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A couple of kilometres' walk north of Poptun, surrounded by aromatic pine forests in the cool foothills of the Maya Mountains, is the Finca Ixobel (tel 927 7363, www.fincaixobel.conexion.com ), a working farm that provides accommodation to passing tourists. The farm was originally run by Americans Mike and Carole DeVine, but on June 8, 1990, Mike was murdered by the army. This prompted the American government to suspend military aid to Guatemala, and after a drawn-out investigation which cast little light on their motives, five soldiers were convicted of the murder in September 1992. Others involved have managed to evade capture and their commanding officer, Captain Hugo Contreras, escaped from jail shortly after his arrest. Carole fought the case for years and remains at the finca. Finca Ixobel is a supremely beautiful and relaxing place, where you can swim in the pond, walk in the forest, dodge the resident "attack" parrots and stuff yourself stupid with delicious home-grown food. There are hikes into the jungle, horse-riding trips, rafting, 4WD jungle jaunts, and short excursions to nearby caves. Accommodation is in attractive bungalows with private bathroom (US$15-25), regular rooms (US$5-15) or dorms (US$3.50 per bed), and there's also camping and hammock space (US$3) and tree houses (US$5-10). You run up a tab for accommodation, food and drink, paying when you leave - which can be a rude awakening. To get to the finca ask the bus driver to drop you at the gate (marked by a large sign), from where it's a fifteen-minute walk through the pine trees; after dark, it's probably safest to head for the Fonda Ixobel 2 restaurant in Poptun and they'll call a taxi (US$1) to drop you off.
ParadiseMary says "Lovely people, delicious food (doesn't even describe how good and plentiful it is), restful and a visual delight. Don't miss the dancing at the bar at night!"
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