Date: 21/01/2013 à 23/01/2013

Following the road, Our next stop was Antigua point, Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1979, and recognized by visitors for its charming Spanish Renaissance architecture in the middle of a valley surrounded by volcanoes like volcano volcano of fire and water. Its historical value is enormous for the country, since the first half of the sixteenth century became the capital of the kingdom of Guatemala, embracing the whole current Central American continental, with the exception of Panama. Full-blown, the city was victim of an earthquake in the year 1773, which led to a break in their growth process. Due to the severe earthquakes that followed, destruiram and much of the city, it was decided that the capital would need to be rebuilt in a safer place. A 40km dali surgiu a cidade da Guatemala, it became the capital of the country, enquanto Antígua foi reconstruída mantendo seu charme colonial apesar de ter perdido sua importância política.

Arrived it was night, after catching Gustav in hospital around 18:30 and pass the Subway for a snack still in Guatemala City. The road was good, but due to the time, traffic out of the city was intense, and so it took a little longer to flow. It was a mountain with lots of curves and hills sloping down well and so, ramps had to be lost if the brake, something we had not seen before. At the entrance of the city there were several hostels, but as we were already engaged SAVER MODE, we went after other options and ended up finding the center of a huge space tourist police and insurance, where to our surprise, had other “campers”, including a couple who had stayed in the same campsite we, wool in Mexico (Guanajuato)! Soon after mounting tents, we talked for hours with 3 American couples, (one was from Alaska and working with oil company, knew and deeply admired Petrobras). It was a nice conversation where we talk about the differences between car travel and backpacking (they were all car), about the future roadmap and post-trip!

Tanajura no pátio da Polícia Turística.

The next day, we were walking around town and soon saw a McDonalds, a colonial style house, with a huge garden that eventually convincing us to eat there on one of the nights! We visited the ruins of the Convent Mercedarios, church Our Lady of Mercy, which was destroyed by earthquake in the sixteenth century and rebuilt 50 anos depois.

The Mc Donalds cozier, does not seem fast food!

Igreja Our Lady of Mercy

As ruins of the Convent of Mercy

Inside the ruins

Exploring the ruins

Source within the ruins

One of the many crafts Antigua

With a few minutes' walk up the hill, arrived at Cerro de la Cruz, where we had an amazing view of the city surrounded by mountains and volcanoes!

View from Cerro

Bruno enjoying the view

The cross on the mountain

Along the way we passed a very traditional restaurant, with musicians playing xylophone (instrument that the Guatemalan claim to be the inventors), and had a flawless garden. Despite the left side of the menu is tempting, the right side of the impossible, hahaha!

Photo on the restaurant terrace

Carriage amid the garden

Top view of the garden

We ended up eating num restaurant called La pitch, indicated by the guide. We walked to the back of the grocery, where there was a large table, we share with you a couple of tourists and a guy who seemed to be local. The food is chamava “Pepi chicken”, a stew with plenty of spice that the nice lady served us! As in many places throughout the Americas, could not miss the “avocado” (avocado) to accompany!!!

Street with the arch in the background

Walk the streets with colonial style buildings

Hunger sated, we left the restaurant, and walk the streets visited a gallery of super cool photos in which the models are local people! Some photos were taken almost 20 years old, and today some of the people who work in the stores are in photographs! Eventually can recognize the face of the vendors in photos, because some are old photos, result of a friendship between the photographer and some places that lasts for more than 2 generations! We sat in the main square, for nearly two hours, where we were observing the habits of tourists! The vast majority were couples, de todas as idades e diferentes lugares do globo.

Tourists walking through the main square of Antigua

Bruno and Gabriel talking about the architecture of the city

André seeking a restaurant for lunch

Gustavo having fun on the square

Beside the square is the palace of “Captains General”, former seat of government when Antigua was still the capital of all Central America, from Chiapas to Costa Rica! When we were out of the square, find Paul and Andrea, Brazilian couple mining super good people, that despite the elegance, resolveram face Central America by 22 day backpack! After almost 2 hours of talk time, with the sun having already fired, fomos ao encontro da Tanajura e retornamos para Guatemala city.

Picture with Paul and Andrea, no por do sol.

