So as you probably noticed, I didn't write one final blog post. I really had the best intentions of trying to compress my entire trip into one summary but everytime I sat down in front of the computer, I found myself completely overwhelmed. So, while this isn't as complete as I'd hoped, at least let me leave you with something.
Going to Guatemala was the best thing I could have done after graduating college. I learned about a country (and how many beautiful people and natural wonders it has), I learned how to travel (what's important to bring, how to deal with getting sick), and I learned how to spend six weeks with myself. Working on the latter really pulled me out of my shell, and I learned how to enjoy my quiet moments as well as gather the courage to introduce myself to new people.
I met some incredible people that I will never forget and I hope I have the chance again to see someday.
I saw some parts of nature that I never thought I'd get to see (lava, monkeys) and am now inspired to see more.
I feel so much stronger than before I left. I've recently moved to Portland, Oregon and I've been trying to use similar attitudes in meeting people and trying new things; because of that, I've been having a fun time and getting to know some great people.
I will travel again, alone and with someone else. However, this experience will always shine out as a special point in my life.
Thanks for reading and sharing Guatemala with me.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
don't cry for me, guatemala
The truth is, I don't want to leave you.
What a trip! I am back in Antigua now (arrived yesterday), and tomorrow I fly out of Guatemala City back to San Francisco.
Lanquin was amazing and impossible to leave.
I can't believe how many fantastic people I've met in this beautiful country.
I've learned a ridiculous amount about myself on this trip, and I feel ready to tackle any and everything.
I will post a good final blog post after I get back to the states and will hopefully use less useless adjectives.
Semuc Champey:
What a trip! I am back in Antigua now (arrived yesterday), and tomorrow I fly out of Guatemala City back to San Francisco.
Lanquin was amazing and impossible to leave.
I can't believe how many fantastic people I've met in this beautiful country.
I've learned a ridiculous amount about myself on this trip, and I feel ready to tackle any and everything.
I will post a good final blog post after I get back to the states and will hopefully use less useless adjectives.
Semuc Champey:
Sunday, July 27, 2008
paradise
I didn't know it, but Lanquin was what I was looking for this entire trip. Totally relaxed atmosphere, amazing food, great weather, and the most beautiful nature. The drive there on Friday morning was lovely, with nearly an hour being only on a bumpy dirt road - views of lots of plantations and green rolling hills. The town itself is small and a little dirty, but I followed the advice of the Lonely Planet book and headed towards a hostel just outside of town called El Retiro.
The locals know El Retiro as ´Gringoville´, and really, since I've been there, I haven't even gone into town. It's certainly not an authentic Guatemalan experience, but I feel like I've done my fair share of local markets and speaking Spanish to go ahead and hang out with a bunch of Europeans sharing traveling stories. The place is all little cabanas with palapa roofs (even the dorm rooms, which have two sets of bunkbeds inside). The Rio Cahabon runs right next to the place, and there's a big resturant bar that everyone hangs out at. At 7pm every night, they do a family style buffet dinner, which is filled with amazing food and is such a great way to meet other people. WIth all of the hammocks and the hot sun around, I've been finding it hard to leave. In fact, I came into Coban to use the ATM today, but instead of traveling down to Antigua like I originally planned, I'm just heading back to Lanquin for a few more days. I might even stay until Thursday, the day before I fly out.
One of the great things about the area is all of the nature activities that are available. I'm skipping a lot like the bat caves (because being surrounded by a million bats sounds more like torture than anything else) and the river rafting (because I don't want to try it for the first time in a place where safety isn't really first), but I did spend my first day intertubing down the Rio Cahabon (and got out right at my hotel) and spent all of yesterday exploring the area of Semuc Champey.
Semuc Champey was probably my favorite part of this trip. I opted for the tour, considering that it was only 20Q more to have someone who knew where and how to go everywhere. We started off by 'warming up' on a rope swing into the river, a large and somewhat scary jump. Besides getting us pumped for adventure and for the cold water (so much colder than Lago Atitlan), it was a nice way to bond with the entire group, laughing as people were hitting the water in odd positions.
After the rope swing, we went into the caves of Semuc Champey...apparentely they run for 11km underground, and we only explored 500m (1km total as we went back the way we came), but we were still in the caves for a good hour and a half. The caves have water flowing through them, so while we were able to wade for most of it, many times we found ourselves swimming across, holding our candle above the surface with one hand. There were some extremely difficult parts of the trip, like walking underneath a powerful waterfall, and climbing up a small ladder along a cave wall, but despite the amount of caves I've seen in California, I'd never experienced anything like this.
To relax after the intensity of the cave, we went intertubing down the river some more - this part of the river was much more mellow than near the hotel, and it was nice to just look at the beautiful jungle we were floating by. After was a break for lunch (the hostel makes these 'boxed lunches' where you order a sandwich that they wrap in a banana leaf and give you a package of cookies and a banana - all for 20Q), our guide decided to help us digest by letting us jump off a 30m tall bridge. At first I wasn't going to do it (even saying out loud that I didn't have to prove anything to anyone) but the few people that went before me looked like they were having so much fun that I felt silly for not trying it, especially since I was right there. It was certainly terrifying, but the best feeling to hit the water, haha.
On our way up to the pools of Semuc Champey, we stopped at a local womans house where our guide let us taste the raw seeds of cacao (where chocolate comes from) and watch the Mamacita grinding the chocolate paste. The taste of the paste was much different than what one would think of chocolate, but the flavor was still nice and it was certainly interesting to see the process.
Finally we were at the pools of Semuc Champey. The way it works is that there is a huge area of limestone on top of which water from the mountain runoff has formed bright blue pools. The Rio Cahabon has forced its way underneath the limestone, flowing powerfully underground. Where the water disapears underneath the pools was an extremely scary sight - if hell had water instead of fire, that's what it would look like...so powerful and mean. Our guide warned us not to get too close, for the first time that day saying 'If you fall in there, there is absolutely no chance of survival'. A good way to turn my knees to jelly, let me tell you.
The group split up so everyone could view the area in their own way, and I went with a few people up to this high look out point, where you get the best view of all of the pools. Thankfully, because I met so many great people (namely an Australian guy named Sam and two Irish people named John and Laura), I will hopefully be getting some copies of the pictures from there. After the long hike up and down, we were ready to dive into the pools - perfect temperature, perfect color...absolutely perfect.
The last adventure of the day was that our guide put a rope ladder down at the end of the pools where we could climb down and see where the water exited underground. It was another one of those frightening ideas that I just couldn't resist doing...so I climbed up and down that damn ladder, with water gushing over my head. It was certainly worth it for the thrill and to see the end of the cave, but I was certainly adventured out by the end of it.
For the rest of my time in Lanquin and El Retiro, I think I'm just going to lay in a hammock and read. With only a few days of vacation left, I have no desire to really run around - I just want to relax before I come back to the world of having to find a place to live and a job.
It would be really easy to stay - especially since El Retiro is looking for people to work there - but I'm really looking forward to coming back to the states.
The locals know El Retiro as ´Gringoville´, and really, since I've been there, I haven't even gone into town. It's certainly not an authentic Guatemalan experience, but I feel like I've done my fair share of local markets and speaking Spanish to go ahead and hang out with a bunch of Europeans sharing traveling stories. The place is all little cabanas with palapa roofs (even the dorm rooms, which have two sets of bunkbeds inside). The Rio Cahabon runs right next to the place, and there's a big resturant bar that everyone hangs out at. At 7pm every night, they do a family style buffet dinner, which is filled with amazing food and is such a great way to meet other people. WIth all of the hammocks and the hot sun around, I've been finding it hard to leave. In fact, I came into Coban to use the ATM today, but instead of traveling down to Antigua like I originally planned, I'm just heading back to Lanquin for a few more days. I might even stay until Thursday, the day before I fly out.
One of the great things about the area is all of the nature activities that are available. I'm skipping a lot like the bat caves (because being surrounded by a million bats sounds more like torture than anything else) and the river rafting (because I don't want to try it for the first time in a place where safety isn't really first), but I did spend my first day intertubing down the Rio Cahabon (and got out right at my hotel) and spent all of yesterday exploring the area of Semuc Champey.
Semuc Champey was probably my favorite part of this trip. I opted for the tour, considering that it was only 20Q more to have someone who knew where and how to go everywhere. We started off by 'warming up' on a rope swing into the river, a large and somewhat scary jump. Besides getting us pumped for adventure and for the cold water (so much colder than Lago Atitlan), it was a nice way to bond with the entire group, laughing as people were hitting the water in odd positions.
After the rope swing, we went into the caves of Semuc Champey...apparentely they run for 11km underground, and we only explored 500m (1km total as we went back the way we came), but we were still in the caves for a good hour and a half. The caves have water flowing through them, so while we were able to wade for most of it, many times we found ourselves swimming across, holding our candle above the surface with one hand. There were some extremely difficult parts of the trip, like walking underneath a powerful waterfall, and climbing up a small ladder along a cave wall, but despite the amount of caves I've seen in California, I'd never experienced anything like this.
To relax after the intensity of the cave, we went intertubing down the river some more - this part of the river was much more mellow than near the hotel, and it was nice to just look at the beautiful jungle we were floating by. After was a break for lunch (the hostel makes these 'boxed lunches' where you order a sandwich that they wrap in a banana leaf and give you a package of cookies and a banana - all for 20Q), our guide decided to help us digest by letting us jump off a 30m tall bridge. At first I wasn't going to do it (even saying out loud that I didn't have to prove anything to anyone) but the few people that went before me looked like they were having so much fun that I felt silly for not trying it, especially since I was right there. It was certainly terrifying, but the best feeling to hit the water, haha.
On our way up to the pools of Semuc Champey, we stopped at a local womans house where our guide let us taste the raw seeds of cacao (where chocolate comes from) and watch the Mamacita grinding the chocolate paste. The taste of the paste was much different than what one would think of chocolate, but the flavor was still nice and it was certainly interesting to see the process.
Finally we were at the pools of Semuc Champey. The way it works is that there is a huge area of limestone on top of which water from the mountain runoff has formed bright blue pools. The Rio Cahabon has forced its way underneath the limestone, flowing powerfully underground. Where the water disapears underneath the pools was an extremely scary sight - if hell had water instead of fire, that's what it would look like...so powerful and mean. Our guide warned us not to get too close, for the first time that day saying 'If you fall in there, there is absolutely no chance of survival'. A good way to turn my knees to jelly, let me tell you.
The group split up so everyone could view the area in their own way, and I went with a few people up to this high look out point, where you get the best view of all of the pools. Thankfully, because I met so many great people (namely an Australian guy named Sam and two Irish people named John and Laura), I will hopefully be getting some copies of the pictures from there. After the long hike up and down, we were ready to dive into the pools - perfect temperature, perfect color...absolutely perfect.
The last adventure of the day was that our guide put a rope ladder down at the end of the pools where we could climb down and see where the water exited underground. It was another one of those frightening ideas that I just couldn't resist doing...so I climbed up and down that damn ladder, with water gushing over my head. It was certainly worth it for the thrill and to see the end of the cave, but I was certainly adventured out by the end of it.
For the rest of my time in Lanquin and El Retiro, I think I'm just going to lay in a hammock and read. With only a few days of vacation left, I have no desire to really run around - I just want to relax before I come back to the world of having to find a place to live and a job.
It would be really easy to stay - especially since El Retiro is looking for people to work there - but I'm really looking forward to coming back to the states.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
my last photo post
Grrrrrrrr. I hate how my episodes of spacey-ness come and bite me in the ass. Yesterday, after uploading all of my pictures of Tikal to the internet (which, thank god I was able to), I forgot my camera at the internet cafe. I realized this mistake about an hour later, but when I went hurrying back, the camera was gone. DAMMIT. I mean, if fate deemed that my camera had to be stolen on this trip, I'd certainly rather it be the fault of my stupidity than my person being accosted, and I'd rather have all my photos uploaded than lose any, and I'd rather have it happen towards the end of my trip. So, all things considered, it's not the worst thing that could have happened, but I'm going to miss that awesome digital camera...and I'm worry I wont be able to share photos of Semuc Champey with all of you.
I'm currently in Coban. It took about six hours to get here, and this time I went the local route (which actually wasn't chicken buses, but rather minibuses...much more comfortable than a chicken bus) and payed less than half the amount that it took me to get up to Tikal (although, I still have another three hours or so to travel for the trips to be equal in length). I'm not a fan of Coban and I'll be looking forward to leaving tomorrow. It might be that I'm just grumpy from a long days travel, but thought the town is big, it doesn't seem to offer much outside of dreariness. However, I do have my own private hotel room for $4.50, so that's pretty fantastic.
Tomorrow I'm heading up to Lanquin, a place near a bunch of caves and right along a river, and the following day I'm going to check out Semuc Champey. Even though money is getting tight for me right about now, I feel like it would be a waste to skip these places, so I'd rather see them and then find a way to make it work. The cheap hotels certainly help. :) I'm hoping to stay through the weekend around Lanquin (assuming I like the area well enough), and then I'll probably finish my last few days in Antigua. I'm certainly loving this trip, but I'm really getting ready for some America, haha.
***
SO! The important story! Tikal!
I left Antigua last Saturday morning on a mini shuttle to Guatemala City at 7am. I was nervous that it would be difficult to transfer from the little bus to my big Pullman Bus (I decided to ride up there in style so that the trip would be faster and more comfortable), but it was incredibly easy to switch - perhaps because I've become braver with my Spanish or because I've stopped being so shy, I'm recognizing and taking advantage of how nice and helpful everyone is.
The Pullman Bus was mellow enough...I chose to ride it during the day rather than overnight so that I would get the chance to see the scenery of Guatemala - and I'm glad I did. It was interesting to see the way the countryside changed from big farmlands to mountains to jungle.
Not a bad view, eh?
Oh yah, I also figured out how to finally make movies with my camera...too bad I can't practice that new skill. :(
I was suprised with the amount of stops we made...a mandatory lunch (where we weren't allowed to sit on the bus), a government check point, a coke for the driver, and the best, bananas for the driver and some passengers.
Because we all know what it's like when you're craving roadside bananas.
I finally arrived in Flores about 6pm and didn't do more than get a bed in a hostel and take a shower. I finished up my Sue Miller book (a writer I do not recommend) and went to bed early.
I left my big backpack at the hostel and packed some clothes into the smaller one and left for Tikal. Everything was more expensive than I thought, and I considered not staying the night and going for an extra day like I'd originally planned...but I changed my mind the second I stepped into the actual park.
Absolutely striking.
I was on such a natural high from the forest, looking at strange plants and new animals.
It was hard to straight and stare at cool trees like this at the same time.
Pizotes at feeding time - they look like cats gone wrong.
I didn't think it could get better, but then there were the ruins.
The front of an ancient ball court - the inside is a big grassy field.
I climbed everything that I was allowed to, whether going up the modern steep wooden stairs or the original temple steps.
Would you know that I HATE heights?
I did not climb this one.
But I did climb this!
Spectacular views of the jungle and the ruins.
I was exhuasted after climbing and trying not to look down!
