I've really been enjoying myself here in Queztaltenango, Gautemala. School has been going pretty well and I've been able to converse better with Carmen, my homestay provider. She's a retired school teacher and the house she owns was here mother's (I think). There are some other family members living in the house and for the longest time I couldn't figure out who was living there and who was visiting. I think I've got it now. Carmen's daughter (Carmen has 3 kids from what I can interpret) and her 2 kids. There are 2 other girls here that are related to Carmen, going to school, but they aren't her grandkids.
My days go like this. Have breakfast at 7am which is usually warm cereal. I can't tell what it is exactly but it's got milk in it (I think the milk is powdered or condensed???) along with some corn flakes or some other Kellogg's cereal and pan or pancakes, which are my favorite b/c of the syrup provided and some hot beverage which I never know what it is. Nescafe sometimes. Something else creamy and ricey the others. I just eat and drink whatever is put in front of me. I think I had some tripe today at lunch-I got it down. After breakfast, I go to school for 5h. Come back home for almuerzo, which is the biggest meal of the day and usually has arroz, frijoles or both and always fresh tortillas.
Then I do whatever. Study. Workout. Go on excursions through the school. Yesterday we went on one but I'll get to that in second. Cena is around 7-8pm and it's usually pretty small. Typical here is some chicken product-usually eggs- with beans and/or rice and tortillas.
I'm on my own after that. Usually at one of these meals Carmen and I will talk for a little while. It's gotten easier to respond to her as the week has progressed but I'm still far from intermediate or advanced with my Spanish. Comprehension is one thing. Responding is another. I really wish the switch would flip already but I need a lot more practice.
Yesterday me and 2 other student went with Alma, the do everything assistant of the school to Salcaja. It's about a 10min chicken bus ride (chicken buses and minivans run regular bus routes here in Quetzaltenango and all over Guatemala) there. In Salcaja they have a big market, again, where you can buy just about everything. That's part of why we went there yesterday, for Market Day. Salcaja also makes the majority of the fabric that most traditionally dressed women wear for skirts. I guess this whole area manufactures/produces a lot of goods for Guatemala. This is a huge agricultural area as well.
After the market, we visited a home I guess. It's hard to say exactly what it was, home, hospedaje, business, maybe all 3 and more. On the top floor were 2 weaving looms where guys were weaving fabrics that will become the reams from which many many skirts will be made. It's a little strange to me that the thread, string, etc. going into the cloth were likely made on industrial machines and dyed industrially, but then they go into old school weaving looms. Maybe I've got this wrong though.
This place also makes Caldo de Fruta which is a wine/liquor made from fermenting various fruits (apples, cherries, and some others I can't remember) for many months or even years. Reminds me of punch. The fruits are saturated with alcohol and are incredibly strong but the "wine" is much more suave and tastes much better than the fruit. We bought a bottle for our school's director birthday.
From there we went across the street to the oldest church in Central America. I think it was built in 1534 and is still in use. Most of the wooden support beams are the originals. It's really quaint and beautiful. Right next door is a basketball court (now that I've mentioned this, there are basketball courts all over Guatemala. I've never seen one being used for basketball. Futsal, or futbal, but never basketball. I've got to admit, I find it really strange there are so many courts for a country of people so short) painted almost entirely with a Contigo (cell phone company) advertisement. Everything painted blue with white letters. Maybe that's what will be next. Churches emblazoned with company logos. St. Grace's Cathedral brought to you by SBC/AT&T.
This was the end of the tour. We caught another bus and went back. I think that since we were with Alma, we didn't have to pay the gringo prices. Tonight is Gladis' (dir./owner of El Mundo en Español, my school) birthday. She's only 40 and just became a grandmother. This is pretty normal in a Catholic country where abortion is illegal, but maybe not necessarily for that reason. Alma is 36, 37 and has 5 kids. She was saying it's not uncommon for a family to have 12-13 kids. I forgot to ask about infant mortality and divorce though. Next time.
Elisa wasn't having so much fun where she went off to so I've convinced her to come here. She gets here today or tomorrow. Tomorrow Alma is taking us to Fuentes Georginas, a natural spring up in the hills whose different pools are fed by hot sulfur springs. Que rico!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
El Fin de Semana pasada
So I'd planned a lot more for this weekend, but I spent a lot of it catching up on writing and walking around this city. I could've gone on a weekend volcano hike but there was futbol match last night that I really wanted to see too. The volcano trek wasn't to the real active one in the area. That's Santiaguito. It erupts almost every hour but it's best viewed at night. That tour is next week but I'm thinking of meeting back up with Elisa to hit up Chichicastenango for some shopping.
