. I am not sure what was the basis of the complaint, but the Dominican vendor pointed out that he was in his country.

Being in Boca Chica reminded me of Steven Gregory’s compelling ethnography of the town – Devil in the Mirror. I read the book a couple of years ago, so I don’t remember many of the details, but I did recall him mentioning the vendors and the prostitutes. Of course, I could not tell which of the women or men on the beach were prostitutes. However, I can say that there was a preponderance of older European men on the beach and a few of them had much younger, non-European women with them. Most of the men seemed to be Italian or French.

We had a delicious, cheap lunch in Boca Chica. We left the beach, as it had begun to drizzle around 2pm. We ordered fresh, deep-fried fish and green plantains from a roadside stand for Nando and I. For the kids, we got chicken, rice, and beans. It was a great deal – US$5.00 for the fish, and US$2.50 for the chicken plates. When I ordered the chicken, the owner of the small restaurant looked at me and said “Dominican food?” as if she were surprised we would eat at her place. She was probably even more surprised when the girls cleaned their plates. My babies love rice, beans, and chicken – it’s what they get at home most days anyway.

The kids had a great time bathing in the warm water and playing in the sand. I spent most of my time in the water as well. At some points, when the sun hid behind the clouds, the sea was warmer than the air outside. The day we went was not particularly hot, and it even rained twice – brief showers. That was actually quite pleasant, as it was not so hot. However, around 4:30pm, I rinsed off in one of the public showers and got out of my wet bathing suit. Once dry, it was nice to sit on the breezy beach and admire the view of the palm trees, white sand, and Caribbean Sea.

The girls got out of the water not too long after, as it began to drizzle again. We boarded our bus back to Santo Domingo. On the road back, it began to downpour heavily. That made the ride take longer than usual. And, once back in the city, we found the streets inundated because of the heavy rains. Some streets were impassable – people looked at the water and strategized how to get across.

The bus let us off at Parque del Independencia, and we took a collective taxi back home. That was probably not the best idea, as the collective taxis are only marginally cheaper, and they never have air conditioning. With the streets flooded, the traffic was horrible, and it took about an hour to get home. Of course, it was hot inside the car as it was not moving, and there was no A/C.

Nevertheless, we made it home eventually, everyone tired and hungry from a long day at the beach. We definitely will be going again!

Sipacate’s beauty, despite the rain

We met Carlos on the boat ride from San Pedro to Santiago de Atitlan. A tall man with a big, bushy, white beard, he was hard to miss. Carlos, a Guatemalan American retired mathemetician in his sixties, was planning to go to Sipacate with some friends of his. We had not made up our mind if we would stay in Santiago de Atitlan or keep on moving. Nando played some music on the boat and chatted with Carlos most of the 45 minute trip across the lake. Once we got to Santiago de Atitlan, Carlos invited us to have a beer with him.

When we got off the boat in Santiago, several children approached us, offering their trinkets. Tatiana, Soraya, and Raymi were very interested in the colorful bracelets, rings and key chains. We gave the girls five quetzales and let them choose. Turns out Santiago is filled with things to buy. The three blocks that lead from the dock to the main street are lined with vendors, selling brightly colored necklaces, fabrics, and bags. Tempting, but I did not stop to browse.

While chatting with Carlos, we decided that we would accompany them to Sipacate, on the Pacific coast. Santiago was pretty enough, but the algae filled lake is just not the same. Granted, the lake is cleaner in Santiago, but, it is a larger town, and less of the natural wonderland I was seeking.

From Santiago, we took a chicken bus all the way to La Gomera, where we got another bus to Sipacate. Well, that was the original plan. But, the bus driver on the first bus learned of our plans to go to Sipacate and called the driver of another bus headed to Sipacate and asked him to wait for us. We met up at a gas station before the entrance to Sipacate, and were lucky to get good seats on the second bus. It was raining outside, so we were glad to not have to wait for the second bus in the rain. The drivers of the second bus were nice enough to drop us off right in front of the restaurant we planned to eat at in Sipacate, Mary's.

The food at Mary's was delicious. Nando and I shared a generous portion of seafood soup, with fish, shrimp and mussels. The girls shared a huge plate of steak, rice, salad, and tortillas. All that for about US$10. Fully satiated, we headed to our hotel, the Rancho Carrillo.