My favorite experience though was, suprise suprise, the monkeys!
Sorry for the shakey hand, but you still can see him jump from tree to tree!
These howler monkeys know how to yell!
It was an incredible experience to see the way nature and an ancient civilization combined.
Most of the pyramids are still being uncovered.
That night during dinner, a guy who was also traveling alone joined me and we ended up hiking together the next day. It was nice to have the chance to experience Tikal alone and also with someone else. It helped that the guy is a history professor in Mexico, so he knew a great deal about the Mayan ruins and shared a ton of information with me.
Tikal is a special place that I will never forget, and really, I hope you all get the chance to see it at some point in your lives.
***
I'm now off to go back to my room and read the Charles Dickens book I picked up yesterday...nothing like a thick hard read to help me fall to sleep early.
I'm currently in Coban. It took about six hours to get here, and this time I went the local route (which actually wasn't chicken buses, but rather minibuses...much more comfortable than a chicken bus) and payed less than half the amount that it took me to get up to Tikal (although, I still have another three hours or so to travel for the trips to be equal in length). I'm not a fan of Coban and I'll be looking forward to leaving tomorrow. It might be that I'm just grumpy from a long days travel, but thought the town is big, it doesn't seem to offer much outside of dreariness. However, I do have my own private hotel room for $4.50, so that's pretty fantastic.
Tomorrow I'm heading up to Lanquin, a place near a bunch of caves and right along a river, and the following day I'm going to check out Semuc Champey. Even though money is getting tight for me right about now, I feel like it would be a waste to skip these places, so I'd rather see them and then find a way to make it work. The cheap hotels certainly help. :) I'm hoping to stay through the weekend around Lanquin (assuming I like the area well enough), and then I'll probably finish my last few days in Antigua. I'm certainly loving this trip, but I'm really getting ready for some America, haha.
***
SO! The important story! Tikal!
I left Antigua last Saturday morning on a mini shuttle to Guatemala City at 7am. I was nervous that it would be difficult to transfer from the little bus to my big Pullman Bus (I decided to ride up there in style so that the trip would be faster and more comfortable), but it was incredibly easy to switch - perhaps because I've become braver with my Spanish or because I've stopped being so shy, I'm recognizing and taking advantage of how nice and helpful everyone is.
The Pullman Bus was mellow enough...I chose to ride it during the day rather than overnight so that I would get the chance to see the scenery of Guatemala - and I'm glad I did. It was interesting to see the way the countryside changed from big farmlands to mountains to jungle.
Not a bad view, eh?
Oh yah, I also figured out how to finally make movies with my camera...too bad I can't practice that new skill. :(
I was suprised with the amount of stops we made...a mandatory lunch (where we weren't allowed to sit on the bus), a government check point, a coke for the driver, and the best, bananas for the driver and some passengers.
Because we all know what it's like when you're craving roadside bananas.
I finally arrived in Flores about 6pm and didn't do more than get a bed in a hostel and take a shower. I finished up my Sue Miller book (a writer I do not recommend) and went to bed early.
I left my big backpack at the hostel and packed some clothes into the smaller one and left for Tikal. Everything was more expensive than I thought, and I considered not staying the night and going for an extra day like I'd originally planned...but I changed my mind the second I stepped into the actual park.
Absolutely striking.
I was on such a natural high from the forest, looking at strange plants and new animals.
It was hard to straight and stare at cool trees like this at the same time.
Pizotes at feeding time - they look like cats gone wrong.
I didn't think it could get better, but then there were the ruins.
The front of an ancient ball court - the inside is a big grassy field.
I climbed everything that I was allowed to, whether going up the modern steep wooden stairs or the original temple steps.
Would you know that I HATE heights?
I did not climb this one.
But I did climb this!
Spectacular views of the jungle and the ruins.
I was exhuasted after climbing and trying not to look down!
My favorite experience though was, suprise suprise, the monkeys!
Sorry for the shakey hand, but you still can see him jump from tree to tree!
These howler monkeys know how to yell!
It was an incredible experience to see the way nature and an ancient civilization combined.
Most of the pyramids are still being uncovered.
That night during dinner, a guy who was also traveling alone joined me and we ended up hiking together the next day. It was nice to have the chance to experience Tikal alone and also with someone else. It helped that the guy is a history professor in Mexico, so he knew a great deal about the Mayan ruins and shared a ton of information with me.
Tikal is a special place that I will never forget, and really, I hope you all get the chance to see it at some point in your lives.
***
I'm now off to go back to my room and read the Charles Dickens book I picked up yesterday...nothing like a thick hard read to help me fall to sleep early.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
tikal
...was amazing. I had a problem uploading photos today (suprise, suprise), but I might try again later tonight.
I saw monkeys. And toucans, and pizotes, and a weird fox, and brightly colored turkey-looking birds, and about a million different kinds of bugs. I saw vibrant fruits, and all the shades of green, and tree-hugging trees. I saw ancient pyramids, and old ball courts, and the top of the jungle canopy.
I spent two full days there. Fourteen total hours of hiking. Three total hours of sleeping. Fourty-eight total hours of bliss.
I will write more when I can go along and describe the pictures.
Tomorrow I leave for Semuc Champey - to add more nature to my belt.
I saw monkeys. And toucans, and pizotes, and a weird fox, and brightly colored turkey-looking birds, and about a million different kinds of bugs. I saw vibrant fruits, and all the shades of green, and tree-hugging trees. I saw ancient pyramids, and old ball courts, and the top of the jungle canopy.
I spent two full days there. Fourteen total hours of hiking. Three total hours of sleeping. Fourty-eight total hours of bliss.
I will write more when I can go along and describe the pictures.
Tomorrow I leave for Semuc Champey - to add more nature to my belt.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
travel day
I´ve made it to Flores. I´ve arranged to keep my big backpack at the hostel I´m staying at tonight for the next three days. Tomorrow I´m leaving at 9am for Tikal and going to spend the day wandering around all of the ruins. I´m going to try and rent a hammock at one of the hotels (along with a mosquito net) and sleep in that for the night under a palapa roof. I´m going to get up early the next day to try and see monkeys and then head back to Flores for probably another night.
I love plans. :D
I love plans. :D
Friday, July 18, 2008
familiar
Well, I didn't leave for Tikal today...however, I did buy my ticket so that I could start my 10-hour bus trip at 7:30am tomorrow morning. Having this unrefundable slip of paper has me more excited than I could even begin to tell you. Knowing that I'm traveling well over twice as far as I've traveled yet, knowing that I'm going to see some of the best ruins and most beautiful jungle in the world, and knowing WHEN that's going to happen has a permanant smile plastered on my face.
My yesterday in Antigua ended up being the strangest sort of Guatemalan reunion for me. At an internet cafe, I ran into Kanako (my chess-playing roommate at Cesar's house) and made plans to meet up at my old school later for a small party they were having. Not a couple hours later, I found myself at El Monoloco after a few exchanged emails sharing a beer with Javier (one of the three people I spent time with/played kings cup with my first night in Monterrico). I love how easy it's been to stay in touch or meet up with people here - this country feels so incredibly small sometimes as I just keep running into the same faces. It's certainly taking away that edge of anonymity that I was enjoying my first couple weeks here, but it certainly helps raise the comfort level of being here - I'm starting to feel that I can go anywhere and be taken care of if I need it.
After a few beers, Javier and I went to meet up with Kanako and dance a bit at the school - though I'd only gone there for a week, a couple of the teachers there recognized me and let me have the free beer that was there for the students. The party itself reminded me of a high school dance, with a strobe light and hardly any people there, but again, it was nice to be in a familiar surrounding. Once we started dancing more though we all felt the urge to do some real dancing...so we were off to La Sin Ventura. I have fallen in love with salsa music - we took a few breaks but kept finding ourselves pulled back to the dance floor. When we got there we met up with Bryan and Wendy (the two others from Monterrico) and I ran into a group of people who were staying at the hostel with me. Small small wonderful world.
The one thing about Guatemala is that the bars all close at 1am...however, as I learned for the first time last night, there are places that open up when the bars close for 'afterparties'. There wasn't much too it...a place to buy more drinks with a cover charge really and a chance to watch a great deal of drunken people making a mess. However, it was nice to finally stay out longer than 1am and spend some more time with Bryan and Javier (as they were the two left of the group by that point). A calming end to a crazy dancing night. They gave me a ride back to the hostel, and I will say, it's difficult trying to change into PJs and find your bed at 3am in a dorm room, but after being woken up the last two mornings by people with 6am buses, I feel no sympathy for the noise I make coming in.
In spite of (or perhaps even because of) my comfort right now in Antigua, I'm ready to hit the road again. I found a great website this morning for a hostel in Flores (a lake island near Tikal) where the owner listed their favorite hostels in Guatemala. This certainly helps me feel more relieved in travling, knowing some good spots to stay for cheap. My tentative plan right now is:
*get up to Flores tomorrow about 6pm
*book my room and hang out in town for the night
*go to Tikal on Sunday
*see about renting a tent and camp in Tikal
*get up early and explore the morning wildlife at Tikal (which I hear is the best)
*possibly spend more time in Flores
*very slowly make my way down the Atlantic Coast, stopping at Rio Dulce (a pretty river/port) and Livingston (a rasta town right on the beach, only accessible by boat)
*fly home
We'll see what happens though - there's a lot I feel like I'm missing (namely, Semuc Champey, the place where you can swim through the caves) so if I have time I'd like to try and fit more in...but on the same hand, it might be nice just to allow myself extra days on the beach and not worry about seeing it all. Not to mention, we've seen what happens when I try to make plans. :D
My yesterday in Antigua ended up being the strangest sort of Guatemalan reunion for me. At an internet cafe, I ran into Kanako (my chess-playing roommate at Cesar's house) and made plans to meet up at my old school later for a small party they were having. Not a couple hours later, I found myself at El Monoloco after a few exchanged emails sharing a beer with Javier (one of the three people I spent time with/played kings cup with my first night in Monterrico). I love how easy it's been to stay in touch or meet up with people here - this country feels so incredibly small sometimes as I just keep running into the same faces. It's certainly taking away that edge of anonymity that I was enjoying my first couple weeks here, but it certainly helps raise the comfort level of being here - I'm starting to feel that I can go anywhere and be taken care of if I need it.
After a few beers, Javier and I went to meet up with Kanako and dance a bit at the school - though I'd only gone there for a week, a couple of the teachers there recognized me and let me have the free beer that was there for the students. The party itself reminded me of a high school dance, with a strobe light and hardly any people there, but again, it was nice to be in a familiar surrounding. Once we started dancing more though we all felt the urge to do some real dancing...so we were off to La Sin Ventura. I have fallen in love with salsa music - we took a few breaks but kept finding ourselves pulled back to the dance floor. When we got there we met up with Bryan and Wendy (the two others from Monterrico) and I ran into a group of people who were staying at the hostel with me. Small small wonderful world.
The one thing about Guatemala is that the bars all close at 1am...however, as I learned for the first time last night, there are places that open up when the bars close for 'afterparties'. There wasn't much too it...a place to buy more drinks with a cover charge really and a chance to watch a great deal of drunken people making a mess. However, it was nice to finally stay out longer than 1am and spend some more time with Bryan and Javier (as they were the two left of the group by that point). A calming end to a crazy dancing night. They gave me a ride back to the hostel, and I will say, it's difficult trying to change into PJs and find your bed at 3am in a dorm room, but after being woken up the last two mornings by people with 6am buses, I feel no sympathy for the noise I make coming in.
In spite of (or perhaps even because of) my comfort right now in Antigua, I'm ready to hit the road again. I found a great website this morning for a hostel in Flores (a lake island near Tikal) where the owner listed their favorite hostels in Guatemala. This certainly helps me feel more relieved in travling, knowing some good spots to stay for cheap. My tentative plan right now is:
*get up to Flores tomorrow about 6pm
*book my room and hang out in town for the night
*go to Tikal on Sunday
*see about renting a tent and camp in Tikal
*get up early and explore the morning wildlife at Tikal (which I hear is the best)
*possibly spend more time in Flores
*very slowly make my way down the Atlantic Coast, stopping at Rio Dulce (a pretty river/port) and Livingston (a rasta town right on the beach, only accessible by boat)
*fly home
We'll see what happens though - there's a lot I feel like I'm missing (namely, Semuc Champey, the place where you can swim through the caves) so if I have time I'd like to try and fit more in...but on the same hand, it might be nice just to allow myself extra days on the beach and not worry about seeing it all. Not to mention, we've seen what happens when I try to make plans. :D
Thursday, July 17, 2008
shortie
Change change change. It's gotten past the point where I can't plan a day ahead...I've hardly been able to keep a grip on the forthcoming hours. Michael did take off on his own after all - traveling alone is so much different than traveling with someone else and he needed some of his own time before heading back to the states. So he's at the beach right now and I couldn't be happier for him...I just hope his rib is staying in check.
I spent last night at a hostel called Ummagumma - I could feel every wood slat underneath my mattress, but for $5, having a place to sleep and free internet was fantastic. I might stay there again tonight.
I was going to meet up with a friend from Guatemala City, but due to his busy schedule and my anxiousness to move on, we're just going to try and hang out later while I attempt to leave for Tikal tomorrow! This will be the most expensive leg of the trip, but from everything I hear about Tikal, it will be worth every last penny. Beautiful jungle, lots of ancient ruins...I am keeping my fingers crossed on seeing a monkey!
Coming back to Antigua makes me realize how easy this place is...how the pace of life moves at a speed where you can still take deep breaths and look up and see yourself surrounding by beautiful volcanoes. The temptation to move is greatest when I'm in this city...but I just don't think my feet could take the cobblestone sidewalks for long.
I spent last night at a hostel called Ummagumma - I could feel every wood slat underneath my mattress, but for $5, having a place to sleep and free internet was fantastic. I might stay there again tonight.
I was going to meet up with a friend from Guatemala City, but due to his busy schedule and my anxiousness to move on, we're just going to try and hang out later while I attempt to leave for Tikal tomorrow! This will be the most expensive leg of the trip, but from everything I hear about Tikal, it will be worth every last penny. Beautiful jungle, lots of ancient ruins...I am keeping my fingers crossed on seeing a monkey!
Coming back to Antigua makes me realize how easy this place is...how the pace of life moves at a speed where you can still take deep breaths and look up and see yourself surrounding by beautiful volcanoes. The temptation to move is greatest when I'm in this city...but I just don't think my feet could take the cobblestone sidewalks for long.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
hot messes
And we're back in Antigua. It's nice to be in a city that we both know and where with only a small hunt, good food can be found.
Michael was able to get two different kinds of pain killers over the counter (oh, you want a big box of codeine? here you go!) and seems to be doing much better. Some pain here and there, obviously, but he's moving around well.
My traveler's illness did not go away on it's own like I hoped. In fact, yesterday I woke up with sulfur burps and an even worse stomach ache - as it had been four days of not eating a full meal, I finally decided to do something about it. With the help of the internet and a local pharmacy (where the pharmacists are like mini doctors), I got myself some medication for Giardia. Apparently, not being more careful with my water or food or whatever (as it appears to be the easiest thing in the world to get) caused a little parasite to live in my belly and lord knows I don't want to be a host to anything. The medication really seems to be doing the trick though and I should (knock on wood) be good as new in about three days.
