GUA - Guatemala City

[Mad Doggy Dog]

Flew a 5 day trip last week,

ATL-GUA-LAX-GUA-LAX-ATL


Brought my wife along too!

Guatemala City is an interesting place. Located about 17 degrees north latitude, it's 5000' elevation keeps it mild. The locals say this is the city of eternal spring time. They are correct.

Being a big fan of REM, I went looking for the flower called Amenita mentioned in their song, Flowers of Guatemala. Only Amenita isn't a flower, it is one of the world's most poisonous mushrooms. The first picture below shows what it looks like. So don't eat one unless you are senior to me.

GUA is surrounded by 13000' active volcanos. [pics 2 and 3.] You can take tours and go hiking on them.

After seeing the beauty of GUA, it was off to see the beauty of LAX. [pics 4 and 5.]

A rental car in LA allows one to drive the Pacific Coast Highway and escape the city. One of my favorite spots is Paradise Cove Beach, west of Malibu. [pic 6.] A good place to eat or relax. Good surfing nearby.

Back to GUA to see flowers, this is what GUA is famous for. [pics 7 and 8, at the city's Botanical Gardens.]

Not wanting to be called a pansey for going to a Botanical Garden on my layover, it was off to a classy bar...........one with bathroom fixtures for sale on it's patio..... but it is the type of bar which appeals to pilots...........cheap beer! I recommend a local brew called Gallo.

The dollar goes really far in GUA. The food is great too!

[Swen]

Did it make you feel....funky?

[coa787]

They have some "interesting" places over there...

[Swen]

Now my first reply makes no sense...when I first replied all I saw was the 'shroom picture.

[SkyCougar]

Nice photos MDD! That mushroom is quite beautiful, in a deadly way. I once ate the wrong mushrooms too, back in 1977 at a Todd Rundgren concert at San Diego State University. I'm still here, although I went somewhere else that night!

Guatemala is a beautiful country, particularly up in the mountains. The Bird of Paradise pics are pretty, and your wife is a cutie!

P.S. Is that Alice's Restaurant in Malibu?

[Mad Doggy Dog]

Originally Posted by SkyCougar

Nice photos MDD! That mushroom is quite beautiful, in a deadly way. I once ate the wrong mushrooms too, back in 1977 at a Todd Rundgren concert at San Diego State University. I'm still here, although I went somewhere else that night!

Guatemala is a beautiful country, particularly up in the mountains. The Bird of Paradise pics are pretty, and your wife is a cutie!

P.S. Is that Alice's Restaurant in Malibu?

--------------------------------------------------





You can get anything you want,
at Alice's restaurant.........



Good evening, always a pleasure to hear from you Ms Cougar,


Is Alice's restaurant in Malibu the place mentioned in that Arlo Guthrie song? If so, I know where I am going on my next LAX layover!



The photo shows Bob Morris' Paradise Cove Beach Cafe.
28128 Pacific Coast Hwy. They make giant glasses fresh squeezed OJ. And monster burritos. Nothing beats breakfast on a beach! All and all, a superior dining experience to Arby's or Randy's Donughts! We got there around 10am on Sunday and left by the time all the Los Angelenos showed up..........talking loudly on their cellphones among other things.......crowding the place out.....and ruining the serenity.

Drove up to Oxnard / Ventura to see if it would be somewhere I'd want to live due to it's nice sailboat marinas. Decided "no," it wasn't my scene.

If you ever go to the British Virgin Islands, they have lots of magic mushrooms, but no Todd Rundgren though.

I'm heading back to GUA in a few weeks. Where would you recommend to go? Im jonesing for some mountain adventure!

[Mad Doggy Dog]

Originally Posted by SkyCougar

Nice photos MDD! That mushroom is quite beautiful, in a deadly way. I once ate the wrong mushrooms too, back in 1977 at a Todd Rundgren concert at San Diego State University. I'm still here, although I went somewhere else that night!

Guatemala is a beautiful country, particularly up in the mountains. The Bird of Paradise pics are pretty, and your wife is a cutie!

P.S. Is that Alice's Restaurant in Malibu?

--------------------------------------------------





You can get anything you want,
at Alice's restaurant.........



Good evening, always a pleasure to hear from you Ms Cougar,


Is Alice's restaurant in Malibu the place mentioned in that Arlo Guthrie song? If so, I know where I am going on my next LAX layover!



