Kat's Steps

09/10/2019

The Colonial Cities in the North of the Central Plateau

08. – 15.09.2019

Arriving at Léon was, well, a bit underwhelming. An industrial city with a mixture of architecture and culture, it is famous for its leather products, the soccer team and a white cathedral with a very peculiar style. And we did see some street dancers doing the so called “Danza de los Machetes” (= Dance of Knives). Although small and not very impressive, we did find a very nice breakfast spot that day and even got another delicious cheesecake! 🙂 But I don’t think this is a necessary place to visit when in Mexico…

Talking about disappointments – Aguascalientes was supposed to be one of the most beautiful cities in Mexico. To tell you the truth, the city is quite dirty, streets where not very pleasant to walk in and the city center, although nice, was not as impressive as one might think. The Government Palace on the other hand was very pretty and very well kept for a colonial building. This is a city you dedicate three hours to and then move on to the real jewel of the North…

Now, when you see the list of the 15 most beautiful cities in Mexico and your previous two experiences were not that impressive, the city of Zacatecas appears even more astounding. It is gorgeous – the architecture is done in a pink stone that makes the buildings stand out, the churches are very pretty. The Alameda park is beautiful and we had the fortune of watching a parade with “Charros” (Mexican cowboys) on horseback. Zacatecas has so many things to do, for example the Eden silver mines and the Bufa Mountain and with its cable car. Oh, and by the way: if you do look for the Statue of the Sad Indian, look up! 😉 Zacatecas is a place where you should definitely make a stop at!

In San Luis Potosi, we got a Korean style Airbnb for a change – really cool and unique! 🙂 The city consists of many colonial buildings in pink color and is very well kept -thats why it became a UNESCO world heritage in 2010. It does have its own personality and we were even able to look at a Mexican military base. Not as nice as Zacatecas (and not so much to do), but definitely one of the better cities in this part of Mexico.

The city of Queretaro is gorgeous, the colonial buildings are amazing, and the food is delicious. A UNESCO world heritage, the city center is definitely worth spending some time in order to explore. And I totally love the colorful Mexican dolls that are handmade and typical for that region. I would highly recommend going to Queretaro since it’s a city you will love and enjoy so much!

San Miguel is a beautiful little town. Being the cultural capital of Latin America for 2019, it has a lot to offer. As soon as I had arrived, I enjoyed walking the streets at night and watched a show at the cathedral. The next day, I chilled on the roof terraceof our beautiful boutique hotel Casa Oratorio with a gorgeous view and as soon as the sun was out, I went out and explored the town a little bit more. The city center is gorgeous, clean and very special. I really liked this town and had a wonderful time here!

My favorite city in Mexico! Guanajuato is known as one of the cultural centers in Mexico and that shows! At night, there are “Callejoneadas” – groups of people that walk around the city center singing and playing music instruments – a lot of fun in a very special atmosphere. The buildings are gorgeous and the food is really good! Oh, and don’t miss out on the view from one of the lookouts around when you’re here! Nevertheless, the most amazing part of it all is the Mummy Museum. It is very different and full of stories and personality – even includes the tiniest mummy on earth.

Later on, on the way back from Xilitla, we took a night bus, stopped by in Tequisquiapan – the geographical center of Mexico – and moved on to Bernal. Being the place with the 3rd largest monolith on earth, it is a nice tiny town with some cool buildings and a cool vibe! It is possible to hike the monolith up to a certain point but from there on, you need to climb. Amazing views!

In the very center of Mexico

10/10/2019

From Rainforest to Pine Trees: La Huasteca

17. – 22.09.2019

Having arrived in Xilitla on a night bus, we stayed at Casa Caracol Hostel. Located just right in front of the Edward James Surrealist Gardens, the hostel has a lot of personality and charm. One feels like Alice in Wonderland – definitely one of my favorite hostels on that trip! Crossing the street, you go into the gardens and I have to say this is something very outstanding! The gardens are amazing with all these magical structures and there is a waterfall with pools you can swim in. Definitely one of the coolest things in Mexico and worth a trip!