The ride to Antigua yesterday was painful for us both - we took a tourist van, opting for comfort and speed, but the bumps in the road and the many pit stops the driver took to buy himself a coke were almost unbearable. As a treat, Michael got us a nice hotel here with a super comfortable bed and HOT SHOWER!! I wouldn't doubt if both of those things have helped the healing process significantly.
We only have a few days until Michael flies out, and while we're going to continue to base ourselves in Antigua, there's plans of day trips perhaps to a local hot water springs and maybe even a coffee plantation. However, even if we just hang around this cute town, I'll be happy.
Michael was able to get two different kinds of pain killers over the counter (oh, you want a big box of codeine? here you go!) and seems to be doing much better. Some pain here and there, obviously, but he's moving around well.
My traveler's illness did not go away on it's own like I hoped. In fact, yesterday I woke up with sulfur burps and an even worse stomach ache - as it had been four days of not eating a full meal, I finally decided to do something about it. With the help of the internet and a local pharmacy (where the pharmacists are like mini doctors), I got myself some medication for Giardia. Apparently, not being more careful with my water or food or whatever (as it appears to be the easiest thing in the world to get) caused a little parasite to live in my belly and lord knows I don't want to be a host to anything. The medication really seems to be doing the trick though and I should (knock on wood) be good as new in about three days.
The ride to Antigua yesterday was painful for us both - we took a tourist van, opting for comfort and speed, but the bumps in the road and the many pit stops the driver took to buy himself a coke were almost unbearable. As a treat, Michael got us a nice hotel here with a super comfortable bed and HOT SHOWER!! I wouldn't doubt if both of those things have helped the healing process significantly.
We only have a few days until Michael flies out, and while we're going to continue to base ourselves in Antigua, there's plans of day trips perhaps to a local hot water springs and maybe even a coffee plantation. However, even if we just hang around this cute town, I'll be happy.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
the best day and the worst night
I had decided that I didn't want to go to the beach again - there was still so much of the country to see and I'd already spent so many days at the ocean that I thought it wasn't productive to my trip. Michael and I had agreed to part ways on Friday, with him heading towards the beach and me going up north to the nature reserve of Tikal. Apparently, fate didn't think we should stop hanging out.
Since Thursday was our last day in San Pedro, we decided to make the most of it. It was probably the most beautiful day I´d seen here, with the sun coming out early in the morning and shining off the lake. We decided to go out kayaking one more time, and spent another hour paddling in the warm water and discovering more bright green shoreline. It's times like these that I'm happy I'm a NorCal girl, because although every Guatemalan I've talked to has warned me about the freezing temperatures of the lake, I thought it was like being in a warm bath.
After we got back to the hotel and dried off, Michael insisted we go into town to try the cheap local liquor, called Venado. Not even an hour later, we found ourselves sitting alone in a small concrete room with two wooden tables and a Gallo refrigerator, taking turns swigging from this bottle of nail-polish-remover-rum. We were pleasantly buzzed after that, and spent a good while discovering the non-touristy side of town, going down small dirt trails and up large cobblestone hills. I cursed myself so many times for not having my camera, as there was one point where we emerged from this amazing grove of coffee trees only to be at this small cliff that gave us a view of the entire town and lake. We followed that trail down and then the sound of thumping Latin music took us to another small 'bar'. There we had more Gallo and even more Venado. We were both a little drunk, but incredibly happy and I at least felt like I was in this fantastic dream.
Since our breakfast had been far in the past, we decided it was in our best interest to get some food. For the first time that we've been in San Pedro, we actually found something that tasted -great-; chicken garlic pizza and a side of mashed potatoes. Seeing as I only had a bagel for breakfast, I found myself eating most of the mashed potatoes while we both split the pizza. We spent a great deal of time at Nuevo Sol, laughing, talking to the people at the other tables, and reminiscing about the great sites we´d seen that day. When it was time to pay the bill, we discovered that we'd gone out with hardly any money (and what we had was already spent on liquor), so I went back to the hotel while Michael stayed and had a couple more drinks with the bartender. By the time I got back to pay, it was obvious that Michael hadn't eaten enough/kept drinking too much and my stopping/all the mashed potatoes had kept my head clear, so I helped him walk back to the hotel.
The walk back was difficult, as Michael was having a tough time going straight. In retrospect, I should have been so much smarter about this and had us stop at a cafe for a Coke or something, but at the time I thought the best thing I could do was get him into bed at the hotel. We made it up the flight of stone stairs from the street to the hotel mostly okay (with a couple small stumbles here and there). The entrances for the hotel are all outdoor on the balconies, including the stairs, and when we got to the last two flights of outdoor stairs, Michael got ahead of me. He must have turned the corner on the tile stairs too quickly, because as he started up the last flight (only four steps until our floor!) he lost his balance and went sideways. There are no railings on these slick tile stairs, and he landed right on his head and back onto the first flight of steps.
It was completely surreal. I dropped everything and went running to him where he lay at the bottom of the landing, thinking he was dead. I don´t even think he blacked out though, as he was responding quickly and said he felt no pain. I was so relieved that he was all okay and angry that I thought he was dead, that I actually slapped him. I´m incredibly embarrassed about doing that, but I guess there's that bit of Leon in me. Of course, immediately afterwards was when I saw the pool of blood under his head. My screams brought out several other guests in the hotel (who I later found out thought I was being raped and were coming to my rescue), and those people helped me get him back to the room. After cleaning him up (there was surprisingly a small amount of blood for a head wound - the most had been what I discovered on the stairs) and getting advice from a couple other people (as I was hardly in a good decision making state), we took him to the local clinic where four stitches were put into his head.
The doctor was very nice, seemed to do good stitching, and very patient with us both (me asking a million questions in poor Spanish and Michael turning his head back on the wound), but I was less than impressed with the facilities. Tiny concrete rooms that contained hardly any equipment, and the nurse actually had to hold the plug of the lamp and the extension cord together so that it would work. The entire process was quick though, and thanks to the help of the others in the hotel, getting there and back was very easy. Within moments after arriving back to the room, Michael was fast asleep.
I wish I could say the same for myself. Of course I was amped up from the action and awake with worry, but my stomach was also making it impossible for me to drift off. Not long after we got back, I found myself in the bathroom nearly every half an hour with my body trying desperately to rid itself of the mashed potatoes that had probably saved me from my own drunken behavior. It's now Saturday afternoon, and I´m only now finding it possible to keep down food. It certainly has made it difficult to be a good nurse for Michael.
I am surprised with how well he is healing. Michael has told me that his head doesn't hurt at all and the stitches look like they're doing their job. He is suffering a bit from a bruised arm and what may be a bruised rib, but between the pain medication and spending a lot of time resting, I think he's actually been getting around better than I have. Yesterday we switched hotels to one with easier access and cable TV, both important factors in the healing process.
It's hard to say what the rest of the week is going to be like. I have no real desire to leave his side right now, and I doubt he wants to go surfing, but I don't think either of us really want to spend the rest of the week in San Pedro - after all, if you're not going to be doing much of anything, there should at least be good food. There's talk of going back to Antigua, but we'll make those sort of decisions later. Tikal will still be there next week.
***
On a brighter note, pictures! I finally found a good computer/took the time to complete the upload...enjoy!
Our view of Lake Atitlan from a restaurant in San Pedro.
Performers showing their stuff in the town center - they sucked at dancing.
The scariest ferris wheel I've ever been on.
How I felt at the top.
It sure is quite a lake.
***
Miss and love you all!
Since Thursday was our last day in San Pedro, we decided to make the most of it. It was probably the most beautiful day I´d seen here, with the sun coming out early in the morning and shining off the lake. We decided to go out kayaking one more time, and spent another hour paddling in the warm water and discovering more bright green shoreline. It's times like these that I'm happy I'm a NorCal girl, because although every Guatemalan I've talked to has warned me about the freezing temperatures of the lake, I thought it was like being in a warm bath.
After we got back to the hotel and dried off, Michael insisted we go into town to try the cheap local liquor, called Venado. Not even an hour later, we found ourselves sitting alone in a small concrete room with two wooden tables and a Gallo refrigerator, taking turns swigging from this bottle of nail-polish-remover-rum. We were pleasantly buzzed after that, and spent a good while discovering the non-touristy side of town, going down small dirt trails and up large cobblestone hills. I cursed myself so many times for not having my camera, as there was one point where we emerged from this amazing grove of coffee trees only to be at this small cliff that gave us a view of the entire town and lake. We followed that trail down and then the sound of thumping Latin music took us to another small 'bar'. There we had more Gallo and even more Venado. We were both a little drunk, but incredibly happy and I at least felt like I was in this fantastic dream.
Since our breakfast had been far in the past, we decided it was in our best interest to get some food. For the first time that we've been in San Pedro, we actually found something that tasted -great-; chicken garlic pizza and a side of mashed potatoes. Seeing as I only had a bagel for breakfast, I found myself eating most of the mashed potatoes while we both split the pizza. We spent a great deal of time at Nuevo Sol, laughing, talking to the people at the other tables, and reminiscing about the great sites we´d seen that day. When it was time to pay the bill, we discovered that we'd gone out with hardly any money (and what we had was already spent on liquor), so I went back to the hotel while Michael stayed and had a couple more drinks with the bartender. By the time I got back to pay, it was obvious that Michael hadn't eaten enough/kept drinking too much and my stopping/all the mashed potatoes had kept my head clear, so I helped him walk back to the hotel.
The walk back was difficult, as Michael was having a tough time going straight. In retrospect, I should have been so much smarter about this and had us stop at a cafe for a Coke or something, but at the time I thought the best thing I could do was get him into bed at the hotel. We made it up the flight of stone stairs from the street to the hotel mostly okay (with a couple small stumbles here and there). The entrances for the hotel are all outdoor on the balconies, including the stairs, and when we got to the last two flights of outdoor stairs, Michael got ahead of me. He must have turned the corner on the tile stairs too quickly, because as he started up the last flight (only four steps until our floor!) he lost his balance and went sideways. There are no railings on these slick tile stairs, and he landed right on his head and back onto the first flight of steps.
It was completely surreal. I dropped everything and went running to him where he lay at the bottom of the landing, thinking he was dead. I don´t even think he blacked out though, as he was responding quickly and said he felt no pain. I was so relieved that he was all okay and angry that I thought he was dead, that I actually slapped him. I´m incredibly embarrassed about doing that, but I guess there's that bit of Leon in me. Of course, immediately afterwards was when I saw the pool of blood under his head. My screams brought out several other guests in the hotel (who I later found out thought I was being raped and were coming to my rescue), and those people helped me get him back to the room. After cleaning him up (there was surprisingly a small amount of blood for a head wound - the most had been what I discovered on the stairs) and getting advice from a couple other people (as I was hardly in a good decision making state), we took him to the local clinic where four stitches were put into his head.
The doctor was very nice, seemed to do good stitching, and very patient with us both (me asking a million questions in poor Spanish and Michael turning his head back on the wound), but I was less than impressed with the facilities. Tiny concrete rooms that contained hardly any equipment, and the nurse actually had to hold the plug of the lamp and the extension cord together so that it would work. The entire process was quick though, and thanks to the help of the others in the hotel, getting there and back was very easy. Within moments after arriving back to the room, Michael was fast asleep.
I wish I could say the same for myself. Of course I was amped up from the action and awake with worry, but my stomach was also making it impossible for me to drift off. Not long after we got back, I found myself in the bathroom nearly every half an hour with my body trying desperately to rid itself of the mashed potatoes that had probably saved me from my own drunken behavior. It's now Saturday afternoon, and I´m only now finding it possible to keep down food. It certainly has made it difficult to be a good nurse for Michael.
I am surprised with how well he is healing. Michael has told me that his head doesn't hurt at all and the stitches look like they're doing their job. He is suffering a bit from a bruised arm and what may be a bruised rib, but between the pain medication and spending a lot of time resting, I think he's actually been getting around better than I have. Yesterday we switched hotels to one with easier access and cable TV, both important factors in the healing process.
It's hard to say what the rest of the week is going to be like. I have no real desire to leave his side right now, and I doubt he wants to go surfing, but I don't think either of us really want to spend the rest of the week in San Pedro - after all, if you're not going to be doing much of anything, there should at least be good food. There's talk of going back to Antigua, but we'll make those sort of decisions later. Tikal will still be there next week.
***
On a brighter note, pictures! I finally found a good computer/took the time to complete the upload...enjoy!
Our view of Lake Atitlan from a restaurant in San Pedro.
Performers showing their stuff in the town center - they sucked at dancing.
The scariest ferris wheel I've ever been on.
How I felt at the top.
It sure is quite a lake.
***
Miss and love you all!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
fotos...
Still have so many more to upload, but for as fast as the internet is for everything else, uploading pictures takes ages. I waited an hour to just get these two. Grrrr. New cafe tomorrow.
There´s not much to say about San Pedro - I´ve been feeling really tired and sluggish lately, so outside of eating some okay food, drinking cheap cuba libres, and reading in the hammock, I haven´t done a whole lot. Michael is wanting to go down to a surfer beach town maybe as soon as tomorrow, and I think I´m going to keep traveling with him.
The view from our rooftop in Pana.
The craziness of the market in Chichicastenago.
I promise, more to come!
There´s not much to say about San Pedro - I´ve been feeling really tired and sluggish lately, so outside of eating some okay food, drinking cheap cuba libres, and reading in the hammock, I haven´t done a whole lot. Michael is wanting to go down to a surfer beach town maybe as soon as tomorrow, and I think I´m going to keep traveling with him.
The view from our rooftop in Pana.
The craziness of the market in Chichicastenago.
I promise, more to come!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
¿fotos?
I found a USB port...only to have the power go out halfway through using the computer. I´ll try again tomorrow, but in the meantime, here is a pic from inside the market at Chichicastenago:
We spent hours in this bizarre maze of colors.
Today we went kayaking. I love this lake. I love this town. I love this country.
We spent hours in this bizarre maze of colors.
Today we went kayaking. I love this lake. I love this town. I love this country.
Monday, July 7, 2008
ferris wheel
Yet another computer without working USB ports - I know these blog posts have got to be boring without pictures, but I'll try to get some up as soon as I can.
Today has been a lovely day. Michael and I decided to leave Pana and travel across the lake to San Pedro. Though a little crowded, the boat ride was nice as I got to see up close just how perfectly blue the water is and how massive the lakeside volcanoes are. Our first endeavor after landing was to find a hotel (after, of course, drinking a cuba libre and finding a place to put our stuff down). It was nice to explore the town a bit and I even ran into someone I met climbing the volcano, but we went far out of our way to only return to a hotel near the docks. By that time I was hot and sweaty, and we took our turns in the shower - for the first time I didn't mind that the water never got hot.