The futbol match was great. Queztaltenango has a team that plays in the Guatemalan National League. Oh yes. Quetzaltenanago is called Xela or Xelaju as Xelaju is its Mayan name. The name of the team is Xelaju MC Super Chivas. Super Rams I hope and not Super Goats. I have to look this one up. The match itself was kinda lame. It ended in a 0-0 ties and from watching the Super Chivas, they're not so great. The ambiance and crowd are another matter. Drums in the stands. Shit, bands in the stands formed by fans. Fireworks and very passionate fans. At first, I thought there was no comparison in the states but I wasn't thinking about a Warriors game or the Raiders' Black Hole or even a UMd v. Duke game. I guess they're pretty comparable. It was cold last night too. Xela has a similar climate to San Francisco except it's colder at night here.
I want to talk about my experience walking around here, or more specifically, walking around the market. Again, I'm a strange creator, never seen before. All eyes on me. No anonymity here. It was one thing to have 15-20 eyes on me at once. Not 30-40, maybe 50. They spot me at a much further distance here. I still just try to smile and say hello. Usually, this prompts a smile and hello back. And so far my interactions here have been great. The people in Guatemala, specifically here, are so amazingly nice and friendly. Especially to the gringo gigante who's trying to blend in. I had 2 conversations today with men that just stopped to talk. Introduced themselves and just chatted (in Spanish) until one of us moved on. It reminds me of the South and I guess a lot of smaller towns in the US. Although, outsiders in some of these smaller towns, especially of another color, wouldn't be so welcome.
I walked all over the place today. Had another enormous lunch at a comedor for ~$4 including a licuado (goddamn do I love these things. Fruit. Milk. A little sugar. And ice. Blended. So effin' good!!). With vegetables this time. I'm beginning to understand that lunch is the largest meal of the day here. It was enough for me at the time. Now it's dinner time though and it's not provided at home. I'm having Indian. That's right. Indian in Guatemala. It's supposed to be legit too.
Adios muchachos.
The futbol match was great. Queztaltenango has a team that plays in the Guatemalan National League. Oh yes. Quetzaltenanago is called Xela or Xelaju as Xelaju is its Mayan name. The name of the team is Xelaju MC Super Chivas. Super Rams I hope and not Super Goats. I have to look this one up. The match itself was kinda lame. It ended in a 0-0 ties and from watching the Super Chivas, they're not so great. The ambiance and crowd are another matter. Drums in the stands. Shit, bands in the stands formed by fans. Fireworks and very passionate fans. At first, I thought there was no comparison in the states but I wasn't thinking about a Warriors game or the Raiders' Black Hole or even a UMd v. Duke game. I guess they're pretty comparable. It was cold last night too. Xela has a similar climate to San Francisco except it's colder at night here.
I want to talk about my experience walking around here, or more specifically, walking around the market. Again, I'm a strange creator, never seen before. All eyes on me. No anonymity here. It was one thing to have 15-20 eyes on me at once. Not 30-40, maybe 50. They spot me at a much further distance here. I still just try to smile and say hello. Usually, this prompts a smile and hello back. And so far my interactions here have been great. The people in Guatemala, specifically here, are so amazingly nice and friendly. Especially to the gringo gigante who's trying to blend in. I had 2 conversations today with men that just stopped to talk. Introduced themselves and just chatted (in Spanish) until one of us moved on. It reminds me of the South and I guess a lot of smaller towns in the US. Although, outsiders in some of these smaller towns, especially of another color, wouldn't be so welcome.
I walked all over the place today. Had another enormous lunch at a comedor for ~$4 including a licuado (goddamn do I love these things. Fruit. Milk. A little sugar. And ice. Blended. So effin' good!!). With vegetables this time. I'm beginning to understand that lunch is the largest meal of the day here. It was enough for me at the time. Now it's dinner time though and it's not provided at home. I'm having Indian. That's right. Indian in Guatemala. It's supposed to be legit too.
