Finca El Paraiso

Let´s move up! 
We left Rio Dulce not really knowing where we were going other than we were headed towards Semuc Champuey.  We grabbed a collectivo to a place everyone said was a half hour away (one hour by the time you stop to let every villager on or off with all their gear) called Finca al Paraiso (Paradise Ranch).  We heard there was a waterfall there.  As soon as we stepped off the bus an old cowboy walked up to greet us.  He told us "there is a town that way on the lake with many houses, only a restaurant here.  If you walk on this trail you can find the waterfalls."

The hospitality we´ve found with local people here is amazing.  It really reminds us of how people treated foreign visitors in Taiwan.  He told us we could store our backpacks at the restaurant while we swam.  Great.  This filled our goal of morning activity and then we could hit the road while the kids were all tired out.  Another experience we´ve worked through is asking people the right questions.  I asked the cook if she had any breakfast.  "No" she replied.  And then she went on and on about something I couldn´t understand.  Much later, after we got the kids ready an American-Guatemalan who was sitting at the only other table with his family told me in English that the lady gave a funny answer.  She had no breakfast and nothing to eat, but if I wait a while, she will prepare something.  Good thing, since we were about to walk to the falls.  The boys amused themselves during the wait with the animals on the farm.  Great backdrop of scenery with limestone peaks covered with trees.

The cowboy sat and watched us while we ate.  Then he guided us and showed us the way.  It was very clear - as in, follow the road to the trailhead with the girls selling stuff.  I said to Ali  "I´m pretty sure this guy wants money."  Now we wanted to lose him.  I politely told him, ok senor, we know the way, we´re ok from here on.  He said buenos dias shook our hands and turned around.  Big surprise for us after all the places we´ve been where everyone wants your money - and I guess that´s what we expected Guatemala to be like.

The falls were incredible.  We just expected a waterfall, but our expectations were blown away.  At the bottom left of the pic there is a narrow river from the mountains with cold water.  The falls themselves are thermal hotsprings that rush down and mix with the cool water in the pool area.  Standing under the currents of hotwater was like a turbo jacuzzi jet.  We also could swim under the waterfall, where there was a small cave.  There was also some small cliff jumping (6-7 feet) into the pool.  Ali and I took turns taking Logan around in the pool area while the other played with Shane in the river shallows.  The Guatemalan-Americans helped Logan swimming for a bit.

After we walked back to the restaurant we asked the cook if she had any lunch.  "...like a chicken sandwich or something?" I asked.  "No," she stated.  A few minutes later she came out of the swinging doors and put down chicken noodle soup on the table.  "For the kids," she said.
And that´s how it is here so far.  Hospitality and generosity.   People are polite to each other as well.  When someone gets on a bus, it´s not uncommon for them to look around and give a "Buenos Dias" to everyone.