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XELA PAGES GUATEMALAN NEWSLETTER http://www.xelapages.com/ Issue #15, April 5, 2000 Current Subscriber - 760 Copyright © 2000 By Tom Lingenfelter -- Xela Pages ================================================== */*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/ Please forward this Newsletter to
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[EDITORS RAMBLING] Hi everyone! Well we have made it back to the United States! We are living in Alameda, CA working on and promoting Tourism to Guatemala. If any of you would like to talk to us or are interested in taking a trip to Guatemala please do not hesitate to call or email. Or if any of you can help us get the "GOOD" word out about travel to Guatemala we want to hear from you! Tom & Marylu Lingenfelter
Believe it or Not we drove from Quetzaltenango, Guatemala to Brownsville, TX in 38 hours! Here is how you to can make this trip too!!! As if anyone would be as CRAZY as Marylu, Kain and I! We left Quetzaltenango at 5am on Jan 14th, 2000. We were at the El Carmen border crossing by about 7:15am and of course it did not open until 8am. So we waited. We were driving our 1993 Jeep Cherokee that had been sitting in the garage for the last 2 years. We had started it often and even driven it a little bit over the 2 years, but the real problem was we had not registered it in Guatemala. So our papers said we brought the car in the country in 1998 and now 2 years later are taking the car out but the car still had US Plates. We were not sure how this was going to play at the border. We had called Adjuna (Customs) in Guatemala City and gotten assurances that there would only be a small fine, $100 or so. We were prepared to pay $100 or even a little more if needed. When the border opened Marylu went inside the offices and worked her magic. I am not sure what she said but when she came out, she all the paperwork and $50 change!!! There is nothing better than to be married to a strong Guatemala woman, especially while traveling in Guatemala! Once we past the fumigation station we crossed the border and were on our way. About 20 miles up the road on the north side of Tapachula there was a Transmigrante station. You must buy a transit stamp for your windshield. This allows you to drive thru Mexico. Cost $20 US. We were determined to get to Oaxaca on our first day. So we did not stop much, mainly to fill up the car and eat. There were plenty of places to do both. We drove the free road from Tapachula to Arriaga. From Arriaga we continued on to Tehuantepe through La Ventosa an extreme high wind area, could be a bit dangerous for RVs. From here it is a "straight shot" to Oaxaca. We arrived in Oaxaca at about 8:15. We stayed at in a small hotel on the south side of Oaxaca cost $32.00 US. Total time: 15 hours. The next morning we were up early and on the road by 6am. Tampico was our next stop by way of Mexico City. We jumped on the Toll road outside Oaxaca and cruised all the way to Mexico City. The road was in GREAT shape with call boxes for emergencies and passing lanes when needed. VERY NICE! As we entered Mexcio D.F. we got a little lost but quickly found our way to the Toll road bypass and headed for Pachuca. In Pachuca the Toll road ends and you climb into the mountains. This was the hardest part of the trip. Curvy roads, with a little rain mixed in. We pushed forward, as there are not alot hotels between Pachuca and
Tampico. We arrived in Tampico at around 9pm. We stopped at
the first "decent" hotel we saw. Again no name for you but it is
one of the first hotels on the left as you enter Tampico from the south.
King size bed, cable tv, HOT shower, $28.00
The next day we knew we were only about 8 hour from the Brownsville
border so we took our time and stopped in a small town to pay our tourist
fee $16/person. You must pay it BEFORE you leave Mexico. The
town had a nice Central Park with swings and slides for kids. Kain
was getting rather sick of the car by this point! We reached the
border around 3:30.