After a bit of relaxing in the room, we found some lunch, and began to explore the rest of the city. There are a few main paved streets in San Pedro, but the easiest way to get around are on the small dirt paths in the woods and fields. We found ourselves snaking around the lake, admist the lush greenery, tossing pumas stones into the water and watching them float back to shore. When we pulled ourselves away from the lake and to the real town center, we found a fair! Today was the last day that a fair visiting San Pedro was going to be set up, and what a sight it was. A few cheesy carnival games, a couple rides, and two horribly scary looking ferris wheels. Michael insisted that we go on one, so before I knew it we were getting the best possible view of the town from a poorly secured seat for two. The craziest part to me was that the whole contraption was run by the motor of an old tractor that a guy sat on, increasing and decreasing acceleration. Totally frightening and exhilarating.
Our walk back towards the hotel proved fruitful in that I found many of the restaurants and bars recommended by Lonely Planet. I'm not sure what tonight will bring, whether it's checking out a new bar or watching a free movie at one of the tourist places, but I love the pace of this city - it´s a prettier and more relaxed Pana with an even better view of the lake.
Today has been a lovely day. Michael and I decided to leave Pana and travel across the lake to San Pedro. Though a little crowded, the boat ride was nice as I got to see up close just how perfectly blue the water is and how massive the lakeside volcanoes are. Our first endeavor after landing was to find a hotel (after, of course, drinking a cuba libre and finding a place to put our stuff down). It was nice to explore the town a bit and I even ran into someone I met climbing the volcano, but we went far out of our way to only return to a hotel near the docks. By that time I was hot and sweaty, and we took our turns in the shower - for the first time I didn't mind that the water never got hot.
After a bit of relaxing in the room, we found some lunch, and began to explore the rest of the city. There are a few main paved streets in San Pedro, but the easiest way to get around are on the small dirt paths in the woods and fields. We found ourselves snaking around the lake, admist the lush greenery, tossing pumas stones into the water and watching them float back to shore. When we pulled ourselves away from the lake and to the real town center, we found a fair! Today was the last day that a fair visiting San Pedro was going to be set up, and what a sight it was. A few cheesy carnival games, a couple rides, and two horribly scary looking ferris wheels. Michael insisted that we go on one, so before I knew it we were getting the best possible view of the town from a poorly secured seat for two. The craziest part to me was that the whole contraption was run by the motor of an old tractor that a guy sat on, increasing and decreasing acceleration. Totally frightening and exhilarating.
Our walk back towards the hotel proved fruitful in that I found many of the restaurants and bars recommended by Lonely Planet. I'm not sure what tonight will bring, whether it's checking out a new bar or watching a free movie at one of the tourist places, but I love the pace of this city - it´s a prettier and more relaxed Pana with an even better view of the lake.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
the market
The rest of my yesterday was wonderful. Michael introduced me to a street snack of roasted corn that tasted exactly like popcorn. I already had a few cuba libres (rum and cokes) in me, so this find made me super excited. It was fun wandering the street at night, eating popcorn corn, seeing little mayan kids watch a religious movie in their native tongue, and walking by the lake in the rain. After a dinner of decent pizza, we spent the rest of our night at the Circus Bar again. This time the live music was more impressive (three guys playing wicked guitar and one guy on bongos). We met two dentists sitting next to us, one American and one Guatemalan, who kept us entertained with conversation for our visit, and Michael even ran into someone that he knew from 14 years ago, back when he lived in Pana. I had one too many cuba libres (as that's what my head and stomach told me this morning), but it was a great hangout.
Today was another slow wake-up, but when we finally got up and going, we hopped on a bus to Chichicastenago. It took two buses and a small shuttle to get there, but Michael and I were dying to go see the famous market. I will have to upload pictures later, as this computer wont read my camera, but the market was amazing. The entire town had been turned into stands where people were selling produce, tapestries or fried chicken. We started by checking out the two big churches near the center of the market (which were much different from Spain - hardly any ornamentation at all, but one did have a fake tomb of Jesus to pray to), got a fish burger to share, and spent the rest of the time wandering through the maze of stands. I felt like I was in a bizzare dream. I saw men walk by with baskets of live turkeys on their backs, with their little turkeys heads poking out. I saw the most brightly and beautifully colored clothes and table cloths hanging all around me. I heard hundreds of lies to make me buy wares, including 'you can have a discount for speaking good spanish'. It was overwhelming and incredibly worth the ride up there. I can just barely imagine what it's like for a local family to go there on a Sunday and buy what they need to live. It's certainly a different world.
The ride back in the shuttle was entertaining, as they kept trying to fill it with as many people as possible. If everyone had a seat the shuttle would hold 14, but there were more like 25 people in there at a time - it's amazing how people will squeeze for a ride and how the driver and his partner will work for as many quetzals as possible. The camionetas were actually fairly empty on the ride back, and we were finally able to get a window seat which gave us a great view of the lake as we rode into Pana.
Tomorrow Michael and I are moving across the lake to either San Pedro or San Marcos - most people I talked to before coming here told me that both of those towns are worth visiting and many liked them even more than Pana. The next night we'll hop over to the other town and then head back to Pana for one more night before moving on from the lake.
It's absolutely beautiful here at the lake, and so far this trip is making me seriously consider moving to Guatemala. I would be starting at the same place here that I would in America as far as finding a job and a house goes, and the pace of life here is one I could get really used to. It would certainly make my life exciting. There's a lot to think about on that front though because really, could I live without fast internet and great showers?
Today was another slow wake-up, but when we finally got up and going, we hopped on a bus to Chichicastenago. It took two buses and a small shuttle to get there, but Michael and I were dying to go see the famous market. I will have to upload pictures later, as this computer wont read my camera, but the market was amazing. The entire town had been turned into stands where people were selling produce, tapestries or fried chicken. We started by checking out the two big churches near the center of the market (which were much different from Spain - hardly any ornamentation at all, but one did have a fake tomb of Jesus to pray to), got a fish burger to share, and spent the rest of the time wandering through the maze of stands. I felt like I was in a bizzare dream. I saw men walk by with baskets of live turkeys on their backs, with their little turkeys heads poking out. I saw the most brightly and beautifully colored clothes and table cloths hanging all around me. I heard hundreds of lies to make me buy wares, including 'you can have a discount for speaking good spanish'. It was overwhelming and incredibly worth the ride up there. I can just barely imagine what it's like for a local family to go there on a Sunday and buy what they need to live. It's certainly a different world.
The ride back in the shuttle was entertaining, as they kept trying to fill it with as many people as possible. If everyone had a seat the shuttle would hold 14, but there were more like 25 people in there at a time - it's amazing how people will squeeze for a ride and how the driver and his partner will work for as many quetzals as possible. The camionetas were actually fairly empty on the ride back, and we were finally able to get a window seat which gave us a great view of the lake as we rode into Pana.
Tomorrow Michael and I are moving across the lake to either San Pedro or San Marcos - most people I talked to before coming here told me that both of those towns are worth visiting and many liked them even more than Pana. The next night we'll hop over to the other town and then head back to Pana for one more night before moving on from the lake.
It's absolutely beautiful here at the lake, and so far this trip is making me seriously consider moving to Guatemala. I would be starting at the same place here that I would in America as far as finding a job and a house goes, and the pace of life here is one I could get really used to. It would certainly make my life exciting. There's a lot to think about on that front though because really, could I live without fast internet and great showers?
Saturday, July 5, 2008
the little town by the lake
Welcome to Panajachel. The ride here was more interesting than I thought it would be - I went ahead and bought tickets for a mini shuttle, thinking it´d be faster and easier than a chicken bus. Easier yes. Faster? The shuttle showed up 25 minutes after it was due, they had us switch shuttles right outside of town, our driver stopped on two personal errands (to pay his gas bill and to get some lunch for himself), and took the longer back way into Pana. Woo. At least the long and windy road was beautiful - so much greenery and when we got the first glimpse of the lake, the length of the trip was fast forgotten.
After stopping for a snack at a local cafe and leaving our bags behind (an old trick of Michael´s so that we don´t have to carry our luggage all over town), we checked a few places and found a cute hotel not far from the action in town. We do have to use a shared bathroom (with yes, another shitty shower), but the room is cute and the view from the top of the place is fantastic - I´ll probably upload pictures in a couple days (it looks like I´m back to dial-up here in Pana :( ). Our night included some yummy Uruguayan food (finally! good meat!), a walk to the edge of the lake where we could see the small shimmering cities across the way, and a couple drinks at the Circus Bar, listening to live music.
Though there is a lot we want to explore (from a huge nearby market to the other lake towns to an old coffee plantation), today we decided to take it easy. That included wandering through the market, trying a pitiya (a fruit that is HOT PINK! the pictures of that should be cool), a better view of the lake with a beer, and merely wandering and trying to learn more about Pana.
I love being so lazy - an hour nap in the afternoon, doing only what I want when the mood strikes - I could get used to this kind of life.
After stopping for a snack at a local cafe and leaving our bags behind (an old trick of Michael´s so that we don´t have to carry our luggage all over town), we checked a few places and found a cute hotel not far from the action in town. We do have to use a shared bathroom (with yes, another shitty shower), but the room is cute and the view from the top of the place is fantastic - I´ll probably upload pictures in a couple days (it looks like I´m back to dial-up here in Pana :( ). Our night included some yummy Uruguayan food (finally! good meat!), a walk to the edge of the lake where we could see the small shimmering cities across the way, and a couple drinks at the Circus Bar, listening to live music.
Though there is a lot we want to explore (from a huge nearby market to the other lake towns to an old coffee plantation), today we decided to take it easy. That included wandering through the market, trying a pitiya (a fruit that is HOT PINK! the pictures of that should be cool), a better view of the lake with a beer, and merely wandering and trying to learn more about Pana.
I love being so lazy - an hour nap in the afternoon, doing only what I want when the mood strikes - I could get used to this kind of life.
Friday, July 4, 2008
full belly
So in about a half an hour, Michael and I are going to leave for Panajachel. In just the short time that we've been in Antigua together, Michael has taken me to some of the best restaurants to eat - figures that he can be gone for seven years and still know where to get a good meal. I had my 'in' though...after dinner we went to a local bar where I knew the bartender! I had met her in Monterrico, so it was nice to see each other again and chat for a bit.
Not much else to report - finally was able to call my mom today. As much fun as I'm having here, it's still difficult not to be in regular contact with the people that I normally am.
But it's time to keep moving - I'm ready to explore another new city.
Not much else to report - finally was able to call my mom today. As much fun as I'm having here, it's still difficult not to be in regular contact with the people that I normally am.
But it's time to keep moving - I'm ready to explore another new city.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
everything's good in central america
So! I have a feeling this will be long, as I have to cover quite a few days...I'll try not to get bogged down in details.
Sunday: The day of Camionetas (chicken buses). Bus #1 was very easy to find (thanks Antigua!), but because they never grabbed my giant backpack from me, I was squished. Sitting next to me was a talkative (and quick speaking) older man, who kept me entertained and exhausted (as my brain doesn't move that fast in Spanish) the whole first leg of the trip. He kept asking if he could join me in Monterrico, though that was not his original plan, but I kept telling him I traveled alone. Even though I had turned him down, he still walked me across town to find the connecting bus (which in retrospect, I would have had a hell of a time finding on my own).
Not long after I sat on Bus #2, super creepy guy came and squished me into my seat (there was already a mamacita sitting windowside). I didn't like it, but I felt rude saying anything...until he put his hand on my thigh. The "NO" I firmly stated shamed him like a puppy digging through trash and even though he made himself small and was looking down, one of the guys running the bus came over and made him move. I certainly didn't want to be touched by some creepo on a bus, but it felt so good to know that the other people there were looking out for me. The mamacita and I ended up chatting and laughing a bit because of it.
Bus #3 was easy as pie. By then, I was practiced with paying/seating/etc. There was also less people on the bus, so I could finally just stare out the window. Most beautiful countryside here.
The last leg of the trip was a boat ride through a beautiful marsh - there's only one expensive bridge into Monterrico and you have to go the longer way to take it.
First taste of paradise.
It didn't take long to land in Monterrico, and I made a beeline for the hotel. The temperature had seemed to increase by 10 degrees each leg of the trip from Antigua, and it was humid and hot in that little town. Monterrico is a very small town, with not a whole lot going for it, but the beach is beautiful (though you can't really swim without taking a pounding) and the places along the beach are nice. A lot more animals here as well: I found myself walking alongside pigs and chickens often.
I reached the super cheapo dorms and showered first.
Our funky dorms - yes, the mosquito nets were necessary!
The other dorm members seemed nice, but I needed to get cleaned up and grab a beer at the bar/restaurant (it was very possible to have everything you needed at this one place and not leave). I had only been reading at the bar for a little bit when this Guatemalan girl about the same age as me started chatting. She ended up sitting at my table, talking about literature and politics for awhile, and then introducing me to her brother and friend when they came and joined us an hour later. An hour after that, I was headed back with them to their incredibly impressive vacation home, complete with a hammock area and a large pool. We stayed up all night, talking, playing drinking games, taking late night swims, and chasing frogs. It turns out I had only paid Johnny's Place (the hotel) for keeping my stuff there that night, but it was well worth it.
Monday: The Wendy, Javier, and Bryan all drove me back to Johnny's Place so I could immediately pass out in the dorm. It turned out to be that afternoon naps were the theme of this place: palm trees, black sand, warm winds, a warm pool, hammocks...everyone just hung out outside, listening to music, dancing when it felt right. The best sight was Bo, the sixty-year old tanned hippie who wore his loin cloth the entire time and laughed hysterically. I knew right away that I would not be going to Xela and that just getting up to Pana was going to be hard. Even right now, it's nice to be back in beautiful Antigua, but I already miss that warm beach.
Right outside my bedroom door.
Someone had brought their laptop, so we watched South Park and The Interpreter. Both the Guatemalans I hung out with the first night and the people in the dorm all wanted to speak English, so I'm getting a little out of practice.
Tuesday: More of the same. I found the internet place and used it briefly. I ate fantastic pizza for lunch and the worst burger known to man for dinner. I watched more South Park and Perfume.
Don't I look relaxed?
Wednesday: I finished 'Wicked'. 400 pages, baby! I might be tempted to start calling myself a reader. We all had a lazy morning, and finally packed up to head back to Antigua. The ride back was fantastic. It was totally okay for me to just stare out the window at all the greenery, looking up to see volcanoes in the distance. The girl who offered the ride, Marlene, also offered me a place to stay at her house. I went into town before they did, ran some errands, and we all met up at the Rainbow Cafe for a delicious dinner and open mike night. I was impressed with many of the people that got up there...so much so that I started considering picking up guitar again. Wouldn't that be a trip?
We all (me, Marlene, Ollie (who rode up with us), Patrick and Oliver (who we met in Monterrico but only ran into at the Rainbow Cafe) headed back to the house just to hang out and chat. It was surreal to be spending time like this with people I didn't know, making myself comfortable in a strangers house. I hope I can still meet people this easily when I come back to the states.
