 
We enjoyed a half-day boat trip up the Rio Dulce, a very deep river flanked by dramatic, 300-foot-high cliffs. | These two girls jumped in their boat and paddled out to meet us, calling out, ¿Dulces, por favor? We obliged them with candies from our packs. |
 | We briefly visited the school associated with Restaurante Bugamama and were treated to a glimpse of the rain forest. |
 | We were surrounded by beautiful vistas of lushly forested mountains as the Rio Dulce widened into Lago Izabal. |
You can't expect too much for $10 per night, but the restaurant served excellent food! | Another establishment we felt proud to patronize was Hotel Backpackers which is operated by an orphanage to support needy children. |
 
Casa Guatemala is a home for abandoned, orphaned and abused children located at the head of the Rio Dulce. |  |
  | We were impressed that the children seemed confident and dignified, with no signs of abuse or exploitation. |
A Boatload of Gravel? | As we piled into a van for the 4 hour ride to Antigua, we chuckled at the prospect of these men loading their boat with gravel. |
 
Antigua packs 33,000 people into a small 8-square-block area surrounded by volcanoes on all sides. | |
 | One of the best preserved colonial cities in Spanish America, Antigua's streets are paved with cobblestones and many buildings are over 400 years old. |  |
 | A tour of the surrounding villages gave a view of the lives of farmers and craftsmen, with poverty levels ranges from 20% to 80% in various locations. |
