June 28, 2007

Bruno’s is a bar, and the “campsite” there is the crammed and noisy parking lot.

Throw in the fact that it’s been terribly muggy since we left the cool hill area of Poptun, and the heavenly Finca Ixobel, and our camping situation was less then ideal.

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Rio Dulce is the name of both a river that flows into the Caribbean and a town that is situated on Lake Isabal, the large lake that the river flows out of.

Bruno's, which is also a marina, is located in the town, and abuts the lake.

This is the tiny strip of Guatemala that touches on the Caribbean.

The town is ugly and chaotic. Basically a long strip of two-lane highway crowded tight on either side with parked trucks and decrepit streets stalls.

But Rio Dulce the town is a necessary transit hub for catching a boat down Rio Dulce, the river.

The “collectivo” boat ride down the river, which takes about 90 minutes was, on the other hand, a highlight of the trip. The scenery – thick jungle, smooth rock walls, tiny marinas, intriguing restaurants and spectacular river front homes – was captivating.

And at the mouth of the river is Livingston, a tiny Garifuna town which we checked out for an afternoon, before heading 20 minutes back up the river to the Finca Tatin eco-retreat.

The Garifunas are a black population that have their origins in a group of shipwrecked slaves who intermixed with the Carib Native American peoples, and there are now Garifuna communities on the Caribbean coast, extending from Belize to Honduras.

The vibe of Livingston reminded us of Jamaica (what we saw of it when we were´t barricaded in our room because of Hurricane Ivan).

The “action” in town while we were there was the whirling helicopter that was ferrying townspeople back and forth to an American military medical ship that was just visible offshore, and the US sailors in uniform who were strolling in packs through the narrow streets.

Key Facts & Figures:

-Bruno's Hotel parking lot: $3.50
-Boat trip from Rio Dulce to Livingston: $14/person