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Iin Nogales we crossed the border to Mexico with a lukewarm feeling in the stomach and not knowing the Spanish language, and not having any experience and idea what’s coming up in Central America. In the northern part of Mexico it was not a problem getting along with the English language, but the further
we got south, the more we had to talk using our hands and legs (which has actually never been a problem, because of the friendly and helpful inhabitants) and
so we reached Mexico-City, a pulsating 20-Million-City, in which it looks like that there are no excisting traffic rules and therefore it is not unusual, that on
a 4-lane-road 6 to 7 cars driving beside each other. Inspired by an event of the Mayas at the Zocalo (market place), we took a side-trip to
the Yukatan-Peninsula, to see the historic sanctuary of the Mayas in Palenque.
After that we followed again the Panamericana direction south to Antigua in Guatemala.Here we decided to take Spanish lessons for 14 days to learn
some spanish basic words, which would help us book a room, go grocery shopping and have some easy conversation with the very friendly people.
The markets in Central-America are something else! Next to the things they sell, we gazed at the very colourful, embroidery and weaved blouses and skirts
of the women and how graceful and proudful they worn them.
Unbelievable but true, after we had left Antigua and had travelled through Honduras, El Salvadore and Nicaragua, we saw in Costa Rica next to the road, a little wooden sign with the words “German Bakery”. Already in San Francisco we have heard of this bakery from Uwe, who had started on his motorcycle in South America and who was on his way to Alaska. He couldn’t tell us the exact adress, but as he said “don’t worry, you cann’t miss it”.
We couldn’t believe it, but we have to admit, that after all those weeks being on the road and all what we have seen till than, we hadn’t thought about the bakery any more. The baker (2 Swabians got stuck here, after their car had broken down) waved us, including our motorcycle, directly into the bakery and spoiled us with swabian delicacies and a big cup of coffee. Like always, when things like this happen, a short stop turns out to be a long one. Satisfied,
spoiled and after a couple nice days in a small bungalow on the beach, we continued to Panama-City.
October 11th, 1999 we reached and crossed the bridge (Gino sailed on freighters underneath this bridge quite a few times) across thePanama-Canal.
A few miles after Panama-City the “Darien Gap” stopped us going overland to South-America.
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