The photo shows Bob Morris' Paradise Cove Beach Cafe.
28128 Pacific Coast Hwy. They make giant glasses fresh squeezed OJ. And monster burritos. Nothing beats breakfast on a beach! All and all, a superior dining experience to Arby's or Randy's Donughts! We got there around 10am on Sunday and left by the time all the Los Angelenos showed up..........talking loudly on their cellphones among other things.......crowding the place out.....and ruining the serenity.

Drove up to Oxnard / Ventura to see if it would be somewhere I'd want to live due to it's nice sailboat marinas. Decided "no," it wasn't my scene.

If you ever go to the British Virgin Islands, they have lots of magic mushrooms, but no Todd Rundgren though.

I'm heading back to GUA in a few weeks. Where would you recommend to go? Im jonesing for some mountain adventure!

[Doug Taylor]

Nice photos, Bob! How's Marnie doing anyway? I haven't seen her since I 2004 I think in SLC. I think I was running for a flight or something.

[ERfly]

Originally Posted by Mad Doggy Dog

--------------------------------------------------





You can get anything you want,
at Alice's restaurant.........

Is Alice's restaurant in Malibu the place mentioned in that Arlo Guthrie song? If so, I know where I am going on my next LAX layover!

If you listen closely to the song, you'll hear Arlo state that it takes place in the town of Stockbridge, MA, as he's describing Officer Obie and the 27 8X10 color, glossy pictures with the circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining it to be used as evidence against them.

Very nice picture, BTW.

[SkyCougar]

[quote=Mad Doggy Dog;806768]--------------------------------------------------

You can get anything you want,
at Alice's restaurant.........

Ahhh, I still play that song every Thanksgiving!

Good evening, always a pleasure to hear from you Ms Cougar,

Why thank you, and it's a pleasure to hear from you too!

Is Alice's restaurant in Malibu the place mentioned in that Arlo Guthrie song? If so, I know where I am going on my next LAX layover!

Nah, the place he sings about is in Massachusetts, but Alice's Restaurant was an institution in Malibu for years! Actually, I heard that it's not open anymore and had fallen into disrepair. But man, was that place hoppin' back in the fern bar days! ...weeedoggiiees...I had a few days and nights there!

The photo shows Bob Morris' Paradise Cove Beach Cafe.
28128 Pacific Coast Hwy. They make giant glasses fresh squeezed OJ. And monster burritos. Nothing beats breakfast on a beach! All and all, a superior dining experience to Arby's or Randy's Donughts! We got there around 10am on Sunday and left by the time all the Los Angelenos showed up..........talking loudly on their cellphones among other things.......crowding the place out.....and ruining the serenity.

Yes, the Angelenos and their cell phones - most annoying that is!

If you ever go to the British Virgin Islands, they have lots of magic mushrooms, but no Todd Rundgren though.

I have been to the BVI, but I never had their mushrooms!

I'm heading back to GUA in a few weeks. Where would you recommend to go? Im jonesing for some mountain adventure!

Well I'd say that the two most popular places are Lake Atitilan and Tikal, but there is so much beautiful mountainous rainforest to be seen there, as well as the Colonial Towns. How much time do you have to play?

[Mad Doggy Dog]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

Nice photos, Bob! How's Marnie doing anyway? I haven't seen her since I 2004 I think in SLC. I think I was running for a flight or something.

Well she hasn't kicked me out of the house and on to my sailboat yet!

One of these days, we will all get together. She says hello.

We are looking for career opportunities for her which will bring us out of Dallas. She keeps getting all these job offers, most requiring us to move to NYC. We would rather be out west though.

I'd would have bid to the NYC 767ER but.... Yo gusto a volar el mundo Latino. Especially in winter.

[Mad Doggy Dog]

[quote=SkyCougar;806813]

Originally Posted by Mad Doggy Dog

--------------------------------------------------







Well I'd say that the two most popular places are Lake Atitilan and Tikal, but there is so much beautiful mountainous rainforest to be seen there, as well as the Colonial Towns. How much time do you have to play?

--------------------


What can one do in GUA for 24 hours?

I've heard going to the old capital of Antigua is only 90 minutes away.

