As we got back another group was getting ready to go to the local caves. Set right where the natural spring shoots out of the mountain, it too was very close to the hostel. The caves themselves were cool, but if you've seen a cave, they are pretty much the same. I have to say that I was unimpressed until we came back to the entrance. The guide told us to look at the roof of the cave as we sat at the entrance. We started to see a few bats above our heads here and there. I happened to catch one on film, woo hoo!
As the park rangers turned off the lights in the cave we sat near the entrance. Minutes later we bacame aware of a dull roar. The guide told us to take random pictures in the dark, and there was a flood of bats right above our heads. Actually they were below and to the side of our heads as well. It was crazy being in this opening about the size of an 18 wheeler cargo truck... and the bats were everywhere. That was pretty cool.
The next morning I got up and hopped on the pickup to Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey is a national park that has more caves and these natural pools that are surrounded by a very steep wall of jungle on either side. First, we went on the cave tour, guided by our fearless friend Carlos. Our group consisted of 17 people, mostly mid twenties and thirtysomethings. We entered the cave and walked barefoot in ankle deep water with candles in one hand, one candle per person. Most of the caves were the size of a train car, long and narrow. Soon enough the water got knee deep and we climbed up a rickity ladder. Every once in a while someone would bang their toes on a rock and laugh/wail in pain. We hopped up and over little natural stone dams where each step up, the water got a little deeper. The deepest channel was at least 10 feet deep. As I jumped in my candle went out and I spent 5 minutes trying to get it re-lit. By that point half of us were using someone elses light to find our way. Luckily there was only one path, no side tributaries or anywhere else to take a wrong turn. Some of the cavern rooms went about 100 feet up but most were long narrow passages with a few rooms where things opened up a bit. Looking up in the biggest of the rooms I saw a plastic bottle about 30 feet up wedged in between a few stalagtites. Then I realized that there have to be occasional flash floods in here and felt very fortunate to be in Guatemala, bacause there is no way this experience can be had in the States, too much liability and too many lawyers drooling on the sidelines. We went pretty deep into the cave and all of us were complaining about how our feet were bleeding and raw from hitting rocks under the water as we swam in the larger of the pools. By the time we got out into the light we were equally embarrased to see that, not only did we not have blood dripping from our feet, but we all only had tiny red marks where the flesh wounds were thought to be. I felt shame.
Then we did a rope swing and floated a small portion of the river below Semuc Champey in tubes. Then we hiked a short walk into the park wher some went to lounge in the pool and the other half of us hiked up to the mirador. A mirador is simply a lookout. We hiked a pretty steep trail and wooden steps up about 1000-1500 feet in elevation. This picture is from the mirador.
The pools were not super cool, but very refreshing. There were little spots where you could jump 5 feet or so down into the next pool. Words can't describe how beautiful this place is. Dense jungles with a high canopy, extremely steep slopes that led to the river valley and tons of beautiful pools and waterfalls. I'll post some more pics to follow to give you an idea, but they don't do it justice.