From Xilitla, we went around the area of Huasteca Potosina a little more. In the morning, we were taken to the Swallows Basement, a 550m deep sinkhole where many birds live and as soon as the sun comes out, all of them come out in tiny bird tornados – an amazing thing to see! Mexico does have some very particular things and this is one of them! Afterwards, we went on canoes on a river towards a very nice waterfall and a nearby Cenote in order to take a dip.

Arriving to Pachuca is a simple thing – being so close to Mexico City, there are a lot of transport options to get there. This place is known for its delicious pastries and, let me tell you – we finally found a great Mexican all-you-can-eat buffet here! J The city itself has some nice buildings and parks, but the more interesting places are the Pueblos Magicos in the area around.

Mineral del Chico is a nice quite town with a charming city center. It is in the middle of El Chico National Park and, thus, it is mandatory to do some hiking. We went up the Peña del Cuervo, a mountain surrounded by forest and with a very interesting voice distortion at the very top. Oh, and we hopped on a four wheeled cart to check out some places in the surroundings, like a witch house, the river, and some waterfalls.

The next day, we went to Mineral del Monte – a mining town with a very cute personality. It has some very interesting and nice buildings all over the place and I would totally encourage a stroll around the city center and up to one of the mines which feature a great view. Totally worth a half-day trip from Pachuca.

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The Mega Metropolis Mexico City

17.-21. Aug / 15.-16. Sept / 22.-24. Sept 2019

CDMX (= Ciudad de Mexico) is a huuuge city (the second biggest in the world) where we stayed in one of the nicest airbnbs ever! 🙂 We decided to start discovering this metropolis by strolling around in the city center. There is a lot to see: the big main square, the cathedral, the government palace, and lots of museums and churches. There are also many houses with beautiful colonial architecture while having a walk in the streets. And in the Zócalo (“Plaza de la Constitución” – birthplace of México’s Constitution), we did not only see the city’s most visited tourist attractions – the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, and the Templo Mayor with its Aztec relics but also a regional food expo and a lot of traditional Aztec dancers! It was very colorful and fun!

For our second day in the city, we went to Chapultepec Park & Castle which used to be the residence for the Aztec rulers as well as later the Mexican presidents. With more than four square kilometers, this is the largest park of CDMX. These days, the park is popular for its lakes, sports facilities, the botanic garden, the zoo, and several museums. You can take a nice, relaxing stroll there – and be sure to eat some mangos! Now also a museum, the castle is in some ways very simple but it has some majestic rooms and offers a great view of the city from up the hill.

South of the city, you can find Mexico City’s floating fiestas in the UNESCO-listed ecological reserve Xochimilco, where you will be going along the canals (Yes – México City used to be a lake!) on small colorful boats called “trajineras” while enjoying the music, the views, and the food sold from other boats. Don’t miss the flower gardens and the island of the (creepy) dolls! Oh, and I would definitely recommend going there on a weekend since it is way more fun than on work days! And make sure to hire some mariachis who will sing for you.

Being the city with the most museums in the world, one of Mexico City’s most important of these is the Museum of Archeology and History. As spectacular as the building itself is its vast collection, which includes archaeological finds from extinct Indian cultures along with details of the lifestyles of contemporary Indian inhabitants of Mexico. It is filled with statues, objects and relics of the most important prehispanic cultures as well as modern crafts and tiny representations of ancient life. Here, you can even see the Aztec Sun Stone – commonly known as the Aztec Calendar. Oh, and also make sure to check out the Soumaya Museum of Art when in CDMX – it’s free of charge and an impressive building.

On September 16th in 1810, México started its war calling for the end of the Spanish rule. The celebration of the Mexican Independence Day begins in the evening of September 15th when at 11 pm the President along with all the mayors of each state and city gives a speech called “El Grito (de Dolores)” (originally held by the Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo) and people respond with “Viva!” to whatever Mexican hero the speaker is remembering. This is Mexico’s largest, noisiest and most important party – with a lot of drinks, food, and dancing on the streets. The celebration is crowned by enormous fireworks in each and every city all over the country. What a vibrant, unforgettable FIESTA MEXICANA!!! 🙂 And make sure not to miss the big parade on the following day due to a hangover!

