Belize and Guatemala

In September 2016 I went on a 2 week high speed tour of Central America. I managed to get from Belize to Costa Rica using only shuttles and buses.

Pro tip: don’t book transportation until you arrive.

Belize was humid, hot, and rainy when we arrived. We were only there for one night so made the best of it by drinking the local beer and eating some pretty good food. Next time, I’m going scuba diving!

In Belize we stayed in San Ignacio, it’s a town that almost borders Guatemala and is a popular launching spot to get into the neighboring city and into Tikal, which were our exact intentions.

______ Tikal

In San Ignacio we found a tour that could take us through Tikal and then drop us off in Flores afterwards (most would) which is where we hopped in an overnight bus to Antigua. Even though we were only in Tikal for the day we managed to climb all the pyramids, go zip lining, and souvenir shop. In Flores we had some beer and not-so-great nachos.

______ Antigua

Antigua and Tikal is what makes Guatemala our favorite country in Central America. Antigua’s colonial style, walk-ability, vibrant life, and amazing nightlife makes the city unforgettable. I also won’t be forgetting Lake Atitlan anytime soon.

Iceland

Throughout my travels I’ve taken thousand of photos. It’s true that saying, “the picture doesn’t do it justice”, but for Iceland the saying should be magnified.

Iceland’s landscapes are dramatic. I drove my fields of volcanic ash, barren lands, lush waterfalls, smelly geysers, and glaciers. Iceland’s puffins, unforgettable landscapes, and unique wildlife will always pull me to go back again.

Hopefully the next time I go back I have a bigger budget and won’t have to rent out somebody’s attic but hey, it’s not a requirement.

Tip: rent a car and book accommodations far far in advance.

 

 

Oslo, Norway

During our 12 hour layover in Oslo we managed to see alot as well. The two most memorable sites were walking through the Vigeland Sculpture Park and Aker Brygge. Jenna stepped inside the Ibsen Museum while I walked the nearby park and city center. At night we stopped by the Opera house and saw the city light up.

Copenhagen

On route from Amsterdam back to Ireland we had a 6 hour layover in Copenhagen. As soon as the plane landed, we rushed out and took the spaceship looking train into the city.

Our first stop was at the little mermaid statue and the second was at the city center. We ran around and hit up all the tourist spots we could. Peeked inside the Tivoli Gardens, took pictures outside the Rosenborg Castle, and walked up and down picturesque Nyhavn.

Berlin

To this day I have to apologize to the group for the train fiasco I booked us. Between Amsterdam and Berlin we took 5 trains over 12 hours. It was intense but luckily the group was awesome and felt like they were indestructible when we arrived.

To future self / other travelers. Be careful when booking the trains. My mistake was not knowing German. Though only 2 train companies appeared on the website when I booked, I didn’t realize I was going back and forth between the 2 companies at every stop.

My partner found Berlin’s performance art to be memorable. The city kept up many of their communist and Nazi monuments in tact but placed monuments reflecting the evil that had actually occurred nearby. After our walking tour we were amazed at the art, monuments, and architecture and found ourselves enraptured by the stories every street unfolded.

We ended our nights with steins that were to heavy to hold and food that we were eager to forget. Next time I’m in Germany, I’m going to a country side town with amazing strudel.