Central America Warnings

I was goiing to walk that stretch of road from Lago de Atitlan to San Pedro as I had just gotten through hiking over a hundred miles in the jungle and wanted to keep in shape, but the hotel owner of El Bambu said it wasn't a good idea, that there were "friendly bandits" over there who would take most of your stuff, but generally if you pleaded with them they wouldn't take everything. Not wishing to experience a "friendly bandit" I took the ferry. I think it is pretty well lknown around the lake.

One must pay very close attention to local knowledge in Guatemala as to the places and situations to avoid due to increased crimes involving tourists.

This month (July) there were two reported robberies of groups hiking the Acatenango Volcano, just outside Antigua. Both groups were attacked by 6 or more armed robbers. In one group, a sexual attack was also attempted. In the other group, armed guards were shot.

At one time, tourists in Guatemala were sacrosanct. This, sorrowfully, is no longer true.

The Drug Cartels seemed to have taken over Central America and crime is rampant, perhaps Costa Rica might have been spared somewhat. I would exercise extra caution in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatermala.

Canadians in need of any services from the Embassy of Canada in San Salvador, be prepared to be treated like a criminal & met by persons of supreme in competence

From what I have heard, the USA embassy is not much better, though people say the British Embassies may give BETTER service to Americans than the American Embassy.

I don't expect much from any embassy, anywhere, unless I am a spy or a prominent businessman with connections.

You go there for:

Emergency evac loans
replacing a passport, passport issues.
Perhaps a list of recommended physicians and 'safe' areas.

Everything else seems to be shut off unless they take pity on you.
Better to make a local friend!!!

Friend of mine just went to the US Embassy in Bangkok for extra passport pages & says he was treated very well.

Had to go to Canadian one to see about finger prints for criminal record check as the idiot cops in Canada couldn't get it right when I was there & get a couple documents certified for residency visa, $50 each!!

Would never go for advice on doctors or safety, go to the expat community for that.

You're right about them being there mainly for spies & hotshot businessmen, also appeared they were doing a lot of visa business for Salvadorians.

Like going through US airport security, only with Salvadorian police wearing body armour, then once inside it was like you were visiting someone in prison, bullet proof glass between the elite staff & their unwashed citizens!

When I had to replace my passport in Hungary, the main Consul that met with me looked like he crawled out of a Gore Vidal novel, a really very old money "straight from Har-vaard' kind of guy. Sometimes its good to have ones preconceptions confirmed.

It was as if shaking my hand was an act I should be incredibly grateful for.

Tortuga_traveller wrote:
It was as if shaking my hand was an act I should be incredibly grateful for.

Heavens to Great Turtle, the common man would never get to shake hands with any of the elite at the Canadian Embassy in San Salvador, perish the thought!

I went to the US Embassy in Guatemala City to add pages to my passport. Staff were very courteous, and the foreign service officer I spoke with seemed very competent. I was in and out in a half hour.

Of course Canadians can't add pages, have to buy a new one & of course at an extra fee when out of the country.

http://wtf-elsalvador.com/salvadoran-travel-advisory

So happy to hear that there's not really one story about El Salvador on here! Not to say things don't happen here, but it's nice to have people point out all the crime and problems that people have in countries that are more popular for tourism than we are...