To get to Rancho Carrillo, you have to take a boat across the river, as the hotel is on the opposite side of a river that separates the town from the beach. We walked to the dock, and were able to find a boatman willing to take us across. When we got to the hotel, it was dark and raining, and only a night watchman was there.

He told us the rooms have a fixed price – Q200 each. We had hoped to bargain, but there was no bargaining with him. When I saw the room, I decided it was a good deal. For $25, we got a nice, clean room with fresh sheets and comfortable beds. I went straight to sleep, anxious to see the place in the light of day.

In the morning, we woke up to find that the hotel was quite impressive – three salt water swimming pools, a play set for kids, and miles of black sand beaches. It was cloudy and drizzling, but warm enough to get in the water. The ocean water is lukewarm. And, although the Pacific coast of Guatemala is known for its strong undercurrents, the beach at Rancho Carrillo was relatively calm.

It was too bad that it was cloudy. However, the beach was beautiful nonetheless. In each direction, you could see nothing but sand and more sand. Behind the beach is thick, green mangrove. And, the black volcanic sand has its own charm.

Overall, I was pleased we decided to go to Rancho Carrillo, even if we could only stay one night, and even if it was cloudy. The girls definitely did not want to leave the beach. But, I had to go back to Guatemala City, so we packed up after lunch and headed back.

We found a bus that went from Sipacate all the way to Guatemala City. It was a slow bus, making all the stops in between. But, it was daytime, and we got to see each of the towns along the way. Overall, with all the stops, the trip took three and a half hours. The bus driver let us off on the main road, just a few blocks from where we are staying in San Jose de Villanueva.

Making the Best of a Sunny Day on Lake Atitlan

On Tuesday, the sun came out all day, and we were able to enjoy Lake Atitlan as best we could, without getting into the water. From San Marcos, we walked down to the lake, and along a path that led through dense forest and near steep cliffs. The views across the lake of several volcanoes and the clear blue sky were astounding. The path we were walking along was quite narrow in parts. Really, the worst that could happen is that you could fall into the water, but that did not seem very appealing.

Lake Atitlan is covered with algae that has turned the crystal clear water a brownish color in most parts. In addition, the smell of untreated waste is strong in some parts. That certainly put a damper on the experience. Most locals seem to think that the problem with the lake is temporary. They point out that it has started to get better, with the wind and cold of the past few days. Others say that a clean-up effort will begin soon and that the lake will be restored to its crystalline self. I hope they are right, but I fear that Lake Atitlan will become the next Lake Amatitlan – a highly polluted, green lake near Guatemala City.

When we finished our short hike, we went back to San Marcos la Laguna, where the kids played on a slightly decrepit metal play set for quite a while. As they played, I sat in the plaza and watched people go by. Most of the residents of San Marcos seem to be either white American or European yoga types or indigenous Guatemalans. Most of the gringos live in fancy concrete structures in the part of the town close to the lake, while the Guatemalans live in humbler houses made of all sorts of materials, on the other side of town, farther from the lake. That said, a few gringos passed by us in the plaza, on their way to the other side of town. A young man at the store told us that the segregation is not complete.

The gringo part of San Marcos is replete with yoga facilities, meditation centers, holistic medicine centers, Reiki centers, and people who frequent those sorts of facilities. I thought about taking a dance class while I was there, but never got around to it.

In the evening, we took the kids to have pizza at the Pizzeria Media Luna. It was half-decent pizza, but the kids never seem to notice pizza quality. After that, Nando and I ate at Paco Real, where we shared a delicious bistec a la veracruzana. We also decided to switch hotels, and stayed at the Paco Real the second night. It was slightly less comfortable than La Posada del Bosque Encantado, but the staff was tremendously more cheerful, and it was a better deal.

On Wednesday morning, Soraya and I woke up early and walked along the lake, admiring all of the gardens and fabulous houses in the gringo part of town, just along the lake. After our walk and a bit of homeschooling, we decided to set out for Santiago de Atitlan. A few people had told us that the water is clearer in that part of the lake, and we wanted to check it out. From San Marcos, we took a moto-taxi to San Pedro, as the boat for Santiago departs from there.

The boat to Santiago is a large vessel, with space for about 60 people. The girls were excited to be on a big boat – one on which they could run around. The trip across the lake was beautiful – with views of volcanoes and the surrounding greenery. On the boat, we met a group of folks who were headed to Sipacate, on the Pacific coast. In Santiago, we had a beer with them as we thought about whether or not we should join them.

