Semuc Champey

Me overlooking the waterfall

One of the first photos I took once we reached the pools.

Now that I am back from my Christmas/New Years vacation I can finally update my blog! I was planning on doing that while I was home, but I was way too busy enjoying my time home! I first want to share will you all the Thanksgiving vacation I took with some of my PC friends. We all decided to take a trip to Semuc Champey in the deparment of Alta Verapaz; a southern department in Guatemala. This place was absolutely beautiful. It is this tiny town tucked away in the mountains and after about a 45 minute dirt/rock ride you enter into a park where you encounter limestone pools that were created by a category 6 rapids. On top of this once solid piece of limestone rock are there beautiful aqua pools that you can swim in and walk along but underneath there is a category 6 rapid! It is insanely beautiful. I can't get over the amazing beauty of this country, it always surprises me.

We all took a hike towards "El Mirador" which is the look-out point on top of a mountain that looks down on the limestone pools

Me looking down from "El Mirador"

A closer look...

The category 6 rapid underneath this limestone pools.

A long view.

Touring bat caves!!

I'm not going to lie... this cave was scary. It is damp, gloomy and there are bats flying around your head. I felt like was in Lord of the Rings. In this picture you can kind of see how incredibly huge this cave was. The lights gave everyone a path to stay on, otherwise you could fall to your death in many of the cave's endlessly dark cliffs...

Walking through the cave... "dodging" flying bats.

Following the lighted path. The cave I felt like went forever. But towards the end there was this enormous "tower" that took millions of years to develop - and it was caused by water droplets of sedement falling from the ceiling of the cave. Here you can see somewhat how that works from what looks like "cones" hanging from the ceiling.

At exactly 6:30 pm they turned the lights off. We all sat in silence as we head a huge swarm of bats leaving the cave to eat. Here you can see some bats flying out. It was unreal.

The girls and I waiting for the bats to leave the cave.

The hostal we stayed at in Lanquin. A small little town right outside of Semuc Champey.

Here I am standing on the second story of our hostal.

This was cool. A bunch of us went through another cave, but this time we were guiding ourselves by the light of a single candle. The water was really cold, and it was definitely scary walking through a pitch-black dark cave. There were points in the cave where you were treading water because you weren't able to touch the ground and we all had to keep our candles above our heads.

The girls and I in the cave.

Everyone putting their candles together.

This is where the rapid comes out. On top are the limestone pools.