Lanquin

I'm checking in from Lanquin.  We had a very interesting day today.  We left El Estor and headed to Lanquin by what the guidebook called a "backdoor".  It was an amazing bus ride.  We began going through some small Mayan towns.  We were really off the beaten path and the road was not paved at all the entire trip.  It was a nice way to see how people really live here.  Then we spent the rest of the day on switchbacks through some of the most beautiful mountains I've ever seen.  There were both pine trees and palm trees which is such a change from mountains in the states.  We finally arrived here in Lanquin about an hour ago and are staying at El Retiro a popular campy kind of place.  We already ran into a friend from Finca Ixobel in the first 10 minutes that we were here.  The place is on a hill with a river running right through it.  I will take some pictures tomorrow and post them tomorrow evening.

The real draw for this place is called Semuc Champay.  The river here runs underneath a natural limestone bridge  so you can walk around on what seems like solid stone but hear the river running below it.  I'll know more tomorrow...just wanted to check in because its been a few days.