Lucha Libre is unique – it’s a mixture of a comedy and a drama. The fights look so real and so fake at the same time. This Mexican version of wrestling with colorful masks and characters is very melodramatic and acrobatic. People usually cheer for either the good guys named “Tecnicos” or the bad ones named “Rudos”. They engage in a fight with half show, half reality where they throw themselves at each other with slaps, bumps, big jumps, and grabs. This show is very unique and interesting – definitely a must-see when in CDMX! Afterwards, we went to the restaurant & bar high up in the Torre Latinoamericana – a skyscraper downtown – in order to have a birds-eye view of the city from high above.

UNESCO-listed Teotihuacán is one of the most important archeological sites in México. With both the Sun Pyramid and the Moon Pyramid as the main features connected by the Avenue of the Death, this ancient city is just amazing. Now one thing is going to the ruins – a whole other experience is getting up in very early morning and going on a hot air balloon ride for sunrise with the Teotihuacán pyramids as the main backdrop. It was spectacular – I loved it! Definitely unforgettable and an amazing goodbye (for now) to México! Thank you, Asis! 🙂

Impressions of our ride in the Hot Air Balloon

And of course, we went to explore the ruins and their surroundings afterwards, as you can see:

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The Ruins of Tikal & the Natural Wonder Semuc Champey

24. – 28. July 2019

Having arrived in Guatemala, I decided to spend my first night there in the very small, laid-back town of El Remate. I highly recommend Hotel Mon Ami directly at Lake Peten Itza: small jungle-like huts and a very neat, spacious dorm beneath the roof. There, I enjoyed sunset and sunrise at the lake before taking the shuttle bus to Tikal.

The ancient Ruins of Tikal were the capital of the Mayan empire. They are huge and some of them are accessible, that means you can climb them and overlook the whole jungle surrounding these buildings. Pretty impressive! And since it was raining cats and dogs when I was there, I had the whole area almost for myself and could hear birds chirping as well as howler monkeys making noises. A very special experience!

After my visit to the ruins, I went to the island of Flores where I stayed in Hotel Aurora which has a very nice terrace overlooking the lake. There is not much to do other than strolling through the colorful streets and taking a boat to San Miguel in order to go up to the lookout or enjoy the beach (a pretty ugly one though after having been to the Caribbean).

From Flores I took a shuttle bus to Lanquin where I was picked up by a four-wheeler in order to get me to a place to stay near Semuc Champey. This one was called Pachamaya Eco Lodge and I can definitely recommend it – location at the river, many hammocks, a good restaurant/bar etc. and all this for an extremely affordable price. In the early morning, I walked over to Semuc Champey, a protected area consisting of a 300 m limestone bridge, under which passes the Cahabón River. Atop this bridge is a series of turquoise pools. You can see it quite good from the lookout on top of a hill. Afterwards, swimming in the natural pools is obligatory. Oh, and in the afternoon, I went tubing on the river in front of my lodge before leaving for the South of Guatemala early the next morning.

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Colonial Cities & Active Volcanoes

29. July – 02. Aug 2019

Antigua is one of my favorite cities in Central America. It has so many colorful colonial houses and churches and is surrounded by volcanoes – truly a very impressive view! Most of the city had to be rebuilt after a severe earthquake in 1773. That’s why many ruins can be found all over this place – just take a look at the pictures… Oh, and I definitely recommend staying at La Casa de Maria! It offers private accommodation in a family’s house that has many flowers in the inner yard and even a parrot that greets you. 🙂

Hiking Volcano Acatenango (3,976 m of altitude) is a quite though one. We met up in the evening at the tour agency in order to get our equipment. Then we drove to the starting point and hiked the first half of the trail through the woods up to the base camp where we had a bonfire and some time in the tents before we continued our way up – this time on volcanic rock which is not very easy to walk on. Early in the morning, we arrived at the top seeing Volcano Fuego spiting lava into the sky. What an amazing experience! A couple of minutes later, the sun rose and we had one of the most spectacular sunrises ever! Just breathtaking: an erupting volcano on one side and a beautiful sunrise on the other. This was definitely worth the effort.