I had been looking forward to relaxing in a natural wonderland, and had not quite had that experience in San Marcos. It had its moments, but I was pretty disappointed about not being able to swim or go kayaking in the lake. In Santiago, the water was a bit cleaner, but Santiago is a bigger city, and not as relaxing as I had hoped for. So, we decided to join our newfound friends on their trip to Sipacate. That turned out to be a real adventure.

The “Jewel of Guatemala,” Lago Atitlan, has lost some of its sparkle

This morning, we set out from our home in Villanueva, Guatemala City, headed towards Lake Atitlan, one of the jewels of Guatemala. Lake Atitlan is a huge lake set between volcanoes, renowned for picturesque scenery and colorful traditions. We decided to take a bus from the Trebol, where old schoolbuses make the trek westward. We got a bus that took us to Los Encuentros, where there is a turn-off for Panajachel, one of the larger cities on the lake.

You can get a bus directly to Panajachel, but why do things the easy way. Plus, the bus we found was half empty and we were able to secure a seat near the front. When we got to Los Encuentros, 90 minutes later, it had begun to rain quite heavily. Luckily, there was a bus there that took us to Solola. In Solola, we went to the market where we ate a delicious caldo de gallina – chicken soup. Stomachs full, we got another bus to Panajachel. Just before getting into the city, we got off the bus at the harbor where the boats leave for San Marcos de la Laguna – our chosen lakeside destination.

Just as we were getting to the boat, it began to downpour. We made it inside the small motorboat without getting too wet. Tatiana and Soraya, my eight-year old twins, however, found it great fun to play in the rain at the head of the boat. When the boat took off, they sat down and began to make conversation with the other passengers. Most of the passengers were foreigners, so they spoke to them in English. There were two girls about their age on the boat. They looked on in surprise at how extroverted the twins are. Tatiana and Soraya chatted with the other passengers the whole ride.

About thirty minutes later, we made it to San Marcos. Unfortunately, we couldn’t enjoy the beautiful scenery on the boat ride because of the rain and fog. One of the passengers on the boat showed us where our hotel is – La Posada del Bosque Encantado. When we made it to the hotel, the person who opened the door for us told us the room was going to be Q240. On the phone, she had told me Q160 ($20), so I was a bit disappointed. I had told her on the phone that we had three kids. Seeing them, she decided she had to charge extra for them. She came down to Q200. Still, we decided to look around to see what the other options were. We found one close by for Q100, and another for Q250. In the end, we decided to stay at La Posada.

It is a nice hotel for a family. It has a covered patio and a nice tropical garden. In the room, there are two beds in the main room, and two more in the loft. The rooms have nice earthy decorations, and everything was spotless. With the rain continuing, it was important for us to have a comfortable room. We settled in the room, and found that most of our clothes had gotten wet in the rain and on the boat ride.

I got changed into the dry clothes I could find and Nando went out and got a bottle of wine. Warm and dry, we relaxed and waited for the rain to stop. It didn’t. Soon, we ventured out of the house to get a bite to eat. We found an restaurant that specializes in curry called La Fe. A bit more expensive than we are used to in Guatemala – US$8.00 a plate, we decided to order two plates of curry to begin with. A great decision, because the portions were quite generous. And, the curry was delicious. A bit spicy, but the girls ate it up. After dinner, Nando got out his instruments and played a few songs for the owners and some of the guests. From there, we went to Paco Real, where we met a few other folks and played a bit more music.

By 9 pm, though, we were back at La Posada del Bosque Encantado, ready to sleep. It had been a long, wet day, and I was looking forward to my warm, dry bed. The sun rises early in Guatemala – around 5:30 am, and so do Tatiana and Soraya.

Sure enough, bright and early, the twins were up, and ready to go kayaking on the lake. I told them we could go see the lake, but that we would have to wait until it warmed up to get out on the lake.

When we got to the lake, I was pleased to see that there was nothing but clear, blue skies. The waters of Lake Atitlan, however, were not clear or blue. The jewel of Guatemala has been contaminated by some sort of algae that has turned the lake a brown-green color. It also has somewhat of a foul odor in parts. What a disappointment! Despite the contamination, you still can enjoy gorgeous views of the volcanoes that surround the lake. And, from afar, the waters appear somewhat blue. The girls’ kayaking dreams were dashed. I did not want to get into that water.

