Xela - Hot Springs and Hitch-hiking!

We arrived in   Xela (pronouned Shayla...don´t ask me how that works...) to find a gorgeous town that was almost European looking in parts. You are probably not that interested to know that we had the best bread we have tasted in the past two months...come on...we have been suffering with corn tortillas!  The highlight for this town was the nearby hot springs, Fuertes Georginas. They were absolutely gorgeous natural hot springs situated up in a cloud forest with mist cascading down the high walls of the tropical vegetation that surrounded them. Well, it was mystical and magical until the Guatemalans tried to swim (ever seen them in the Olympics, now we know why) and then they started pumping out the 80´s Power Ballads ....hmmmm, its all adds to the Guatemalan atmosphere ;-)

We hitch-hiked down the mountain in the back of a ute...had a stop along the way for our driver to chat with some of the local farmers while swinging his machete (I really want to get me one of them!). It was kinda exhilerating bouncing along the dirt roads in the back of the ute through the gorgeous countryside. The people are amazing (and well armed)...we are loving Guatemala!!