Thursday: I was up before anyone else today, so I left a goodbye note and came into town to change money, find a hotel for Michael and I, and use the internet. It's nice to be back here, and I can understand why so many people (Guatemalans and travelers alike) use Antigua as a home base - beautiful and comfortable. I'm about to go off to meet Michael - hopefully my next post will come sooner and wont be as long, but know that I'm having a fantastic time and miss you all!
Sunday: The day of Camionetas (chicken buses). Bus #1 was very easy to find (thanks Antigua!), but because they never grabbed my giant backpack from me, I was squished. Sitting next to me was a talkative (and quick speaking) older man, who kept me entertained and exhausted (as my brain doesn't move that fast in Spanish) the whole first leg of the trip. He kept asking if he could join me in Monterrico, though that was not his original plan, but I kept telling him I traveled alone. Even though I had turned him down, he still walked me across town to find the connecting bus (which in retrospect, I would have had a hell of a time finding on my own).
Not long after I sat on Bus #2, super creepy guy came and squished me into my seat (there was already a mamacita sitting windowside). I didn't like it, but I felt rude saying anything...until he put his hand on my thigh. The "NO" I firmly stated shamed him like a puppy digging through trash and even though he made himself small and was looking down, one of the guys running the bus came over and made him move. I certainly didn't want to be touched by some creepo on a bus, but it felt so good to know that the other people there were looking out for me. The mamacita and I ended up chatting and laughing a bit because of it.
Bus #3 was easy as pie. By then, I was practiced with paying/seating/etc. There was also less people on the bus, so I could finally just stare out the window. Most beautiful countryside here.
The last leg of the trip was a boat ride through a beautiful marsh - there's only one expensive bridge into Monterrico and you have to go the longer way to take it.
First taste of paradise.
It didn't take long to land in Monterrico, and I made a beeline for the hotel. The temperature had seemed to increase by 10 degrees each leg of the trip from Antigua, and it was humid and hot in that little town. Monterrico is a very small town, with not a whole lot going for it, but the beach is beautiful (though you can't really swim without taking a pounding) and the places along the beach are nice. A lot more animals here as well: I found myself walking alongside pigs and chickens often.
I reached the super cheapo dorms and showered first.
Our funky dorms - yes, the mosquito nets were necessary!
The other dorm members seemed nice, but I needed to get cleaned up and grab a beer at the bar/restaurant (it was very possible to have everything you needed at this one place and not leave). I had only been reading at the bar for a little bit when this Guatemalan girl about the same age as me started chatting. She ended up sitting at my table, talking about literature and politics for awhile, and then introducing me to her brother and friend when they came and joined us an hour later. An hour after that, I was headed back with them to their incredibly impressive vacation home, complete with a hammock area and a large pool. We stayed up all night, talking, playing drinking games, taking late night swims, and chasing frogs. It turns out I had only paid Johnny's Place (the hotel) for keeping my stuff there that night, but it was well worth it.
Monday: The Wendy, Javier, and Bryan all drove me back to Johnny's Place so I could immediately pass out in the dorm. It turned out to be that afternoon naps were the theme of this place: palm trees, black sand, warm winds, a warm pool, hammocks...everyone just hung out outside, listening to music, dancing when it felt right. The best sight was Bo, the sixty-year old tanned hippie who wore his loin cloth the entire time and laughed hysterically. I knew right away that I would not be going to Xela and that just getting up to Pana was going to be hard. Even right now, it's nice to be back in beautiful Antigua, but I already miss that warm beach.
Right outside my bedroom door.
Someone had brought their laptop, so we watched South Park and The Interpreter. Both the Guatemalans I hung out with the first night and the people in the dorm all wanted to speak English, so I'm getting a little out of practice.
Tuesday: More of the same. I found the internet place and used it briefly. I ate fantastic pizza for lunch and the worst burger known to man for dinner. I watched more South Park and Perfume.
Don't I look relaxed?
Wednesday: I finished 'Wicked'. 400 pages, baby! I might be tempted to start calling myself a reader. We all had a lazy morning, and finally packed up to head back to Antigua. The ride back was fantastic. It was totally okay for me to just stare out the window at all the greenery, looking up to see volcanoes in the distance. The girl who offered the ride, Marlene, also offered me a place to stay at her house. I went into town before they did, ran some errands, and we all met up at the Rainbow Cafe for a delicious dinner and open mike night. I was impressed with many of the people that got up there...so much so that I started considering picking up guitar again. Wouldn't that be a trip?
We all (me, Marlene, Ollie (who rode up with us), Patrick and Oliver (who we met in Monterrico but only ran into at the Rainbow Cafe) headed back to the house just to hang out and chat. It was surreal to be spending time like this with people I didn't know, making myself comfortable in a strangers house. I hope I can still meet people this easily when I come back to the states.
Thursday: I was up before anyone else today, so I left a goodbye note and came into town to change money, find a hotel for Michael and I, and use the internet. It's nice to be back here, and I can understand why so many people (Guatemalans and travelers alike) use Antigua as a home base - beautiful and comfortable. I'm about to go off to meet Michael - hopefully my next post will come sooner and wont be as long, but know that I'm having a fantastic time and miss you all!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
black sand
This is going to be a shorty, as the internet in Monterrico is slow and expensive. I'm at the beach. I got my green coconut. I've spent more hours in a hammock than walking. I spent the first night here hanging out with three Guatemalans at their vacation house drinking rum. I spent last night with the other wacky characters in the dormitory watching South Park and The Interpreter. I'm in love with liquidarios.
Xela is not happening. Though exciting and weird, the chicken bus trip down here was long enough - I don't have the desire to ride one across the country for just a two day trip in one town. That means I'm staying at the beach longer, leaving for Antigua tomorrow and for Pana the next day to meet Michael.
This trip rocks.
Xela is not happening. Though exciting and weird, the chicken bus trip down here was long enough - I don't have the desire to ride one across the country for just a two day trip in one town. That means I'm staying at the beach longer, leaving for Antigua tomorrow and for Pana the next day to meet Michael.
This trip rocks.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
a belated post
So! The volcano! Yesterday morning I got up at 5am to catch the tourist van in time (which was 20 minutes late...nice to see that my ability to freak out over nothing still exists...I managed to wipe away my tears before the driver saw me though :p). The ride to the volcano was about an hour and a half, and the small landslides I saw and the crazy dirt road towards the end made me wonder about my future trip to Nebaj (where it takes a three(?) hour dirt road to reach the mountain town).
The climb was harder than I thought it would be, and I'm still sore today. An hour and a half of going uphill - it makes me want to go hike more and get in shape. Unfortunately, there was a fair amount of clouds that morning (which beat the rain in the afternoon...I'm glad I took the early trip), so we weren't able to see the other three volcanoes on the horizon. It didn't matter that much to me though - I was happy to be walking through a beautiful green forest, watching the dirt and rock types change the higher we got.
The first big change was when we reached an old lava flow from a couple years ago. A long river of volcanic rocks cut drastically across the green forest/grass and the sight made us remember that we weren't just climbing up an ordinary hill.
I'd hate to be under there!
We climbed further, walking over the river of rocks, seeing the very peak (which we would not be climbing up) in the near distance, but everything was still green. Our guide who was ahead of us, motioned to us to hurry up...and when we joined him at the edge of a small cliff, we saw an entire valley of volcanic rock. Our guide led us down into it (I was so happy to be wearing my thick and sturdy sneakers) and we scurried across the giant and oddly formed rocks like little goats.
Can't you just imagine this as lava? Or at least, cow shit?
We'd been going through the valley for about ten minutes or so when I felt a blast of warm air. I looked to my side and saw a large crack in the rocks that had turned white around the edges and was expelling extremely hot air. From then on, I couldn't stop smiling, really feeling as if the Earth was truly alive and breathing under me. The amount of vents increased (as did the heat - it became impossible to get too close to the vents), and our guide pointed out a very large vent that you could see a glowing red in. It was difficult to see, but I was estatic. My first view of lava! I felt like I could go home right then, the experience complete.
Can you see it?
A girl in a group on the way back across the valley heard our oohs and aahs and said, "Just wait - it gets better". Shocked that there could be more to see, we all started hurrying across the rocks, seeing more glowing vents here and there.
And then we came over a hill of rocks. I don't even know how to begin to explain what it's like to see a river of flowing lava. It was moving at the speed of maple syrup, and the contrasting red orange to the black rock was striking. I was viewing power, an absolute force of nature, the insides of Mother Earth spilling out of an open wound. Often when I reach the destination of a long hike, such as the view at the top of a mountain, I stop, appreciate the beauty, and move on. But I was paralyzed here - I never wanted to leave, never wanted to tear my eyes from this new element. I feel like I've failed here in writing about it, so here are some of the pictures I took. Again, I don't think they do it justice, but to give you an idea:
The climb down was nice - quick and easy. I slept nearly the entire way back to Antigua. Volcan Pacaya is a place and an experience I will never forget.
**
Here is a picture of the other students I've been staying with - Kanako, Erika, and Zack. This is the table we spent our meals at in Cesar's home. We had our last night together yesterday, all going out for dinner, and I'm actually going to miss them.
Alejandra joined us for lunch.
**
Today I leave for Monterrico, a small town on the Pacific Ocean. I'm extremely nervous about traveling so much by chicken bus, but seeing as I have all day to go about three hours, I think I'll be okay. I really hope there's some green coconuts there.
The climb was harder than I thought it would be, and I'm still sore today. An hour and a half of going uphill - it makes me want to go hike more and get in shape. Unfortunately, there was a fair amount of clouds that morning (which beat the rain in the afternoon...I'm glad I took the early trip), so we weren't able to see the other three volcanoes on the horizon. It didn't matter that much to me though - I was happy to be walking through a beautiful green forest, watching the dirt and rock types change the higher we got.
The first big change was when we reached an old lava flow from a couple years ago. A long river of volcanic rocks cut drastically across the green forest/grass and the sight made us remember that we weren't just climbing up an ordinary hill.
I'd hate to be under there!
We climbed further, walking over the river of rocks, seeing the very peak (which we would not be climbing up) in the near distance, but everything was still green. Our guide who was ahead of us, motioned to us to hurry up...and when we joined him at the edge of a small cliff, we saw an entire valley of volcanic rock. Our guide led us down into it (I was so happy to be wearing my thick and sturdy sneakers) and we scurried across the giant and oddly formed rocks like little goats.
Can't you just imagine this as lava? Or at least, cow shit?
We'd been going through the valley for about ten minutes or so when I felt a blast of warm air. I looked to my side and saw a large crack in the rocks that had turned white around the edges and was expelling extremely hot air. From then on, I couldn't stop smiling, really feeling as if the Earth was truly alive and breathing under me. The amount of vents increased (as did the heat - it became impossible to get too close to the vents), and our guide pointed out a very large vent that you could see a glowing red in. It was difficult to see, but I was estatic. My first view of lava! I felt like I could go home right then, the experience complete.
Can you see it?
A girl in a group on the way back across the valley heard our oohs and aahs and said, "Just wait - it gets better". Shocked that there could be more to see, we all started hurrying across the rocks, seeing more glowing vents here and there.
And then we came over a hill of rocks. I don't even know how to begin to explain what it's like to see a river of flowing lava. It was moving at the speed of maple syrup, and the contrasting red orange to the black rock was striking. I was viewing power, an absolute force of nature, the insides of Mother Earth spilling out of an open wound. Often when I reach the destination of a long hike, such as the view at the top of a mountain, I stop, appreciate the beauty, and move on. But I was paralyzed here - I never wanted to leave, never wanted to tear my eyes from this new element. I feel like I've failed here in writing about it, so here are some of the pictures I took. Again, I don't think they do it justice, but to give you an idea:
The climb down was nice - quick and easy. I slept nearly the entire way back to Antigua. Volcan Pacaya is a place and an experience I will never forget.
**
Here is a picture of the other students I've been staying with - Kanako, Erika, and Zack. This is the table we spent our meals at in Cesar's home. We had our last night together yesterday, all going out for dinner, and I'm actually going to miss them.
Alejandra joined us for lunch.
**
Today I leave for Monterrico, a small town on the Pacific Ocean. I'm extremely nervous about traveling so much by chicken bus, but seeing as I have all day to go about three hours, I think I'll be okay. I really hope there's some green coconuts there.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
thar she blows
I'm incredibly tired, and I hope to write a more detailed post later but:
Today I climbed onto an active volcano. Not only did I see the hot air vents and paths of huge volcanic rocks, but I actually stood right next to a river of lava. Pictures to come.
Dancing makes me feel beautiful.
Tomorrow I leave for the beach.
Today I climbed onto an active volcano. Not only did I see the hot air vents and paths of huge volcanic rocks, but I actually stood right next to a river of lava. Pictures to come.
Dancing makes me feel beautiful.
Tomorrow I leave for the beach.
Friday, June 27, 2008
it's all about the little things
While I was studying in a cafe yesterday morning, a woman placed a bunch of her handmade goods next to me to sell and set herself up to weave more. I'd never seen anything like it.
Certainly takes clothes making to a whole new level.
**
Though my teacher did give me a bunch of new words yesterday (reflexive verbs...wooo), we spent at least half of the class just sitting there talking to each other. The conversation was totally helpful (as she'd stop and correct me if I said something wrong) and a much more fun way to learn.
**
I sold my finished fiction (it was hard for me to part with both Capote and Vonnegut, but I just can't carry them around for the whole trip - I'll have to buy new copies after I get back) and bought 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' and 'Wicked'. Started 'Wicked' last night and looove it...really difficult to put down.
**
I was able to talk to Michael yesterday, via Skype (best computer program ever). We finally made some plans for when he comes down here and that made it possible for me to plan my next week. Today is my last day of classes, tonight I go out with the girls (reggatone at La Sin Ventura!), tomorrow eaaaarly I go trek up a live volcano, and Sunday I leave for a town on the Pacific Coast called Monterrico. I'm not quite sure how that town will be, as I've heard it can be kind of boring during the week, but I'm craving a green coconut like you wouldn't believe. Also, I read that this time of year the baby turtles hatch and do their run to the ocean...that would be so awesome to see.
If Monterrico is too boring or expensive (as I could only find one place in the guide book there that's in my budget), I'm going to move on to Xela. It's another big city, somewhat like Antigua but less white people. I have no real burning desire to go there, but it might be a nice time. Next Friday, Michael will be down here and we'll go to Lake Aitilan (sp?), a beautiful lake surrounded by two volcanoes with a lot of fun lakeside towns, and then up to Nebaj, a tiny village in the mountains. Should be a good couple weeks here.
**
After dinner last night, Cesar pulled out his guitar and played and sang some songs. There were a few Guatemalan songs (in which he taught us enough to sing the chorus along with him) and he ended by playing The Beatles 'Yesterday'. I had the biggest damn grin across my face and couldn't believe the luck I had in being placed in that house.
**
Kanako and I ended the night by sitting and talking on the patio for a good hour and a half - all in Spanish. We talked about everything under the sun, laughed like crazy, and invited each other to our respective countries to visit. I never thought that the first person I would connect so well with in Central America would be a Japanese girl. We only stopped talking and went to bed because Carmen (Cesar's wife) knocked on the window.
**
I couldn't be happier with life than I am right now.