You take your kids to Pizza Hut in Guatemala City??

In Guatemala City, the places we most often take the children are chain restaurants – Pizza Hut, Pollo Campero, Wendy’s, and the like. Although I am not generally a fan of taking my children to places where the food clogs your veins and makes you fat, in Guatemala City, we have done this, perhaps more than anywhere else we have lived. We do have our reasons for this.

The first reason is that each of these places has an indoor playground. When we take the kids there, they meet other children, and have a blast running through the purple and green slides and mazes. Within walking distance of our house in Zona 9, there are at least five different chain restaurants with indoor play places. When we take the kids there, I can relax, read a book, and even get online. Most of these chain restaurants not only have play places; they also have free Wi Fi. The food, I know, is bad for you. My solution to that is to not buy too much of it. That makes these places some of the cheapest entertainment for children in Guatemala City. That brings me to my next point – it is inexpensive.

In most places I have lived in Latin America, the chain restaurants are much more expensive than the local restaurants. In Guatemala City, that is not necessarily the case. The cheapest meal you can find in Guatemala City is Q15 (about $2.00). A decent meal will usually cost you Q20 or Q25 – up to $3.00. A nice meal usually runs at about Q40. At Pollo Campero, they have bargain meals for Q25. And, at Pizza Hut, the whole family can eat for Q79 – less than $10. That includes a pitcher of soft drink, a medium pizza, and dessert. For US$10, the whole family eats, and the kids have a blast, making it a real bargain.

Another reason is safety. Luckily, we have not had any unfortunate incidents in Guatemala City. However, there must be some reason why every store with anything of value has an armed guard stationed outside. Walking down 15th Avenue in Zona 13 with my daughter yesterday, I noticed that even small taco joints have their own personal security guard, with a typical long shot gun, stationed outside. Inside well-lit chain restaurants with their own armed security guards outside, we feel pretty safe.

The final reason is that it gets dark very early in Guatemala City – around 6 pm during the month of October. The only playground near to us – a very nice one on Avenida de las Americas – is not well-lit. It is not really a good place to take children when it is dark outside. This makes indoor playgrounds ideal for evening play for children.

During the day, when it is sunny and warm, we don’t take the children to chain restaurants. We take them to the Parque Central to feed the pigeons, to the playground on Avenida de las Americas, to the Aurora Zoo, or just to walk in the Parque del Obelisco. None of those places, unfortunately, are suitable for evening activities. That is why we end up at the chain restaurants.

Getting lost and finding Candelaria Caves - another day, another maravilla

We are using The Rough Guide to Guatemala to get around. These are usually pretty reliable. Ours, however, was published in 2002, and the research for it was done a few years ago. Some of the facts are out of date. That may or may not be the reason for what happened to us as we left Sayaxche for Aguateca.



Aguateca is the site of ancient Mayan ruins on Lake Petexbatun in Peten, Guatemala. We were driving along the highway and saw a sign for the lake, and turned off onto a dirt road. The road was pretty rough, so we had to go about 5mph. At that speed, it took about 45 minutes to get to the lake. When we got there, there were a few broken down rowboats parked there, but nothing else. No boatmen or boatwomen for that matter. We waited around a bit while the kids got muddy in the riverbank. Nothing. We decided to head back to the village we passed on the way.


We asked at the first house we came to about the ruins. A woman outside with her children told us the ruins are on the other side of the river. She wasn’t sure how to get there, as she had never been. The riverbank was about 500 meters from her house, and she had never crossed the river. We asked at the next house. They told us that the only way to get to the ruins was in those boats, and if no one was there, there was no way to cross.


We decided to head back to the main road. Back on the main road, about twenty minutes later we passed another sign that pointed to the ruins at the end of another dirt road. We kept on driving.


About an hour later, the kids were hungry, so we stopped to eat at a roadside restaurant. They were serving chicken soup and grilled beef. We ordered a few plates of each. That also might have been a mistake, as our stomachs were all hurting a couple of hours later.


Finally, we had a change of luck. We passed a sign for Candelaria caves. The guide book recommended these limestone caves, so we decided to give it a try. We parked our car in a man’s house across the street from the entrance, and walked across the road. There, a guide was waiting. He told us that we had to pay Q30 each adult to enter the caves, and that price included a guide. That sounded reasonable, so we headed to the caves.


