Rio Dulce-Guatemala-River Life

If you visit the port of Santo Thomas in Guatemala, I strongly urge you to take a river tour on the Rio Dulce. I also recommend that you go with a tour company called, "Go With Gus"-you won't be disappointed.

The river trip was truly wonderful. We traveled upstream in a small boat -through a river gorge in the jungle-seeing Howler Monkeys, birds of many colors -unfortunately, no toucans.

We stopped at a local family's house-a thatched roof house on the river- and went inside for an unbelievable visit. The house was built on poles-had open walls and a rickety board walk to the outhouse-which consisted of a toilet with no plumbing-just a john.

The clothes and dishes were washed along the river in a "scrub box" using river water. Food was cooked on a steel plate over a wood fire. The woman made homemade tortillas and I couldn't resist eating one-really good-however I am very hesitant as to what I eat in certain countries. I lucked out on this one!

I was fascinated by the little children. The river is their playground and they are totally at ease and "home" in their aquatic environment. They paddle their own small dugouts canoes around like a kid from the "burbs" rides a big wheel. Some of them looked to be about three or four years old. They didn't beg or try to sell anything-just gave us a big smile and seemed anxious to see us.