Certainly takes clothes making to a whole new level.
**
Though my teacher did give me a bunch of new words yesterday (reflexive verbs...wooo), we spent at least half of the class just sitting there talking to each other. The conversation was totally helpful (as she'd stop and correct me if I said something wrong) and a much more fun way to learn.
**
I sold my finished fiction (it was hard for me to part with both Capote and Vonnegut, but I just can't carry them around for the whole trip - I'll have to buy new copies after I get back) and bought 'Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil' and 'Wicked'. Started 'Wicked' last night and looove it...really difficult to put down.
**
I was able to talk to Michael yesterday, via Skype (best computer program ever). We finally made some plans for when he comes down here and that made it possible for me to plan my next week. Today is my last day of classes, tonight I go out with the girls (reggatone at La Sin Ventura!), tomorrow eaaaarly I go trek up a live volcano, and Sunday I leave for a town on the Pacific Coast called Monterrico. I'm not quite sure how that town will be, as I've heard it can be kind of boring during the week, but I'm craving a green coconut like you wouldn't believe. Also, I read that this time of year the baby turtles hatch and do their run to the ocean...that would be so awesome to see.
If Monterrico is too boring or expensive (as I could only find one place in the guide book there that's in my budget), I'm going to move on to Xela. It's another big city, somewhat like Antigua but less white people. I have no real burning desire to go there, but it might be a nice time. Next Friday, Michael will be down here and we'll go to Lake Aitilan (sp?), a beautiful lake surrounded by two volcanoes with a lot of fun lakeside towns, and then up to Nebaj, a tiny village in the mountains. Should be a good couple weeks here.
**
After dinner last night, Cesar pulled out his guitar and played and sang some songs. There were a few Guatemalan songs (in which he taught us enough to sing the chorus along with him) and he ended by playing The Beatles 'Yesterday'. I had the biggest damn grin across my face and couldn't believe the luck I had in being placed in that house.
**
Kanako and I ended the night by sitting and talking on the patio for a good hour and a half - all in Spanish. We talked about everything under the sun, laughed like crazy, and invited each other to our respective countries to visit. I never thought that the first person I would connect so well with in Central America would be a Japanese girl. We only stopped talking and went to bed because Carmen (Cesar's wife) knocked on the window.
**
I couldn't be happier with life than I am right now.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
mish mosh
I've been at school for only three days, and already I have a routine. I feel as if I've lived in Antigua for many years, studying and running my errands in the morning and attending classes in the afternoon. I wonder if my American life existed. I will be sad for ending my growth in Spanish when I have my last classes tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to moving on.
**
I finally figured out how to get hot water from the shower yesterday. Three days of ice cold showers are three days too many - though I suppose it is preparing me for more remote areas. I would just hope that when I put myself at risk with a contraption like this, with all these wires, that I would be rewarded with blistering hot water:
Don't go splashing that water!
**
I finished 'Cat's Cradle'. Not to sound like every damn person who waited until he died to pick up one of his books, but I'm in mad mad love with Kurt Vonnegut.
I am now out of fiction books, so today is a trip to the bookstore.
**
I was sitting in the park reading/people watching yesterday when I saw this traditionally dressed woman(I'm not sure what's the proper thing to call these women - Guatemalan, Mayan...) come by with two children - one 7-or-so-year-old boy and one 1-year-old daughter who was just barely toddling along. As they walked through the park, I never once saw the woman look back behind her...she just kept walking forward, keeping up the same pace, the boy at her side, and the baby girl trailing behind and occasionally even stopping to play with a flower or something. It wasn't until she reached the edge of the park that she turned to her boy and said something, at which point the boy went back and grabbed his sisters hand.
In the days of leashing children and using cell phones as location devices, it was odd to see such a young child left to do her own thing - but then, I wonder if it was even a possibility to snatch such a kid or if a protective swarm of other mothers would have emerged from the sidelines.
**
Last night I taught Kanako, a native Japanese girl who has a second language of rough English and is now trying to learn Spanish, how to play chess. I tried, with the help of a dictionary, to only use Spanish words to teach her. It was probably the most fun I've ever had playing the game - a completely new experience.
**
I finally figured out how to get hot water from the shower yesterday. Three days of ice cold showers are three days too many - though I suppose it is preparing me for more remote areas. I would just hope that when I put myself at risk with a contraption like this, with all these wires, that I would be rewarded with blistering hot water:
Don't go splashing that water!
**
I finished 'Cat's Cradle'. Not to sound like every damn person who waited until he died to pick up one of his books, but I'm in mad mad love with Kurt Vonnegut.
I am now out of fiction books, so today is a trip to the bookstore.
**
I was sitting in the park reading/people watching yesterday when I saw this traditionally dressed woman(I'm not sure what's the proper thing to call these women - Guatemalan, Mayan...) come by with two children - one 7-or-so-year-old boy and one 1-year-old daughter who was just barely toddling along. As they walked through the park, I never once saw the woman look back behind her...she just kept walking forward, keeping up the same pace, the boy at her side, and the baby girl trailing behind and occasionally even stopping to play with a flower or something. It wasn't until she reached the edge of the park that she turned to her boy and said something, at which point the boy went back and grabbed his sisters hand.
In the days of leashing children and using cell phones as location devices, it was odd to see such a young child left to do her own thing - but then, I wonder if it was even a possibility to snatch such a kid or if a protective swarm of other mothers would have emerged from the sidelines.
**
Last night I taught Kanako, a native Japanese girl who has a second language of rough English and is now trying to learn Spanish, how to play chess. I tried, with the help of a dictionary, to only use Spanish words to teach her. It was probably the most fun I've ever had playing the game - a completely new experience.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
i could get used to this
Yesterday represented the kind of day I had originally hoped to have here in Antigua.
After I wrote my blog post yesterday morning, I went to a local cafe for a cup of some -awesome- coffee (screw it, I'm drinking caffeine down here...the coffee is way too delicious not to) and studied my lesson until I knew it like the back of my hand. While I was there, I met a girl from Boston who has been living in Antigua for over a year teaching English and she gave me a bunch of information about great places in Guatemala to visit. I now really want to visit this place called 'Semuc Champagne', where you swim through these caves with a light on your head and apparently has all these gorgeous natural pools. She gave me her email in case I had any questions, and I left the cafe.
Next was another delicious lunch, with carne asada and potatoes. I went to the school afterwards with my housemate Kanako (finally, her name is sticking! I felt so bad, I had to ask her something like 20 times) and studied a bit extra. My lesson went really well, and though I'm a bit overwhelmed at the amount of verbs I was given and that I'm learning some new stuff (demonstrative pronouns), I'm pleased that my teacher is putting me on such a fast track since she knows I only have one week to learn. I can't believe how much it's already helped my conversation skills...I end up playing translator a lot at the dinner table.
The tamale for dinner left something to be desired (it was all corn? it didn't have anything inside and the masa itself was pretty mushy..Mexico definitely wins that contest), but the conversation was great. Zack was out having dinner with some friends so it was only Cesar and us three girls; we just sat there after eating for a good hour, chatting about everything from types of bugs (where the comedic and animated Cesar acted out every bug, even pretending to be an ant, carrying a napkin on his head) to how a traditional Guatemalan funeral is conducted (unfortunately, the latter topic was very relevant, as Cesar was attending a service last night/this morning for a friend).
By 8:30pm or so, the three of us ladies were dressed and out on the town - there was lightening in the sky, but no rain, and the air was so warm. The drinks at Monoloco was even cheaper than I expected (Q3, or, 42 cents) for ladies night, and we all ended up with four rum and cokes each. The bar itself was really packed, but we did manage to find a table with a couple local boys who we practiced Spanish with for some time. The guys were nice, chatty, and wanted to dance, so after an hour or two, we went over to La Ventura. The bar was having their salsa night and the dance floor was packed and hot! It makes me regret having bangs a bit, because as soon as I start to sweat, they become wet and stick to my forehead as if I just got out of the shower. :p Erica danced with one of the guys, while Kanako and I took turns and danced simultaneously with the other, Diego. That girl is so adorable - you can't help but smile and laugh with everything she says.
We were there dancing until midnight, where I also danced with an ex-salsa teacher/current performer in a salsa band, Jose (who taught me a couple things beyond the basic move), and Manny, another local who though he couldn't dance as well was certainly enthusiastic. I felt like we left at a reasonable time and it made things easier to be out with other girls - I'm going to keep trying to do that in the future.
I already feel a world different than I did this past weekend. I'm comfortable, feel like I understand the city more, and best of all, I feel confident even in my Spanish. If this is what being here for a few days is like, I can't even imagine how I'm going to feel after a few weeks of traveling in Guatemala.
**
I'm still devouring books. 'In Cold Blood' is long finished, and I'm halfway through 'Cat's Cradle', my last pleasure book. There is a couple bookshops here that will trade along with a few extra Quetzals, and though I'm going to take advantage, I'm wondering if I shouldn't slow down a bit, both to keep my books for longer and to keep myself from reading so many English words.
After I wrote my blog post yesterday morning, I went to a local cafe for a cup of some -awesome- coffee (screw it, I'm drinking caffeine down here...the coffee is way too delicious not to) and studied my lesson until I knew it like the back of my hand. While I was there, I met a girl from Boston who has been living in Antigua for over a year teaching English and she gave me a bunch of information about great places in Guatemala to visit. I now really want to visit this place called 'Semuc Champagne', where you swim through these caves with a light on your head and apparently has all these gorgeous natural pools. She gave me her email in case I had any questions, and I left the cafe.
Next was another delicious lunch, with carne asada and potatoes. I went to the school afterwards with my housemate Kanako (finally, her name is sticking! I felt so bad, I had to ask her something like 20 times) and studied a bit extra. My lesson went really well, and though I'm a bit overwhelmed at the amount of verbs I was given and that I'm learning some new stuff (demonstrative pronouns), I'm pleased that my teacher is putting me on such a fast track since she knows I only have one week to learn. I can't believe how much it's already helped my conversation skills...I end up playing translator a lot at the dinner table.
The tamale for dinner left something to be desired (it was all corn? it didn't have anything inside and the masa itself was pretty mushy..Mexico definitely wins that contest), but the conversation was great. Zack was out having dinner with some friends so it was only Cesar and us three girls; we just sat there after eating for a good hour, chatting about everything from types of bugs (where the comedic and animated Cesar acted out every bug, even pretending to be an ant, carrying a napkin on his head) to how a traditional Guatemalan funeral is conducted (unfortunately, the latter topic was very relevant, as Cesar was attending a service last night/this morning for a friend).
By 8:30pm or so, the three of us ladies were dressed and out on the town - there was lightening in the sky, but no rain, and the air was so warm. The drinks at Monoloco was even cheaper than I expected (Q3, or, 42 cents) for ladies night, and we all ended up with four rum and cokes each. The bar itself was really packed, but we did manage to find a table with a couple local boys who we practiced Spanish with for some time. The guys were nice, chatty, and wanted to dance, so after an hour or two, we went over to La Ventura. The bar was having their salsa night and the dance floor was packed and hot! It makes me regret having bangs a bit, because as soon as I start to sweat, they become wet and stick to my forehead as if I just got out of the shower. :p Erica danced with one of the guys, while Kanako and I took turns and danced simultaneously with the other, Diego. That girl is so adorable - you can't help but smile and laugh with everything she says.
We were there dancing until midnight, where I also danced with an ex-salsa teacher/current performer in a salsa band, Jose (who taught me a couple things beyond the basic move), and Manny, another local who though he couldn't dance as well was certainly enthusiastic. I felt like we left at a reasonable time and it made things easier to be out with other girls - I'm going to keep trying to do that in the future.
I already feel a world different than I did this past weekend. I'm comfortable, feel like I understand the city more, and best of all, I feel confident even in my Spanish. If this is what being here for a few days is like, I can't even imagine how I'm going to feel after a few weeks of traveling in Guatemala.
**
I'm still devouring books. 'In Cold Blood' is long finished, and I'm halfway through 'Cat's Cradle', my last pleasure book. There is a couple bookshops here that will trade along with a few extra Quetzals, and though I'm going to take advantage, I'm wondering if I shouldn't slow down a bit, both to keep my books for longer and to keep myself from reading so many English words.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
dolor de cabeza
After yesterday's Spanish lesson, my head is swimming. It's been a long time since I've put 100% effort into learning something (haha, Mom, don't read that!) - sure I'd gather information from my lessons in college, but I certainly wasn't attempting to retain everything. However, my goal yesterday, as I sat across the sweet Ana Lucia, was to fully comprehend every new word she gave me and make it a part of my vocabulary. Easier said than done. She's a great teacher to have though, working less from the book and more with actual conversation. Also, it helps that a great deal of this is review (at least, the first day was), and I'm just finding myself attempting to tap into my junior year of high school. However, after I leave the internet here, I'm spending the rest of the morning going over flash cards and conjugating verbs...woooo, vacation!
Yesterday was otherwise uneventful. I got know the other students in the house a little better:
* Zack from Springfield, Illinois who is studying Spanish in Guatemala and Costa Rica until December.
* Erica from New Mexico, who is taking a break from working as a Physician's Assistant in Belize.
* Conseca(? I keep forgetting her name :( ) from Japan who is studying Spanish in Antigua for four months because "Spanish gives you the chance to express your emotions, unlike Japanese".
They're all really nice, though I can't help but feel this weird tension between Erica and I - I don't know if it's just an American attitude of needing to get to know a person first before being friendly (Zack was a bit standoffish on Sunday too, but now we've sat around and talked a lot more) or if we're stepping on each other's niche by being the adventurous young white American girl traveling alone. Tonight is ladies night at one of the local bars though, and us three girls have talked about going out, so hopefully any weirdness I'm experiencing/imagining will dissipate.
I'm being fed really well at the house, which I couldn't be happier about. My favorite meal yesterday was lunch, where we had a big piece of chicken that had been stewed with tomatoes, rice, a medley of green beans and bell peppers, and all the thick tortillas you could want. After this week, I'm definitely going to have to move to a smaller town so that I can keep eating like this without paying a lot in town. Antigua is very much the North Beach of Guatemala.
Cesar is really nice, as is his wife Carmen, and because the two make no attempt to speak English, it's great practice sitting around the dinner table with them. Cesar teaches guitar to kids in the town and it was so lovely to hear him playing and singing this morning as I was getting ready for the day - he also said that tonight he was going to perform for us after dinner.
I'm surprised at how much the four hours of class takes away from the rest of the day (between studying, homework, and trying to sleep it off), but unlike the rest of the people in the house, I'm going to try and find a balance between school and discovering Antigua - after all, though I want to know Spanish, I want to use it more.
Yesterday was otherwise uneventful. I got know the other students in the house a little better:
* Zack from Springfield, Illinois who is studying Spanish in Guatemala and Costa Rica until December.
* Erica from New Mexico, who is taking a break from working as a Physician's Assistant in Belize.
* Conseca(? I keep forgetting her name :( ) from Japan who is studying Spanish in Antigua for four months because "Spanish gives you the chance to express your emotions, unlike Japanese".