We walked about ten minutes through the jungle before we arrived at the caves. The entrance was dark, and the rocks were slippery. I asked the guide if anyone had ever broken an arm or leg. He assured me that people had fallen, but that no one had experienced any serious injuries.


Undaunted, the kids ran ahead. Then, they shouted, “snake”! I told them not to touch it. They ignored me and poked it with a snake. When we got there, it turned out to be a copperhead that appeared to be sleeping. The guide killed it with a couple of rocks. Thank goodness nothing happened to anyone.

We kept going on the slippery rocks. The cave was quite impressive. It was a huge limestone cave, with an underground river running through it. I forgot the camera, but was able to borrow a picture from the internet.


After we left the cave, we were able to swim in the river that runs into the cave. Hot and tired, this was the perfect way to end our day. The caves were magnificent, and this swim in the river was divine. There was a huge cave with a series of small waterfalls that came out of it. The waterfalls created small pools that led to a larger pool of refreshing water.


The kids had a blast swimming up to the waterfall, and then letting the current bring them back. All of us enjoyed cooling off. It was spectacular, and it is a shame I forgot the camera. I tried to find a picture of the river online, but don’t see any.


After an invigorating day in the river, we headed to Coban. Two hours later we arrived, hungry and tired. Ian and his kids went to Dominos. We went to a Chinese restaurant that was not very good. Filled up, we set out to find a hotel in the rain. It took us a while to find a hotel, but we settled on the Terraza Hotel, the cheapest, but not noticeably different from the more expensive ones.

Sunday Trip to Antigua

On Sunday morning, Nando and I took the kids to Antigua for the day. This involved taking a taxi to the “Trebol” in Zona 7 of Guatemala City where the buses depart to Antigua. When we got out the taxi, a transit police officer directed us to where we should wait for the bus. A few minutes later, a bus that had “Antigua – Guate” on the front pulled up and people began to ran towards it to try and get a seat.

The buses that go to Antigua are US school buses that have a second life in Guatemala.
Cheese Bus

Instead of two kids on each seat, as I remember the buses from my childhood, in Guatemala, the seats are meant to hold three adults. On the way back, we decided to splurge and buy each of the kids a seat, which cost $1.00 (8 Quetzales) each. Having Raymi sit between Nando and I gave us a bit more room. On the way there, however, the bus was more crowded, and Raymi sat on my lap, which meant she didn’t have to pay her fare. But, she did squirm quite a bit.

It is a fairly short ride – less than one hour, so it wasn’t that bad. And, if I sat straight up in my seat, I could avoid hitting my knees.

The bus lets you off at the market in Antigua, and it is just a few blocks to walk to the main plaza. The central plaza was full, typical of a Sunday morning. There were churchgoers, vendors, tourists – gringos and Guatemalans – and locals enjoying the beautiful weather.

Central Park

Being in Antigua reminded me that Guatemala is a major tourist destination for Americans and Europeans. I rarely see tourists in Guatemala City. In Antigua, they are all over the place. Antigua is well-known for its language schools, and it is a charming city, so the presence of foreigners is no surprise.

At the plaza, Tatiana, Soraya, and Raymi spotted two clowns making balloons for kids, and rushed over to make their requests. After that, it was nearly lunchtime, so we set out to look for an economical lunch. As can be expected, the restaurants near the plaza are fairly expensive and have tourist menus. We figured that if we walked away from the plaza, we could find some cheaper and more authentic options.

A few blocks away from the plaza, through the arches, we came upon the Plaza de la Merced, where there was a small market. There were several vendors, and we decided to try and have lunch there. We ordered cheese pupusas, flautas, chicken, rellenos, and a chile relleno sandwich. Some of it was pretty tasty; other items, like the flautas, were not very good. With all the options, though, everyone got enough to eat. We spent less than $10.00 for all of us, a pretty good deal.

Plaza de la Merced

After lunch, we took the kids back to the plaza, and they got their treat for the day – a ride around Antigua on horseback. The kids love horses, so this was quite exciting for them. They seemed not to mind the smell emitting from the burlap sack that the horses wore as a diaper. I kept a safe distance, taking pictures and making sure the kids were safe.

The kids were a bit restless after that, so we decided to look for a playground. On the way, we passed by an old church that looked as though it had been destroyed in the 1717 earthquake. I asked the kids to guess what they thought had happened to the building. They guessed hurricane, tornado, snowstorm, and other events before getting to earthquake.