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Date: 28/12/2012 to 30/12/2012 and 03/01/2013 à 05/01/2013

Path: We follow the Carretera 307, que segue a costa pelas praias da Riviera Maya.

Riviera Maya – To Lovers Beach

We do not need to know much to know that the Maya chose where to live well. No wonder that today, his former backyard privileged became inexhaustible source for luxury tourism in Mexico. And gave up a fancy name for the region: Riviera Maya. The relentless beauty of the coast is really lovely, for those who can afford the luxury or not. É um lugar imperdível aos amantes das praias.

Paradise View of the ruins of Tulum

Historically known as the corridor that runs from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, Today the call Riviera Maya comprises a strip of approximately 130 km of coastline between the towns of Puerto Morelos and Punta Allen, do not sul da Yucatan Peninsula. A região é famosa internacionalmente pelos seus resorts de luxo e inúmeras opções de restaurantes elegantes.

Camping aa pair of front beach, EM Tulum

Guys relaxing on the beach, Playa del Carmen em

It's easy to understand why the area eyes shines when it comes to tourism. The beaches of white sand and blue water which in itself would be paradise, are backed up by a very generous nature, both the interior of the continent to the sea. The entire coast of the Riviera Maya is accompanied by Barrier Reef System Mesoamerican, the second largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, which makes her not only beautiful underwater world, as full of animal life. Moreover, a região é repleta de cenotes e próxima a diversas ruínas da civilização maia.

Tulum, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Pela Carretera Federal 307, down the coast from Cancun. The first stop was the charming Playa del Carmen. The beach is full of bars on your surroundings and not difficult to find a lounge chair to enjoy a delicious diazinho beach. As no other Riviera Maya gives, prices are for gringo and somewhat salty in the busiest parts of the city. We are to find a coconut most expensive we found there, where a bar charged 90 weights (about R $ 15) por um único coquinho verde gelado.

Many tourists in the ruins

Amid the alleys of downtown, there are some options for cheap hotels and restaurants. We find an Argentine who had a great food at a price most just, o The grill Manolo. Sleeping saving, send good ol 'chat of carretera ", para convencer os gerentes de um hotel à beira da estrada nos deixar dormir no estacionamento em nossas barracas com a Tanajura.

Charming streets, Playa del Carmen em

A spin by "Quinta Avenida" of Playa del Carmen is also delicious. As our trip is over rootz, we just walk in and a sorvetinho (that was expensive!). But for those who like, there are several designer shops and restaurants that looked very good. The nightlife in the region seemed quite busy and also was chic. After the mad revelers in Cancun, preferimos deixar essas passarem.

A border of Playa del Carmen

We follow with Tanajura further south in a cozy stop in Akumal beach. Here's the deal dip! The sea is full of turtles and do not need to hire any tour package to dive and find the animals with their own gear. We spent an afternoon at the beach sexy, acompanhando as tartarugas e diversos peixes que encontrávamos no mar.

Nothing like walking on the beach without commitment

Further south of the Riviera Maya is the beach like that over this entire path, Tulum. It is not only the most photogenic Mayan ruins of the Yucatan Peninsula all that is done the city. Tulum has a long stretch of beach, delicious for those who like to enjoy the beach a good, à vista do mar azul do Caribe e longe de uma infraestrutura urbana.

Panoramic view of the ruins

Belo backyard of the Maya

Detail of the ruins

Ruins of Tulum

We camped in the area of ​​Fisherman's Beach, no Camping Santa Fe. The structure of hoteizinhos and campsites nearby was quite simple, but do not need much more to enjoy the place. Electrical energy is the basis of generators on the beach, then time or another light was not available or no water had been pumped into the water tank. But okay, the beauty and tranquility of the place compensates, and very!

Tanajura version camping in Christmas

We liked the place so much that one of the comings and goings of Cancun, escaped there for a few more days. The truth is that we could spend days and days enjoying the beaches of the Riviera Maya quietly, but the journey continues! There was still plenty to explore in the Yucatan Peninsula! We went to the North, atrás de Mérida e das famosas ruínas de Chichén Itzá.

Late afternoon in Tulum

For more photos of the beaches of the Riviera Maya, click here!

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