They're all really nice, though I can't help but feel this weird tension between Erica and I - I don't know if it's just an American attitude of needing to get to know a person first before being friendly (Zack was a bit standoffish on Sunday too, but now we've sat around and talked a lot more) or if we're stepping on each other's niche by being the adventurous young white American girl traveling alone. Tonight is ladies night at one of the local bars though, and us three girls have talked about going out, so hopefully any weirdness I'm experiencing/imagining will dissipate.
I'm being fed really well at the house, which I couldn't be happier about. My favorite meal yesterday was lunch, where we had a big piece of chicken that had been stewed with tomatoes, rice, a medley of green beans and bell peppers, and all the thick tortillas you could want. After this week, I'm definitely going to have to move to a smaller town so that I can keep eating like this without paying a lot in town. Antigua is very much the North Beach of Guatemala.
Cesar is really nice, as is his wife Carmen, and because the two make no attempt to speak English, it's great practice sitting around the dinner table with them. Cesar teaches guitar to kids in the town and it was so lovely to hear him playing and singing this morning as I was getting ready for the day - he also said that tonight he was going to perform for us after dinner.
I'm surprised at how much the four hours of class takes away from the rest of the day (between studying, homework, and trying to sleep it off), but unlike the rest of the people in the house, I'm going to try and find a balance between school and discovering Antigua - after all, though I want to know Spanish, I want to use it more.
Monday, June 23, 2008
slowly starting to get it
So, yesterday I left off about to meet the family I'd be staying with for the next week. There was nothing too remarkable about the experience - at first the only family member I met was one of the daughters (Sophia) who showed me my room and let me know what time the meals were (no meals Sundays, so I didn't have my first one until this morning). The room is cute, certainly not as colorful as the dorms, but it's nice to have my own space and a bigger bed.
I'm spoiling myself for the rest of the trip with privacy and comfort.
And check out the view from my bed! Please ignore my dirty feet.
The house itself is impressive, both in all the open spaces, and the amount of rooms (husband, his father, wife, five daughters, two other boarders besides me and room for two more). As I was exploring the little rooftop patio, I met a boarder who left yesterday, giving me confidence in the 'brilliance' (British, haha) of the family and the school. It wasn't too long later that I met Cesar, the husband/man of the house, who seemed to be enjoying his Sunday (he smelled of alcohol and introduced his name about three times but seemed really nice, haha). As the rest of the house seemed quiet, I decided to go out and spend my late afternoon in the park.
Sunday in the park was a different experience than the other days I spent there - everyone, their babies and their grandmother seemed to be out. I couldn't help but buy an ice cream cone (not even $1) from a vendor...much like the ones that push the carts in SF/Santa Cruz, only his had a big tub of ice cream with two mixed flavors and then he topped the cone with a sickly sweet sugary jam. Perhaps not the most delicious dessert I've ever had, but the sweet cool treat hit the spot. I found myself a bench so that I could continue devouring 'In Cold Blood' (probably will go see about trading it and 'Shopgirl' tomorrow), but it was easy to be distracted by all the people watching. The traditionally dressed women were all out too, selling their wares - one of them even sent up their chubby faced 1-year-old to me, tapping me on the knee, trying to sell me a necklace. As adorable as the gimmick was, the necklace was really a POS and with only enough quetzals left in my pocket for dinner (I figure, the less I carry, the less I will spend), I had to decline.
I was feeling really tired by about 6pm (I'm not used to all this walking around!), so I found the grocery store and bought a couple small snacks - I couldn't believe how much cheaper everything was there then in the shops by the park. I mean, duh, of course the touristy shops would be more expensive, but we're talking 70 cents for two liters of water compared to $1.50 for not even half. Little discoveries like this are going to make it easier for me to make my dollars stretch.
I spent the rest of the night reading and was asleep by 10pm...originally, I'd considered going out again, but thank goodness I didn't! Apparently, the alarm on my watch is worthless (sooo quiet), so getting up before breakfast was served was not an option - however, Cesar knocked on my door to wake up and I enjoyed a delicious meal of french toast (you all know it's my favorite!), bananas and cantelope. BTW, I am in fruit heaven down here. Anyways, it was nice to eat with the other boarders (one who has class in the afternoon as well) and Cesar (who I found out does all the cooking and cleaning).
And now I'm here! I found a cheap place with incredibly fast internet (I think it might even be DSL! hahaha), so it should be easy for me to keep up my blogging routine - though hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to share more interesting things than the price of bottled water. :p
***
Facing towards the South, you can see Volcan Agua in the distance. Apparently, the crater had filled with rain water and somehow erupted, causing a huge flood in the city. Crazy to think about, but such a pretty sight.
As seen walking down the street.
Gotta love that super zoom!
I'm spoiling myself for the rest of the trip with privacy and comfort.
And check out the view from my bed! Please ignore my dirty feet.
The house itself is impressive, both in all the open spaces, and the amount of rooms (husband, his father, wife, five daughters, two other boarders besides me and room for two more). As I was exploring the little rooftop patio, I met a boarder who left yesterday, giving me confidence in the 'brilliance' (British, haha) of the family and the school. It wasn't too long later that I met Cesar, the husband/man of the house, who seemed to be enjoying his Sunday (he smelled of alcohol and introduced his name about three times but seemed really nice, haha). As the rest of the house seemed quiet, I decided to go out and spend my late afternoon in the park.
Sunday in the park was a different experience than the other days I spent there - everyone, their babies and their grandmother seemed to be out. I couldn't help but buy an ice cream cone (not even $1) from a vendor...much like the ones that push the carts in SF/Santa Cruz, only his had a big tub of ice cream with two mixed flavors and then he topped the cone with a sickly sweet sugary jam. Perhaps not the most delicious dessert I've ever had, but the sweet cool treat hit the spot. I found myself a bench so that I could continue devouring 'In Cold Blood' (probably will go see about trading it and 'Shopgirl' tomorrow), but it was easy to be distracted by all the people watching. The traditionally dressed women were all out too, selling their wares - one of them even sent up their chubby faced 1-year-old to me, tapping me on the knee, trying to sell me a necklace. As adorable as the gimmick was, the necklace was really a POS and with only enough quetzals left in my pocket for dinner (I figure, the less I carry, the less I will spend), I had to decline.
I was feeling really tired by about 6pm (I'm not used to all this walking around!), so I found the grocery store and bought a couple small snacks - I couldn't believe how much cheaper everything was there then in the shops by the park. I mean, duh, of course the touristy shops would be more expensive, but we're talking 70 cents for two liters of water compared to $1.50 for not even half. Little discoveries like this are going to make it easier for me to make my dollars stretch.
I spent the rest of the night reading and was asleep by 10pm...originally, I'd considered going out again, but thank goodness I didn't! Apparently, the alarm on my watch is worthless (sooo quiet), so getting up before breakfast was served was not an option - however, Cesar knocked on my door to wake up and I enjoyed a delicious meal of french toast (you all know it's my favorite!), bananas and cantelope. BTW, I am in fruit heaven down here. Anyways, it was nice to eat with the other boarders (one who has class in the afternoon as well) and Cesar (who I found out does all the cooking and cleaning).
And now I'm here! I found a cheap place with incredibly fast internet (I think it might even be DSL! hahaha), so it should be easy for me to keep up my blogging routine - though hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to share more interesting things than the price of bottled water. :p
***
Facing towards the South, you can see Volcan Agua in the distance. Apparently, the crater had filled with rain water and somehow erupted, causing a huge flood in the city. Crazy to think about, but such a pretty sight.
As seen walking down the street.
Gotta love that super zoom!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
one is the lonliest number
I am mostly excited for the weeks to come, but I have had moments where I'm just wishing my trip was coming to a close so I could be back home with friends. The idea of being alone is a much more wonderful and freeing thought than actually being alone - watching the locals out with their friends or lovers, watching the tourists in their large groups or with a special companion they trust to spend many weeks with - it makes me second guess my choice to be by myself or at least the 'six week' aspect of my trip.
This fleeting thought came to me yesterday because of the way my night started: I wanted to go out to a hip place, have a few drinks, fall into conversation with like travelers, and share a few stories. No one was around at the hostel to meet, so I ended up going to dinner early...and what appeared to be too early. I searched for some time to find a cheap restaurant/bar filled with people, but because I couldn't, I settled on an empty place I thought had the potential of filling up - it didn't. After dinner, I tried a popular (according to the guide book) European traveler bar, and while it was packed, I might as well have been sitting in my room with my beer. Everyone was in their groups, and I felt like I was in some cliquey Santa Cruz bar where you only meet someone new if they're a friend of a friend.
I went back to the hostel to kill some time (so that I might have a better chance with a later crowd) and to gather myself. The shy girl was coming back in full force, and I felt myself retreating - it just takes so much energy to pull my strength out. I considered bed, but seeing as I'd set aside Saturday to be my night out, I didn't want to waste it. Off to Monoloco I went, another popular tourist bar, figuring at the least I'd just have another beer to make me tired enough to sleep.
I nursed the first half of my beer sitting by a group of young American girls who may as well have been back home than in Guatemala - I barely got a glance when I said hello. I was getting more frustrated and was having trouble following the futbol highlights and considered just downing the rest of my drink, when someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was this cute guy I'd noticed come into the bar with his friend about 20 minutes earlier, and he was asking if he could buy me a beer. Despite my whole point of being out there, my difficulty in accepting anything, especially from strangers, almost caused me to say no. But I didn't, and I joined him and what turned out to be his brother.
For the next hour and a half, the the two locals and I had a great time speaking horrible Spanglish (I would speak in Spanish, they would reply in English, and whenever any of us didn't know the right words, we'd slip back into our own language), laughing and sharing the basic getting-to-know-you stories. They told me some of their favorite cities to visit, which bars had happy hours on what nights, and the best places to dance (btw, looks like I will be going out for 60 cent shots and salsa dancing on Tuesday, haha). There was nothing very remarkable about either guy or the conversation, but it felt so nice to be out and meeting new people - a time better than I had originally hoped for and that I thought was not possible. Though offered more, I kept my drinks to the one free beer and went home at around midnight with a handshake and a hug.
Perhaps I was originally being impatient; I certainly can't expect to strike up a conversation with someone new every minute of every day. However, those two guys helped to remind me that if I keep trying, I will find a good time. I don't have to dig so deep for my power.
**
Today is the day I meet my family for my homestay - I had considered trying to join one of the volcano tours today (hiking up a live volcano!), but I think I'll save it for next weekend and just let myself get settled into this new house and Antigua a bit more. Also, thanks to the beautiful weather (no rain yesterday), I've been sitting out in the sun reading Truman Capote - finding my love for pleasure reading again is worth the cost of the trip alone.
I don't know how easy it will be to blog this week, as I wont have unlimited free internet access, but I will certainly try to keep updating. Miss you all.
This fleeting thought came to me yesterday because of the way my night started: I wanted to go out to a hip place, have a few drinks, fall into conversation with like travelers, and share a few stories. No one was around at the hostel to meet, so I ended up going to dinner early...and what appeared to be too early. I searched for some time to find a cheap restaurant/bar filled with people, but because I couldn't, I settled on an empty place I thought had the potential of filling up - it didn't. After dinner, I tried a popular (according to the guide book) European traveler bar, and while it was packed, I might as well have been sitting in my room with my beer. Everyone was in their groups, and I felt like I was in some cliquey Santa Cruz bar where you only meet someone new if they're a friend of a friend.
I went back to the hostel to kill some time (so that I might have a better chance with a later crowd) and to gather myself. The shy girl was coming back in full force, and I felt myself retreating - it just takes so much energy to pull my strength out. I considered bed, but seeing as I'd set aside Saturday to be my night out, I didn't want to waste it. Off to Monoloco I went, another popular tourist bar, figuring at the least I'd just have another beer to make me tired enough to sleep.
I nursed the first half of my beer sitting by a group of young American girls who may as well have been back home than in Guatemala - I barely got a glance when I said hello. I was getting more frustrated and was having trouble following the futbol highlights and considered just downing the rest of my drink, when someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was this cute guy I'd noticed come into the bar with his friend about 20 minutes earlier, and he was asking if he could buy me a beer. Despite my whole point of being out there, my difficulty in accepting anything, especially from strangers, almost caused me to say no. But I didn't, and I joined him and what turned out to be his brother.
For the next hour and a half, the the two locals and I had a great time speaking horrible Spanglish (I would speak in Spanish, they would reply in English, and whenever any of us didn't know the right words, we'd slip back into our own language), laughing and sharing the basic getting-to-know-you stories. They told me some of their favorite cities to visit, which bars had happy hours on what nights, and the best places to dance (btw, looks like I will be going out for 60 cent shots and salsa dancing on Tuesday, haha). There was nothing very remarkable about either guy or the conversation, but it felt so nice to be out and meeting new people - a time better than I had originally hoped for and that I thought was not possible. Though offered more, I kept my drinks to the one free beer and went home at around midnight with a handshake and a hug.
Perhaps I was originally being impatient; I certainly can't expect to strike up a conversation with someone new every minute of every day. However, those two guys helped to remind me that if I keep trying, I will find a good time. I don't have to dig so deep for my power.
**
Today is the day I meet my family for my homestay - I had considered trying to join one of the volcano tours today (hiking up a live volcano!), but I think I'll save it for next weekend and just let myself get settled into this new house and Antigua a bit more. Also, thanks to the beautiful weather (no rain yesterday), I've been sitting out in the sun reading Truman Capote - finding my love for pleasure reading again is worth the cost of the trip alone.
I don't know how easy it will be to blog this week, as I wont have unlimited free internet access, but I will certainly try to keep updating. Miss you all.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
can you see what i see?
So first off, you saw the company's picture of the backpack, but you didn't see me in it:
Don't I make the cutest turtle?
Michael had a hard time keeping from laughing as he was taking the picture. I haven't (and probably wont) actually worn my backpack that way...I either zip the day pack onto the bigger one (which gives me an even bigger shell), carry the day pack around in my hand, or my favorite, leave the big one behind at the hostel.
Speaking of the hostel, I'm staying at a place called the Yellow House. The guide book only talks about the hotel rooms, but it does have one dorm with six fairly comfortable beds.
It does look a lot nicer when the beds are all made.
It was interesting sharing a room with five other 20-something year olds, all from different countries - I only wish that I'd been more energetic yesterday to meet them all (I went to bed at 6pm last night!). I'm staying here again tonight and just found out that there's a nice porch/deck/rooftop to hang out on, so hopefully I'll be a bit more social.
It's hard to explore the rest of the city when you're staying here.
In case anyone was wondering about the included breakfast, I was pleased - nothing crazy, but oatmeal sweetened with bananas with giant chunks of coconut(!!) and tons of fresh fruit. Tasty and healthy...you all aren't going to know what to do with 'thin Lorelei' when I come back. :p
After breakfast today, I decided to explore Antigua a bit and try to find the Spanish school I'd be attending...unfortunately, the guide book apparently printed the wrong address, so I went up and down the same street for some time looking for it without success. I did run into a bunch of Guatemalan women selling their wares though, so that was cool:
I'm going to have to load up before I come home.
