We made a short fishing trip on Lago Gatun, the lake that feeds the canal. Peacock bass are all over in the lake but it was afternoon and they were not biting. 

I was not able to get the whole tanker in the photo but I think it was Panamax. 

The next day we flew back to Guat City and took off about 2:00 pm. Driving through terrible traffic then a torrential downpour we got to see the actual famous “falling rock” referred to on so many highway signs in the U.S. as something to watch for. Cantaloupe sized rocks tumbling across two lanes of traffic. We had a goal in mind and were about an hour away from it when we came across a car-carrier semi jack-knifed across the highway.

It seemed apparent that it was not going to be open soon and after a long day nightfall was closing in. We decided to drive back until the closest hotel to sleep and hit the road early in the morning. We found the Antony Auto Hotel. It was a no-tell motel the likes of which I had never seen. A line of garages that you pull into and call on a wall mounted phone to the manager, who comes down takes the money through a small slot in the wall, opens the room and closes the door he came in through, all without seeing you. He then closes the garage door from outside so that no one can see your car. I asked to see the room when I called and he seemed startled that I was willing to be seen by him. There was no room with two beds but he said we could set up our cot and he would remove what appeared to be a piece of furniture designed to make certain positions of congress easier. We were both exhausted and agreed. I asked him a lot of questions and was very amused by his very forthcoming answers. The room had a t.v., a.c., a large tub for two and was startlingly clean. He asked when we would be leaving and when I said early, he quoted a price and we agreed. It turns out that a typical rental is for 4 hours. A cabinet on the wall, he explained, was for ordering food which was delivered into the compartment from the hall and you opened your side to retrieve it. Again, with no face to face contact. There was a dish by the bed with a cough drop and a colored condom. Also there was a bathroom style paper towel dispenser on the wall by the bed. Very homey. We flipped a coin for the bed and I think I won because I got the cot.

When we woke the next morning there was a power outage, and the phone didn't work, meaning we could not escape as the garage door was electric and we had no way to get him to open it.

We reorganized the beast and I climbed up on the bumper to disengage the door closer and we made a break for it. I felt like we had been in one of those escape room adventures or something.  The highway was constantly changing from paved to unpaved and potholed like crazy.  This is "highway" 13 through Rio Dulce Guatemala.  A beautiful place. 

 Another long travel day and we are near the Mexican border in Belize, and should make Merida tomorrow after some much needed sleep.