Aguas Calientes
By Laura Closkey
22 Dec 2007 6:06 pm
The Sakribal field trip today took us to some natural hot springs. We took a local bus (aka old american school bus) to the little town outside of Xela and then got off and walked about 30 minute through many farms and along a river and also next to a formidable sewage treatment plant. The sewage is from a fabric dying factory up river.
The aguas calientes in Guatemala are more like public bathes than a hippie hangout like you might find in California. Not all home in Guatemala have hot water, so familes come to bathe. You basically rent a private room with a giant bath tub for an hour. You fill the bathtub youself with the combination of hot and cold water that you desire. Suds up and relax….in theory. In reality, the family in the room next to you is giving their 4 very young children bathes and these kids are afraid of water and so are screaming bloody murder in the next room. That said, it was a terrific soak and was great to wash my hair with my special French shampoo. Yes, I´m a gringo.