After a great deal of walking and a visit to the Saturday market (which might as well have been any flea market in California - although, the women with giant baskets of strawberries on their head carrying their own scales was a sight), I came back to the hotel to look up the school online and find the right address.
I'm really excited to start school on Monday...when I went, there were a few people in the courtyard practicing and everyone seems really friendly there. I was given my family homestay information (where I'll start staying tomorrow!) and paid for my week of classes.
After that was a lot more exploring and hanging out in Parque Central. Practiced my Spanish with someone who was practicing their English and enjoyed the nice hot sun (supposed to have more thunderstorms this afternoon).
There's a bunch of parks here, but this one is by far the best.
Nice fountain, eh? Innocent looking...
But wait! That chick is totally cupping her breasts!
I think I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon reading 'In Cold Blood' on the roof and then go out on the town tonight. Now that I'm starting to get a feel for this place, I'm getting overwhelmed again...I can do anything! I could go to a ton of cities all over Guatemala, I could just explore Antigua and the small cities around here (there are hot springs near by!), I could volunteer somewhere to save the rainforests or help the people or work on an avocado farm...this trip could be anything I want it to be and I'm not sure what it is I want yet - at least this week is set.
Don't I make the cutest turtle?
Michael had a hard time keeping from laughing as he was taking the picture. I haven't (and probably wont) actually worn my backpack that way...I either zip the day pack onto the bigger one (which gives me an even bigger shell), carry the day pack around in my hand, or my favorite, leave the big one behind at the hostel.
Speaking of the hostel, I'm staying at a place called the Yellow House. The guide book only talks about the hotel rooms, but it does have one dorm with six fairly comfortable beds.
It does look a lot nicer when the beds are all made.
It was interesting sharing a room with five other 20-something year olds, all from different countries - I only wish that I'd been more energetic yesterday to meet them all (I went to bed at 6pm last night!). I'm staying here again tonight and just found out that there's a nice porch/deck/rooftop to hang out on, so hopefully I'll be a bit more social.
It's hard to explore the rest of the city when you're staying here.
In case anyone was wondering about the included breakfast, I was pleased - nothing crazy, but oatmeal sweetened with bananas with giant chunks of coconut(!!) and tons of fresh fruit. Tasty and healthy...you all aren't going to know what to do with 'thin Lorelei' when I come back. :p
After breakfast today, I decided to explore Antigua a bit and try to find the Spanish school I'd be attending...unfortunately, the guide book apparently printed the wrong address, so I went up and down the same street for some time looking for it without success. I did run into a bunch of Guatemalan women selling their wares though, so that was cool:
I'm going to have to load up before I come home.
After a great deal of walking and a visit to the Saturday market (which might as well have been any flea market in California - although, the women with giant baskets of strawberries on their head carrying their own scales was a sight), I came back to the hotel to look up the school online and find the right address.
I'm really excited to start school on Monday...when I went, there were a few people in the courtyard practicing and everyone seems really friendly there. I was given my family homestay information (where I'll start staying tomorrow!) and paid for my week of classes.
After that was a lot more exploring and hanging out in Parque Central. Practiced my Spanish with someone who was practicing their English and enjoyed the nice hot sun (supposed to have more thunderstorms this afternoon).
There's a bunch of parks here, but this one is by far the best.
Nice fountain, eh? Innocent looking...
But wait! That chick is totally cupping her breasts!
I think I'm going to spend the rest of the afternoon reading 'In Cold Blood' on the roof and then go out on the town tonight. Now that I'm starting to get a feel for this place, I'm getting overwhelmed again...I can do anything! I could go to a ton of cities all over Guatemala, I could just explore Antigua and the small cities around here (there are hot springs near by!), I could volunteer somewhere to save the rainforests or help the people or work on an avocado farm...this trip could be anything I want it to be and I'm not sure what it is I want yet - at least this week is set.
Friday, June 20, 2008
...and boy are my arms tired!
Where do I even start...
For the past few weeks, I had it in my head that I was going to be flying out on Friday, June 20th...and while that was true, my brain translated 1:35am Friday into 'Friday night' (as in, I would be in the US all of Friday day) rather than 'Thursday night'. So just as I was starting to get a buzz and go out to dinner with Michael at 6pm yesterday, my mom called up to wish me a good flight for that night! Once she said it, it was clear to me that I'd messed up my plans and instead of leaving in 30 hours, I was leaving in 6. It certainly freaked me out at first, but since I've been planning obsessively for the trip (except for, you know, making sure I knew how to read a boarding pass), I was already packed and ready to go.
The flight itself was fine...I slept for about four hours, at which point they woke everyone up for breakfast and Spiderman 3 - a movie that I thought I'd never watch again. It wasn't until the very end of the flight that my neighbors and I started chatting, one of them giving me advice on their favorite places in Guatemala, and the other sharing stories about being a Lit major from Kresge(!). The flight from El Salvador to Guatemala was so short I hardly read five pages out of Shopgirl - it's so nice to read for pleasure again, btw.
I don't know what the hell I was expecting when I landed, but the Guatemala City airport was not it. Large torn up rooms, no place to exchange money, and what seemed to be no walkable exit. My original plan involved walking to a nearby eatery and collecting my thoughts before finding a taxi, but seeing as I couldn't find how to leave the parking lot, I ended up talking to one of the mini shuttle guys who offered me a ride for $10. Pricey, but cheaper than the $35 that the Spanish school offered. It wasn't until we were way over by the shuttle (oh, there's the exit!) and they'd tossed my backpack in the back that I was told we couldn't leave until they had two more passengers and could I wait 20 minutes? Not feeling brave and having an odd loyalty to them for getting their hopes up, I sat outside the van reading Shopgirl while they went back to the terminal. About 30 minutes later I saw a chicken bus pull up and I couldn't believe my eyes - all those pictures Michael had of tiny tiny Guatemalan women in their bright textiles and the giant baskets on their head were true. It was such a trip seeing them all pile out of the bus, having their baskets tossed down from the top to them. It was at that point that I decided that I had no loyalty to anyone but myself - I wanted to get out there and experience Guatemala immediately. So I left and found a chatty taxi driver who charged me $5 to get to the bus station (which, considering the distance and taxis in SF, was absolutely nothing).
Even though I was now at the right cheapo bus, I had no quetzal's - Guatemalan dollars. The taxi driver had been nice enough to let me pay him in US dollars, but I knew I couldn't get away with that on the public transportation. It took me about an hour to find a bank that would exchange money, and in that time I learned:
* You can't carry a giant backpack further than the inside of the front door.
* All banks, car dealerships, and furniture stores have guards that are armed with a mean looking shotgun.
* Guatemala City not only has all of the basic fast food chain, but they also have a Hooters.
* Guatemala City smells like a mixture of gasoline, poop, and garbage.
Needless to say, when I had my $220 quetzal's in my pocket (aka $30US), I was extremely happy to bored the old Blue Bird school bus with the guy leaning out the door yelling "AntiguaAntiguaAntigua". There were some scary moments on the bus (I had no idea they could go that fast around corners!), but I was excited to just stare at the scenery that was getting more beautiful with every mile as we left the big city - everything is green here right now!
When we finally got to Antigua, I didn't recognize it...unlike the Metro buses, there's no announcer letting you know where the hell you are - so I tried to get off where I saw the most people walking around the street. Thankfully that worked out...I was still off the center by several blocks, but it inadvertently gave me a chance to explore. Funny how you can look at as many pictures before you go as you want and it doesn't do a damn thing. :p
The rest of my day has been fairly uneventful - bought a muffin so I could sit, gather my bearings and figure out where I wanted to stay - stepped in a mud puddle that shot dirty water all up my right leg - decided the to stay at the first place I came to ($7, dorm room, free internet, and free breakfast) - took the best shower of my life.
It's 2:30pm now, and I'm debating going out to run some errands (I need to exchange more money/buy a watch/find a rain poncho), going out to take pics (since I have only two of the airport right now), or taking a looooooooong nap. Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, it's been a beautiful, slightly overcast day...and it just started thundering hard but sprinkling. It's cooler here than it is in SF right now!
That's a long freaking post, but like I said, it's been an overwhelming 12 hours. Next time, I'll try for pics!
For the past few weeks, I had it in my head that I was going to be flying out on Friday, June 20th...and while that was true, my brain translated 1:35am Friday into 'Friday night' (as in, I would be in the US all of Friday day) rather than 'Thursday night'. So just as I was starting to get a buzz and go out to dinner with Michael at 6pm yesterday, my mom called up to wish me a good flight for that night! Once she said it, it was clear to me that I'd messed up my plans and instead of leaving in 30 hours, I was leaving in 6. It certainly freaked me out at first, but since I've been planning obsessively for the trip (except for, you know, making sure I knew how to read a boarding pass), I was already packed and ready to go.
The flight itself was fine...I slept for about four hours, at which point they woke everyone up for breakfast and Spiderman 3 - a movie that I thought I'd never watch again. It wasn't until the very end of the flight that my neighbors and I started chatting, one of them giving me advice on their favorite places in Guatemala, and the other sharing stories about being a Lit major from Kresge(!). The flight from El Salvador to Guatemala was so short I hardly read five pages out of Shopgirl - it's so nice to read for pleasure again, btw.
I don't know what the hell I was expecting when I landed, but the Guatemala City airport was not it. Large torn up rooms, no place to exchange money, and what seemed to be no walkable exit. My original plan involved walking to a nearby eatery and collecting my thoughts before finding a taxi, but seeing as I couldn't find how to leave the parking lot, I ended up talking to one of the mini shuttle guys who offered me a ride for $10. Pricey, but cheaper than the $35 that the Spanish school offered. It wasn't until we were way over by the shuttle (oh, there's the exit!) and they'd tossed my backpack in the back that I was told we couldn't leave until they had two more passengers and could I wait 20 minutes? Not feeling brave and having an odd loyalty to them for getting their hopes up, I sat outside the van reading Shopgirl while they went back to the terminal. About 30 minutes later I saw a chicken bus pull up and I couldn't believe my eyes - all those pictures Michael had of tiny tiny Guatemalan women in their bright textiles and the giant baskets on their head were true. It was such a trip seeing them all pile out of the bus, having their baskets tossed down from the top to them. It was at that point that I decided that I had no loyalty to anyone but myself - I wanted to get out there and experience Guatemala immediately. So I left and found a chatty taxi driver who charged me $5 to get to the bus station (which, considering the distance and taxis in SF, was absolutely nothing).
Even though I was now at the right cheapo bus, I had no quetzal's - Guatemalan dollars. The taxi driver had been nice enough to let me pay him in US dollars, but I knew I couldn't get away with that on the public transportation. It took me about an hour to find a bank that would exchange money, and in that time I learned:
* You can't carry a giant backpack further than the inside of the front door.
* All banks, car dealerships, and furniture stores have guards that are armed with a mean looking shotgun.
* Guatemala City not only has all of the basic fast food chain, but they also have a Hooters.
* Guatemala City smells like a mixture of gasoline, poop, and garbage.
Needless to say, when I had my $220 quetzal's in my pocket (aka $30US), I was extremely happy to bored the old Blue Bird school bus with the guy leaning out the door yelling "AntiguaAntiguaAntigua". There were some scary moments on the bus (I had no idea they could go that fast around corners!), but I was excited to just stare at the scenery that was getting more beautiful with every mile as we left the big city - everything is green here right now!
When we finally got to Antigua, I didn't recognize it...unlike the Metro buses, there's no announcer letting you know where the hell you are - so I tried to get off where I saw the most people walking around the street. Thankfully that worked out...I was still off the center by several blocks, but it inadvertently gave me a chance to explore. Funny how you can look at as many pictures before you go as you want and it doesn't do a damn thing. :p
The rest of my day has been fairly uneventful - bought a muffin so I could sit, gather my bearings and figure out where I wanted to stay - stepped in a mud puddle that shot dirty water all up my right leg - decided the to stay at the first place I came to ($7, dorm room, free internet, and free breakfast) - took the best shower of my life.
It's 2:30pm now, and I'm debating going out to run some errands (I need to exchange more money/buy a watch/find a rain poncho), going out to take pics (since I have only two of the airport right now), or taking a looooooooong nap. Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, it's been a beautiful, slightly overcast day...and it just started thundering hard but sprinkling. It's cooler here than it is in SF right now!
That's a long freaking post, but like I said, it's been an overwhelming 12 hours. Next time, I'll try for pics!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
15 Days Until Take-Off
I. Am. So. Excited.
I can't believe how quickly the trip is approaching - I've had my ticket for months and going to Guatemala always seemed like such a faraway and novel idea, but now it's nearly here, becoming more and more of a reality. I've only done a little bit of traveling before - to Spain with my Spanish class in high school for two weeks and to Mexico with Michael for a week - so it's a bit nerve wracking to think that I'm about to embark on an adventure to a place that I don't know much about all by myself.
But I'm ready. I'm ready to spend this time alone with myself, start to get a clue of who I am and what I want out of life, and maybe have an adventure or two. I had cold feet recently where I was seriously considering selling my ticket, but sticking with this is the best graduation present I could ever give myself. Assuming all my stuff isn't stolen on Day 1, haha.
I bought this online yesterday, and it should be here tomorrow:
While I originally didn't want to spend the money for it, I feel like I made the right decision. I will feel better knowing that I have a good piece of luggage that I can rely on and use again in the future. Like the dork I am, I can't wait to start loading my things up into it - I'll probably spend my time packing and repacking instead of studying for finals, haha.
For those who want to know, I'm flying out of SFO on June 20th and will be back on August 1st. Don't bother trying to call me, as my phone will be turned off and still here in California. I will try to update this as often as I can (though I probably wont write again until I actually get down there now) and will also be reachable through email.
Wish me luck, send me love, and keep reading. :)
I can't believe how quickly the trip is approaching - I've had my ticket for months and going to Guatemala always seemed like such a faraway and novel idea, but now it's nearly here, becoming more and more of a reality. I've only done a little bit of traveling before - to Spain with my Spanish class in high school for two weeks and to Mexico with Michael for a week - so it's a bit nerve wracking to think that I'm about to embark on an adventure to a place that I don't know much about all by myself.
But I'm ready. I'm ready to spend this time alone with myself, start to get a clue of who I am and what I want out of life, and maybe have an adventure or two. I had cold feet recently where I was seriously considering selling my ticket, but sticking with this is the best graduation present I could ever give myself. Assuming all my stuff isn't stolen on Day 1, haha.
I bought this online yesterday, and it should be here tomorrow:
While I originally didn't want to spend the money for it, I feel like I made the right decision. I will feel better knowing that I have a good piece of luggage that I can rely on and use again in the future. Like the dork I am, I can't wait to start loading my things up into it - I'll probably spend my time packing and repacking instead of studying for finals, haha.
For those who want to know, I'm flying out of SFO on June 20th and will be back on August 1st. Don't bother trying to call me, as my phone will be turned off and still here in California. I will try to update this as often as I can (though I probably wont write again until I actually get down there now) and will also be reachable through email.
Wish me luck, send me love, and keep reading. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
