Changobotanico

My favorite Get-Away! I just love Iztapa! An hour or so drive down the mountains from the Capital to the coast. You first come to Puerto San Jose. The Motel Agua Azul is very nice here and is gloriously air-conditioned with a great net shaded large pool. The rooms are quite comfortable and the rates are excellent. There is another resort near-by called Likin that is very nice as well. But my favorite beach in Guatemala is Iztapa. A few minutes drive south of San Jose this narrow strip island is a long row of palapas or grass roofed bungalows all with a similar layout. You take a small motor boat across the canal over to the island and from there choose a bungalow. The black sand beach is clean and very fresh with the ocean breezes drifting through the many coconut trees. This is the beach the Guatemalans come to celebrate holidays and weekends (particularly Easter or Semana Santa since everywhere else is closed and cloaked in religious piety – not so Iztapa!) Here each bungalow has a raised wood floor with a large central area divided in two parts – canalside there is a cafe with tables and chairs for eating or playing cards or most popular – drinking Guajro (the sugar cane distillation that goes so well with Coca Cola and lime). The beach side of the large area is open for dancing and has a juke box or Rocola in the middle. On holidays or weekends many bungalows have a live band. On both sides of the large area are small rooms with usually 2 bunks of woven mats for sleeping. These rooms are available at very LOW rates and have sturdy locking doors. The beach at night on a weekend or holiday is busy with people swimming – all night! It’s pretty dark so sharks always worried me but there doesn’t seem to be a problem or at least I never heard of even one. During the week it is pretty dead and that can be nice too. It was always great to spend a week and bring a good book and relax. The meals in the cafe are inexpensive and they are open all week. Hire a small boat and guide and take a trip up the river that feeds into the canal – It is just beautiful with lush vegetation and palms and a few marvelous homes. This is a Party place and is very popular with the younger crowd. During the week there are more children and it is much calmer. More people should check out this little secret.

Home of Pemex and infused with lots of OILMONEY Villa Hermosa is a thriving city with a clean and prosperous central commercial area. This is one of the few cities in Mexico where poverty is not so much in evidence. Nice houses and neighborhoods and friendly people. Not really a tourist stop and for that it is to me a nicer place. The drive through Tabasco is lovely – lots of HUGE Mango trees and rolling hills that have given the land the title Tierra de Dios. God’s country. It was easy to drive from here to San Cristobal de las Casas although mountanous. It was hot in Villa Hermosa but inexpensive hotels with good air abound.

This is a Beautiful Colonial city but it hasn’t been preserved. You can still see the old colonial roots here though. The heat is pretty overwhelming – nights don’t cool down much, and there are no sea breezes as it is somewhat inland. Built on limestone shallow flatland it is surely FLAT! The most amazing thing was flying in during August and September the Frambuyante trees which have bright red flowers convert the view from the air into a red blaze all over the city. There are many other unusual trees and the fruit is different too. I have been wondering what I ate at a bus stop there – it was wonderful a green lime like fruit that grew in bunches and when very easily peeled had a whitish/pinkish inside that was very sweet with a lightly tart taste. Great fruit – wonder what it is called – I forget. The Guayaveras the city is famous for are magnificent 4 pocket shirts – I love the hand embroidered ones. (stay away from the silk – just too hot!) The main plaza is gorgeous and a nice cathedral. Actually it is not someplace where I would want to spend a long time as there is not that much to do and it’s just too hot. Head for Guatemala and gain a little altitude!