The next volcano on my list of the must-dos in Guatemala was Volcano Pacaya – one of the most active volcanoes on earth. This was a stroll compared to the other hike… Not even one hour and we were up there on the lava field where we were able to roast marshmallows in the hot lava. Indeed a very unique experience! 🙂

After having hiked and experienced these active volcanoes, it was time to go on to Lake Atitlán surrounded by the three other volcanoes San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlán. I arrived in Panajachel, just strolled around (it’s veeery touristy), and took a boat across the lake – with great views on the small little towns at the shore and the majestic volcanoes. In San Pedro, I stayed in Hotel Playa Linda with a great breakfast in the morning – truly a great place to stay and relax for a while. Having explored the town in half a day, I got up in the middle of the night in order to hike up a hill called “Nariz del Indio” (Indian Nose) to see the sun rise above the lake with its volcanoes. What a spectacular view!

On the same day, I took a so-called “chicken bus” (an old American school bus that’s used for public transport here) to Xela which is on the way to México. It’s not the nicest city (especially compared to Antigua) but for half a day, there are some good things to see. The coolest one was the stroll up Baul Hill where I met some really nice policemen who gave me a ride back to Hostel Casa Seibel after I had been interviewed on top of the hill for a TV-show…

The next morning, I took a chicken bus from the market in Xela in order to cross the border to Chiapas, Mexico.

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Belize & its Caribbean Paradise Island Caye Caulker

20. – 24. July 2019

Having crossed the border from México and taken another bus, I arrived in Belize City, the former capital before Hurricane Hattie hit it hard in 1961 (now sits in the planned community Belmopan). Being considered the most dangerous city in this country and also not very worth seeing with regard to sights, I just took a stroll along the promenade of Belize City and then left the main land with a speed boat.

Having arrived at the Caribbean island Caye Caulker, I checked in at Bella’s Backpackers and got my own little loft (Princess of the castle, baby 😉 ). I met amazing people in the hostel and we went by boat to a Fullmoon Party at Koko’s Beach Club that same night. What followed the next, cloudy day was very chilled, extreme hammocking. When it was the sun came out again, we went to the so-called “Split” – a very cool place where the island was torn into two parts by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 (yes, the same one). Well, now there is a swimming place with a bar and launch chairs. The next day, it was time to take out the canoes and look for some starfish. 🙂

Oh, and of course, I had to go snorkeling in this crystal clear Caribbean water! It was amazing and truly unforgettable! We saw so many colorful fish, moraines, sharks, turtles, and stingrays. I stroked a shark for the first (and maybe last) time in my life! 🙂 If you go to Caye Caulker, don’t miss out on this marvelous adventure!

My last stop in Belize was San Ignacio – a small sleepy town with colorful wooden houses. I stayed in The Old House Hostel which has a great terrace, clean facilities, and the most amazing staff (they even took me to the border when the taxi didn’t show up). I just walked around town for a bit, passed by the Iguana Sanctuary and the Chocolate Factory, and decided to go on to Guatemala… For my taste just too laid back (and stoned – weed is legal here)…

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Laid-back Copacabana at Lake Titicaca

11. – 12. June 2019

Having been done with all cross border formalities, we spent the rest of the day relaxing at the lake, sightseeing, and hiking up one of the hills for a great view. Copacabana is a wonderful place to relax, especially when you have a room at Hostal Leyenda with a nice view of the lake.

On the second day there, I took a boat to Isla del Sol where I visited some Inca ruins while having great views of the lake and the islands from the hill tops. Luckily, there were also celebrations because of the anniversary of the village with music and traditional dances going on. After that excursion, we took an overnight bus to La Paz.