Also, there is an active volcano with visible lava pools 45 minutes south of GUA which can be hiked - 2 hours up, 30 minutes down.

Ever been to Guyaquil? Going there for 24 hours as well....two days after GUA.

[LoadMasterC141]

Go on a hiking tour.

Nice pictures BTW. I have a picture of our 141 sitting on thye ramp at GUA with a volcano in the background. I'll post when I get a chance.

[SkyCougar]

[quote=Mad Doggy Dog;806912][quote=SkyCougar;806813]

--------------------

What can one do in GUA for 24 hours?

Hmmm...not a lot of time, but you could go to Antigua. In GUA there is the Central Park and Market that might be cool, the National Cathedral and National Palace are nearby, also check out the Ixchel Museum and the National Museum of Archeology if you're into the Mayan culture.

[zmiller4]

[quote=SkyCougar;806928][quote=Mad Doggy Dog;806912]

Originally Posted by SkyCougar

--------------------




Hmmm...not a lot of time, but you could go to Antigua. In GUA there is the Central Park and Market that might be cool, the National Cathedral and National Palace are nearby, also check out the Ixchel Museum and the National Museum of Archeology if you're into the Mayan culture.

2nd Antigua! It's what, a 1hr shuttle from Guatemala City? I'd *highly* recommend hiking Volcan Pacaya. There's numerous guided trips that get you up there from Antigua, and you get to walk right to the edge of an active volcano's crater. It's a little creepy, actually, but you get panoramic views of Guatemala City from up there. And they sell cold beer at the trailhead.

Lago de Atitlan is the bomb.com, though way too far from Guatemala city for a quick trip. I spent Christmas of 2003 there in place on the far side of the lake from Panajachel called the Posada Santiago, which is a beautiful lakeside resort constructed of basalt (lava) from the local volcanoes. It's an unbelievable bargain at like $75/night.

http://www.atitlan.com/posada.htm

Crap, now I'm seriously wanting to go back there.

Edit: just saw this MDD.

I've heard going to the old capital of Antigua is only 90 minutes away.

Also, there is an active volcano with visible lava pools 45 minutes south of GUA which can be hiked - 2 hours up, 30 minutes down.

I'm pretty sure Pacaya is the Volcano people are talking about. You can take shuttles there from either Antigua or Guatemala City. There's a bunch of tour companies that run trips down there--googling will turn up quite a few. It shouldn't be much more than a half-day trip.

If you go, be careful around the crater. I don't think people realize how unstable it can be and how bad an idea it is to walk right up to the edge.

[BrewMaster]

Stay away from the Horsey Sauce.....

[Mad Doggy Dog]

Good call on the Pacaya Volcano hike.

That was freakin' awesome! One of the coolest things I have ever seen in my life. Well worth the $70 I paid to go there.

It is really spooky looking down at the ground and seeing lava flowing through cracks in the rock under your feet. Especially when the ground starts shaking, hissing and popping.

Oh, and volcanos are hot when you are standing next to flowing lava. Really really hot. Unbelievably hot. [Duh.]

Pacaya is beautiful. At the trail's summit, 7400', you are in and out of the clouds. And the sky is so blue. The trees and flowers look like something from a Dr. Suess book. There are even wild horses living on the mountain.

[Kristie]

WOW! those are really something....Thanks for sharing!!

I'm not sure i'd walk up there myself even being somewhat the adventurous type.

[Mad Doggy Dog]

Originally Posted by Kristie

WOW! those are really something....Thanks for sharing!!

I'm not sure i'd walk up there myself even being somewhat the adventurous type.

You can always take a donkey or horsey ride.

There are lots of dudes at the trailhead wishing to provide you with such transport for a very reasonable fee.

In fact, if you choose to walk, they follow you anyway, and keep hounding you.

I was rather insulted. Do I look like someone who can't make it up the mountain?

Well....... I did think about it.....getting a horse that is. But the climb was a great workout.

[zmiller4]

Originally Posted by Mad Doggy Dog

That was freakin' awesome! One of the coolest things I have ever seen in my life. Well worth the $70 I paid to go there.

Glad you enjoyed it! That climb totally kicked my butt.

If you get back there, I'd definately take a few hours to get down to Antigua. It's a beautiful city.

[coa787]

Those volcano shots are pretty cool.