The playground we found was in a part of the town called San Felipe. There were a few other kids there, and the kids had a good time swinging on the bars, riding on the slides and swings, and running around and getting dirty with the other kids.

Turns out the procession of the Day of Our Lady of Mercy was on Sunday as well, and that the procession began by the playground we were at. We left the playground and went outside to see the procession. It began with a long line of people, and was followed by about fifty people carrying on their shoulders an enormous float with huge statues on it. I don’t know if it’s called a float when you have all of those people carrying it, but you get the idea.

The "Float"

Part of the tradition in Antigua is to make elaborate designs on the streets with flowers and sawdust.
Flowers on the street


After watching the procession, we went back to the Plaza de la Merced, and had tacos. I had carne adobado, and the kids had chorizo tacos. They were quite good. It was getting late, and we decided to make a final stop in Pollo Campero to have a beer and use the clean restrooms before heading back to Guatemala City. Getting the kids off of the playset in the Pollo Campero wasn’t easy, but we eventually succeeded.

When we made it to the bus stop where the buses leave for Guatemala City, there was a bus leaving. It was standing room only, so we decided to wait for the next bus. This meant we got seats, but had to wait until it filled up.

We finally got to Guatemala City at 8pm. It was dark, and the bus let us off in the middle of the road. Luckily, we found a taxi, and made it safely back to our apartment.

How hard can it be to get the kids in school in Guatemala City?

Bright and early this morning, we took our three kids to a nearby school to enroll them. The teacher and the principal were very welcoming and told us about all of the benefits of their school. We agreed that we would like to enroll the kids in the school. It would cost us $200 per kid a month, $600 overall, but we decided that was probably our best option. The American School in Guatemala costs much more, and has a several thousand dollar enrollment fee. Public school seems not to be an option, because of the kind of visas we have.

Nando and I left Tatiana and Soraya at the school, and took Raymi with us. The principal explained that Raymi’s teacher was out sick, and that Raymi should meet her teacher on her first day. So, it would be better for Raymi to start the following day when her teacher was back. Raymi was quite disappointed, but we appeased her by telling her we would buy her some new shoes for school at the store. The kids have been running around in sandals, and it is a bit colder here than in Jamaica.

Nando, Raymi and I went on a shopping spree to get snacks and other things for the kids to take to school, as well as new tennis shoes for Raymi. After that, we came home and had lunch, and at 2pm, Nando went to pick up the girls.

Around 3pm, I got a call from the school. The principal told me that, she was sorry, but she didn’t think it was a good idea that the girls enroll in their school. Wow! I couldn’t believe that they wouldn’t want the extra money. According to the principal, Tatiana and Soraya are at the right level in math, but are behind in Spanish language reading and writing. (Here, they teach kids cursive first, and the kids read more English than Spanish, so that wasn’t a surprise.) She also said that the school year is nearly over, so it doesn’t make much sense. Finally, she pointed out that Tatiana and Soraya are restless. (She has a point there.)

In all, after spending the morning getting the girls into school, we find out that we are back at square one. Well, not exactly, the principal recommended another school to me, one that has the US calendar, and should be starting up right about now. I gave them a call, and they said they would let me know if there is space for the kids. Unlike the other school, it is not in walking distance. And, it may be more expensive. They didn’t want to give me the price over the phone. I imagine that means it’s not cheap.

Thinking about how much we will have to spend on school fees, it occurred to me that $600 per month is likely quite a bit more than a teacher earns in Guatemala. In Peru, teachers earn $200 per month, and it seems as though the prices in Guatemala and Peru are about the same. The minimum wage in Guatemala is about $150, so I would guess teachers earn about $300. One online forum I read indicated that teachers start out at about $200 a month, and max out around $600 after twenty years of service. All that to say we likely can afford a private teacher.

As I was thinking about this, la señora, the owner of our apartment, came over to ask me about the school, and to offer her suggestion that we hire a teacher. She apparently did the math as well, and insisted it would be less expensive to hire a teacher. The idea sounds attractive, but there are some drawbacks.

One of the major drawbacks is the lack of contact with other children. If we hire a private teacher, it will be just the three of them. I suppose one solution would be to use the money we save by hiring a teacher to enroll the kids in some sort of dance, music, or art classes. There, they might be able to meet other kids. Only issue with that is that Tatiana just told me she wants to take gymnastics, Soraya, Kung Fu, and Raymi, ballet. That could get a bit complicated.