This trip was quick and to the point. I do not recommend this to those of you who want to see the beauties of Mexcio. But for those of you afraid to fly, you no longer have an excuse to not visit Guatemala!!! Happy Travels, Tom Lingenfelter ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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From: Clearly Adventurous <quetzalventures@yahoo.com> Guatemala, though seemingly small and unassuming, ranks as one of the
most spectacular countries in the world. The land, culture and people
are widely varied
The tour company Quetzalventures was created in order to demonstrate
Guatemala's rich beauty to the visitor while contributing something meaningful
to the local
Quetzalventures evolved from Quetzaltrekkers, an adventure backpacking
organization set up in 1995 to raise money for the Guatemalan-based social
project
International volunteers work as Quetzaltrekkers guides, sales people
and administrators, organizing every aspect of operation under the supervision
of the
Founder and director Gavin Barker sees Quetzalventures as a natural extension of a simple formula; success in tourism translating into benefits for local children. Barker has conceived an ambitious plan to found and maintain mobile schools which will travel to the marketplaces of Guatemala, bringing teachers and their skills directly to the kids who need them most. All operating costs will come directly from a fund specifically set up by Quetzalventures for this purpose. Child labor is the norm in Guatemala and this has traditionally precluded the unimpeded pursuit of education. Barker hopes to create a balance which allows for the inclusion of a basic education in the child's daily regimen. The success of Quetzalventures can make this a reality. Quetzalventures offers three basic types of tours to their clients.
Seven and twelve day Traditional Tours are designed for those who specifically
wish to see
A number of options are also available for the adventure seeker.
You and your friends can choose a seven or twelve day Adventure Tour which,
depending on
Twelve and twenty-one day Budget Tours are designed to cater to those who want to immerse themselves in the language and culture of the country without all the frills. Quetzalventures has designed tours which incorporate language study, sociopolitical presentations, adventure activities, and sightseeing excursions. Clients will emerge from this experience with a much clearer idea of what Guatemala and Guatemalan culture are all about. Quetzalventures can also design a custom tour for you and your group
based on what you want to see and do during your stay, and group discounts
are available.
We take our commitments very seriously and we realize that your satisfaction
is the key to the success of Quetzalventures and of our projects for children.
We
Quetzalventures looks forward to sharing the beauty of one of the most beautiful countries in the world with you. For more information about Quetzalventures see their online brochure
at www.quetzalventures.com or write to Gavin Barker and James Sim at
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http://www.xelapages.com/newsletter/ Read all the past issues plus other articles
====================================================
Here is a listing of 15 Spanish Schools in Xela. What you can expect to receive: 5 hours daily one-on-one language training
ICA - http://www.xelapages.com/ica/
Educación Para Todos
http://www.xelapages.com/paratodos/
Juan Sisay - http://www.xelapages.com/juansisay/
Sakribal - http://www.xelapages.com/sakribal/
Minerva - http://www.xelapages.com/minerva/
GIIS - http://www.xelapages.com/asturias/
IGIPSO - http://www.xelapages.com/igipso/
La Paz - http://www.xelapages.com/lapaz/
Latin Arts - http://www.quetzal.net/latin/
CBA - http://www.xelapages.com/cba/
Utatlan - http://www.xelapages.com/utatlan/
Centro Maya de Idiomas - http://www.centromaya.org
Academia Guatemalteca - http://www.xelapages.com/xela/
Casa Iximulew - http://www.xelapages.com/iximulew/
Celas Maya - http://www.xelapges.com/celasmaya/
You can buy these guides directly from Amazon.com simply by clicking
Lonely Planet Central America : On a Shoestring (3rd Ed)
Lonely Planet Guatemala, Belize & Yucatan LA Ruta Maya (3rd Ed)
Rough Guide to Guatemala by Rough Guides, Mark Whatmore
The Rough Guide to Guatemala and Belize (3rd Ed)
Fodor's Belize & Guatemala: The Complete Guide With Beaches,
To see all my recommendations goto: http://www.xelapages.com/guides/ +==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+
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ten years ago i was putting myself through cosmetology school
i had learned enough spanish to order from a menu, get a room
and find the
i had chosen a school in the state of oaxaca. i wanted to go someplace
that
I arrived in oaxaca about six in the morning, still dark outside. it
one minute i would laugh at the absurdity of it all and the next
when dawn arrived i found my way to my host family. they were puzzled
by my lack
the school was fun, but what made the biggest impression on me were
the mayan
although this particular trip had a rough beginning it was one of the
best i have ever taken. in fact it is the reason i am planning on
heading to guatemala later
hope to meet you on the road. Jon ===============================================
If you would like to advertise in this newsletter send request to
Have a great trip!! Tom Lingenfelter - Editor
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