Central America – Summary:
Worst food: Our first impression of Guatemala was not a good one as our shuttle stopped at a restaurant for a quick breakfast on our way from Copan to Antigua. If bad cooking was an art, that particular restaurant had perfected it – everything tasted horrible! The mashed beans were burnt AND tasted of cardboard, the plastic cheese in my omelet wasn’t melted and the ham inside was cold. It came with a sausage that was probably boiled for a number of years and a dollop of white cheese which looked like something I’ve stepped in before. Yuck.
I’ve had some really good empanadas especially in South America although one in San Carlos, Nicaragua takes the crown as the worst I’ve ever had. Instead of wheat they used corn dough and produced a brilliant sample of a culinary nightmare after deep frying a frozen empanada for long enough that it soaked up at least a pint of 2nd grade oil. I had to accompany the empanada safely to the nearest available bin after just one bite.
Worst accommodation: Our hotel room in San Carlos, Nicaragua looked like I felt that day (I was dry retching over a boat for most of our journey there after picking up a 24hr bug). The room was dark and dank with a large plastic bucket filled with water for flushing the toilet AND for using to have a shower. There was both an electricity and water cut which didn’t help matters. That place was so dirty even the cockroaches stayed away…
Worst City: Yet again San Carlos in Nicaragua. It ticked most boxes of what not to like in a city.
Best natural wonder: Glovers Reef in Belize was my favorite and still haunts my dreams. It was such a lovely place with picture postcard perfect palm lined beaches and colorful corals teeming with fish. I was hooked with all the activities on offer like kayaking, diving, snorkeling and last but not least fishing for big fish such as bonefish, barracudas or reef fish. I would go back tomorrow if I could!
Favorite activities: Spending a week relaxing, fishing, diving and kayaking on Glovers Reef in Belize was one of my favorite activities. I was like a little kid brimming with excitement with so many things to do. When I wasn’t active, lying in a hammock sipping a cold beer or coconut rum and watching the cute hermit crabs scurrying around was just as much fun.
Worst journey: We had so many of them while travelling through Central America as their minibuses are just not made for tall Westerners. Most of the time I sat only on one very numb bum cheek while my knees where cramped up in the seat in front of me. Our journey from Semuc Champey to Rio Dulce however takes the prize as worst journey.
Funniest moment: The monkeys and raccoons in Manuel Antonio (Costa Rica) stealing unsuspecting tourists’ food was very amusing. I couldn’t help but laugh after a family of raccoons stole a German woman’s food while she politely tried to shoo it away to no avail. The raccoons really didn’t give a toss and just kept on munching her food!
Biggest fright: This happened to me while snorkeling in Belize. I was happily swimming along minding my own business when I saw a big rock with a large overhang. Holding my breath I dove down to check underneath and nearly had a heart attack when I came face to face with a fish bigger than me! I’m not sure who had the biggest fright though as the fish darted back into its “lair”. It turned out that I was very lucky to have seen it though as it was a Jewfish which are quite rare.
Favorite animal(s): I saw a sloth for the first time ever while in Costa Rica and it is impossible not to like them especially seeing them up close. Like dolphins, they seem to have a permanent smile on their faces. They are very inquisitive and loving animals.
The cheeky toucans remain another favorite as they are such beautiful birds with their long colorful beaks. Seeing them flying freely in the wild was very special and we couldn’t help but take many pictures.
Most disappointing moments: We were told by another fellow traveler that he had climbed a volcano and had the chance to poke a stick in molten lava. I was all over that idea and couldn’t wait to do so while in Antigua. However, after arriving there we discovered that the volcano had stopped spewing lava and all that was left was smoke. We came across the same situation while in Costa Rica re Vulcan Arenal. For some reason the volcano gods were definitely not on our side!
Most thrilling moment: The water caves in Guatemala was by far the most thrilling - many of our group freaked out especially after their candles started blowing out.
Won’t miss: I really really really won’t miss lugging my heavy luggage around and getting into cramped up minibuses. Throwing toilet paper in a bin next to me and cold showers is also not something I will miss. Food was also not a highlight and I will definitely not miss eating tough meat with either rice & beans or corn tortillas. I also picked up a few ear infections while swimming in contaminated water which is something I will not miss.
Least privacy: Sharing a room with your partner in Central America can be very interesting especially some places where a thin curtain acted as the only separation between the toilet and the rest of the room. Eating dodgy food caused upset tummies on many occasions and let’s just say that there are no more secrets in our relationship…
Favorite village: My favorite village had to be El Castillo in Nicaragua. Although very small, the village had a lot of charm with wooden buildings built on top of the water. The locals there were very friendly and we didn’t see many other tourists which made for a nice change. There were many activities on offer which ranged from jungle hikes to canoeing in a traditional canoe. They also served up the massive river prawns which are the biggest I’ve ever seen.
Tips: If I can suggest a few things it would be to take Spanish lessons before visiting South and Central America. It would be easy enough doing it while there as one would get the best out of both worlds by learning the language while experiencing the culture. I really regret not doing so beforehand. Something else to consider is getting a pet parrot who you’ve trained to sit on your shoulder while saying “no gracias” non-stop, especially when visiting the local markets.
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