I just found a website with kids’ activities in Guatemala City. http://www.laguiadeguate.com/public_laguiadeguate/?MainSection=categorias&cat_id=289 This has lots of options! Perhaps we could take the girls to see the martial arts and gymnastics places to see which one they prefer. The gymnastics place offers a free class. We just have to make an appointment. Sounds like a plan!

Travel, Conferences, and San Francisco

Writing has become, for me, a habit. This means, on the one hand, that it is a hard to stop writing. On the other, it means that once I stop, it does not seem as easy to pick it up. It has been several days since I have written, and it is hard to just jump into it. However, experience tells me it will happen if I just do it, so here I am, typing away.

Since I last posted, I have been lots of places. I had a three day trip to Montego Bay where I met deportees, other contacts, and found a place to stay next summer – a condo overlooking the beach! I also spent some time on some of Montego Bay's absolutely beautiful beaches. Unfortunately, I returned to Kingston with an awful sore throat and painful ear. Even worse, I had only two days to wrap things up in Kingston, pack, and prepare to get my family to Miami and myself to San Francisco.

Miraculously, and with an abundance of help from my husband, we were able to get our apartment cleaned, our bags packed, and ourselves on the plane to Miami. We made it to the airport on time, and, after relieving our bags of the excess pounds, had no trouble checking in. We even had time to sit down and have breakfast before boarding. Even more amazing, as we were eating breakfast, an older woman approached us and complimented my girls on their good behavior! That was a first!! Usually, we get disparaging looks from folks who don't like to hear or see children. But, this lovely woman from St Louis was kind enough to come over to us and tell us how much she admired how well the children were behaving. Perhaps she didn't notice them playing tag when we were waiting in line to check in. Nevertheless, that set a nice tone for the day.

My husband, Nando, and my three daughters will spend three days in Miami before heading to Guatemala, while I go to a conference in San Francisco. Once in Miami, Nando's brother picked us up and took us to the Ocean Surf Hotel, where Nando is staying with the girls. Before leaving them, I got to spend some last few moments on Miami Beach. At 8pm, I caught my flight to San Francisco for a conference, the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting. After a five and a half hour flight, I made it to a hotel close to the airport, where, with the help of some antihistamines, I had a good night's rest. I woke up early to take the train into town for a preliminary conference in Berkeley.

At first, the conference was a bit of a culture shock. After hanging out with my family and doing research in Kingston, it was a bit of an adjustment to be in a room full of sociologists, where I was supposed to be networking and talking in academic-ese. I was very glad to see a friend of mine, Jessica, as I knew I could be myself with her. Nevertheless, I was surprised at how quickly I was able to get back into the groove. This was made substantially easier by the fact that everyone was quite friendly.

The preliminary conference was called “Making Connections,” and was organized by the International Migration Section of the ASA. These specialized conferences tend to be friendlier and easier to navigate than big, disciplinary ones. In addition, the international migration scholars were very friendly. People who sat next to me extended their hands in greeting and smiled. This level of friendliness is not always the norm in a roomful of PhDs, so I was pleasantly surprised.

At the end of the day, however, I was exhausted. I came to my hotel room in downtown San Francisco with my room mate, Wendy, and tried not to fall asleep, as it was only 8pm. Wendy and I chatted about the ups and downs of our jobs, and I was able to stay awake until 9:30pm. I managed to stay asleep most of the night until 6am, when I really couldn't sleep anymore.

I got up and got ready to conference again. (For us academics, yes, “to conference” is a verb.) I went to two sessions on transnationalism, which is a subfield my work on deportations is engaging with. I also ran into tons of people I haven't seen since last year's conference, or since I left Kansas in May.

I am debating with myself how much I want to take advantage of my time here and enjoy San Francisco. Despite two nights of rest, I am still exhausted from all of the travel. But, the weather has been gorgeous here, and it would be a shame to waste all of this sunshine we have been seeing.

Hopefully, I will be able to get a good night's rest tonight. I am a bit nervous, as Nando is flying to Guatemala first thing tomorrow morning with the girls! I am hoping he has no problem getting out of the country or getting into Guatemala! Really, there should be no problem, but the potential for things not going right worries me. I asked Nando to call me as soon as he gets into the waiting area to get on the plane tomorrow, and again once he gets to Guatemala. Hopefully, by this time tomorrow, I will have nothing to worry about.