Swimming in Water 11.28.2006
In Semuc Champey an old, big river finds a hole in the limestone bed and disappears underground for 300 meters, then pops out of the ground and strolls along whistling, as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, up on the surface, a second stream descends from the ridge to wind through the original riverbed, riding piggy back on Grampa river below. In the little, on-the-surface river there are lots of happy little waterfalls and jade green pools. I swam there yesterday.
On the way back to the hostel we saw a trail of those ants that carry the huge chunks of leaves. Got some sweet pictures, so stay tuned.
Then in the hostel we saw a spider the size of maybe Utah.
Today I tried not to drown as I swam through a cave, while holding on to a freaking candle, with my shoes on. Failed. No candle, no air, lordhelpus. Then I climbed up a small waterfall in the cave using a knotted rope. Then I found myself obeying some Guatemalan guide as he told me to jump from a height of maybe 10 feet into a pit of pitch black water. Then, on the way back I was walking in some very shallow water when I encountered a bottomless hole with my left foot/leg/hip/head. After flailing my way out of that, I obeyed that same guide (who ARE you?) as he instructed me to jump down into a hole that was swallowing the river. I popped out where the others had gathered near where we entered the cave. The whole cave experience reminded me somewhat of the time I rode SpaceMountain in Disneyworld: lots of fear, and getting jerked around and thinking I´m going to die, and then all of a sudden it`s done and what in the name of all things holy was THAT all about? My lands.
Life is good here. I´m in Coban now. Traveling up to Tikal tomorrow. Probably taking a sunrise tour of the ruins on Friday.
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