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High Altitudes at La Paz & the Mountain Huayna Potosi

13. – 18. June 2019

Having arrived in the world’s highest capital city with an altitude of 3.640 meter altitude, we checked in at Hostal Canoa in the city center not too far from the bus terminal. From there, we discovered the city the next day: the famous witch market with the lama fetuses, the main square, several churches, markets, and the cable car which took us high above to the market in El Alto.

The next morning, we left for the Huayna Potosi, a mountain of 6.088 meter altitude in the Cordillera Real surrounding La Paz. On the first day, we stayed at the Base Camp practicing ice climbing at a glacier. The next day, we went up to the High Camp at 5.270 meter altitude in order to start the last hard part to the summit at 1:30 am. Through snow and ice, we somehow made it up to the summit right in time for sunrise at 6:30 am. Thus, we were amongst the 20% of the people leaving the camp that actually made it to the top and didn’t turn around. One of the hardest things I’ve ever done! But the view from high up above the clouds was totally worth it although we didn’t feel quite well afterwards…

Well, that was a once in a lifetime experience after which I needed a day to recover in La Paz only visiting the Valley of the Moon in the afternoon with Cecile from France. The next morning, I took part in the highly recommended Red Caps Walking Tour (it’s not for freebecause that’s forbidden by law in Bolivia) during which I was told many facts about the country, the city, and the Bolivian culture that I had not known before. Right afterwards, I took the bus to Rurrenabaque in the Amazon region across the Death Road.

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The Amazonas Jungle: Las Pampas

19. – 22. June 2019

After a spectacular bus ride on the death road with stunning views, I arrived in Rurrenabaque early in the morning, took a quick sightseeing tour, and went to the agency Fluvial Tours in order to being taken to Santa Rosa. There, we jumped on a small boat that went deep into the wetlands of Amazonia. On the way, we already saw many different birds, caymans, crocodiles, dolphins, and tapirs.

After a good night’s sleep in the jungle lodge and delicious meals, we went into the swamps to look for anacondas. Although the weather conditions were not the best (snakes are cold-blooded reptiles and come out when the sun is shining), we bumped into one after three hours walking in boots through mud and water. Later that day, after siesta, we went out to catch our delicious dinner – piranhas – before watching the sunset.

The next morning, we got up early in order to see the sun rise over the jungle and do some bird watching. After breakfast, we went swimming with the pink dolphins in the river before the boat took us back through the swamps where we said goodbye to all the animals and reptiles in the wild.

Having taken the bus in Rurrenabaque, I jumped out in Choroico in order to enjoy the views over the valley before heading back to La Paz and from there further on to Chochabamba.

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The Bolivian Cities Cochabamba & Sucre

23. – 26. June 2019

After having arrived in Cochabamba later than I thought, I had to walk around in order to find a hostel. Finally, I ended up in Jaguar House which was nice but overpriced. Having slept in, I took a walk around town with two other backpackers in the afternoon. We had lunch at the huge market and took the lift up the hill in order to see the highest Christ statue in the world and enjoy the view.

Having spent the night in another bus, I arrived in Sucre very early in the morning, and went straight to bed at the hostel Spanish Friends (nice & relaxed atmosphere). When I took a walk in the afternoon, I was overwhelmed by the beauty and elegancy of this city. It doesn’t seem to be South American at all! It’s so nice and quiet with its white houses, the serene churches, and the numerous green squares. Oh, and sunset is best watched from Recoleta up the hill!

The next day, I went to the archeological park nearby where huge dinosaur footprints were found – the biggest ones worldwide. It was an amazing sight! Crazy to imagine that these giants lived here 86 million years ago!

In the afternoon, I climbed up to the bell tower of the church La Merced in order to enjoy the view before I went back to the hostel to chill, be on the phone and just put up my legs for a bit before leaving this marvelous capital of Bolivia in the morning.