Adios muchachos.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Busy Days
Yesterday was a long one. Elisa and I said adios to one another and I hoofed it like a mule up to the church to catch a chicken bus. I really wish gringos would call them what everyone else does which is not chicken bus. It would really make it a lot easier to ask about them when talking to locals. Every extensive visitor to Guatemala has chicken bus stories. Fun. Dangerous. Your call. Either way, they're an adventure. Or so I'd heard. This ride was pretty uneventful for me. I don't fit in the seats at all, though. If you don't know, CB's are old US school buses of the Bluebird variety. These are the bus system of Guatemala. Everyone takes them wherever they need to go. Remember these buses? We've all ridden them. Apparently, when full, these repainted in bright colors, individual dashboard expression, potential chariots of death, have 3-4 people to a seat with people packed in the aisles. A rack on top for larger items (like my big bag), and an ayudante´that has one of the craziest jobs ever (these should be stunt men in training), are a roller coaster that could never be duplicated in the states.
But like I said, my ride was uneventful, slow even, and by no means full. ayer, yo llegue a Queztaltenango a las medio dia, mas o menos. I was dropped off w/4 other backpackers at the big CB station but we had no idea where we were. They weren't the nicest Germans I've ever met, but the 2 girls spoke Spanish well and they were going to the volcano tourguides I was also trying to talk to.
We made it there with minimal trouble and I was #13 on the wait list for the overnight full-moon tour, which I ended up bailing out on trying to do. No biggie. I was really in Xela (aka Queztaltenango) to enroll in Spanish school. I spent the afternoon trying to find one, running all over a couple of city zones close to downtown.
I settled on El Mundo en Espanol. I went to this one because it advertised a 'holistic approach to Spanish' and a onsite gym. It was in a home with a lot of students about. Gladis, the director and owner, showed me around and explained how her school was different than the rest. Sounded like what I was looking for. I talked to one of the more senior students, or was she a student coordinator? Either way, she raved about her experience. Then Gladis and her mother (she introduced me to all the family members but I can't remember all their names) offered me a Guatemalan tamale (I don't remember what tamales are called here, but they're steamed in banana leaves and are effin' great!) and some tea. She said I could start tomorrow. I signed up and paid immediately and was invited for desayuno this morning.
Next was accommodations for the night. The Quetzaltrekkers (volcano tours) office is in Casa Argentina. I looked at one other hostel then went back to Casa Argentina and scored a decent single room for ~$3. I wish I would've taken pictures of it. Literally looked like a monk's cell but I didn't care. Took a shower and crapped out.
This morning I had to hustle here for breakfast and then started my 4.5h lesson. Not so bad. Stuff I remember. El, los, la, las. Articles, ya know. Then I went to my homestay house. I'd requested no extraneros other than myself. She wasn't ready for me to get there, so I walked around and got some lunch.
So much food for ~$1.75! Damn good though. She never stopped patting out tortillas the entire time. Spoon out rice. Pat tortillas. Fry up carne asada. Pat out tortillas. Take another order. Pat out tortillas. Yeah, no washing of her hands, but when in Rome....Marcia, you're so right. Handmade tortillas are so much better! These are pretty thick though. I prefer thinner, but they're still so much better than machined ones. You can taste the fat in them. Mmmmmm.....
I went back to the house, stashed my stuff in my room, asked about dinner, then came back here to write this.
I've got to study too so I'm out.
But like I said, my ride was uneventful, slow even, and by no means full. ayer, yo llegue a Queztaltenango a las medio dia, mas o menos. I was dropped off w/4 other backpackers at the big CB station but we had no idea where we were. They weren't the nicest Germans I've ever met, but the 2 girls spoke Spanish well and they were going to the volcano tourguides I was also trying to talk to.
We made it there with minimal trouble and I was #13 on the wait list for the overnight full-moon tour, which I ended up bailing out on trying to do. No biggie. I was really in Xela (aka Queztaltenango) to enroll in Spanish school. I spent the afternoon trying to find one, running all over a couple of city zones close to downtown.
I settled on El Mundo en Espanol. I went to this one because it advertised a 'holistic approach to Spanish' and a onsite gym. It was in a home with a lot of students about. Gladis, the director and owner, showed me around and explained how her school was different than the rest. Sounded like what I was looking for. I talked to one of the more senior students, or was she a student coordinator? Either way, she raved about her experience. Then Gladis and her mother (she introduced me to all the family members but I can't remember all their names) offered me a Guatemalan tamale (I don't remember what tamales are called here, but they're steamed in banana leaves and are effin' great!) and some tea. She said I could start tomorrow. I signed up and paid immediately and was invited for desayuno this morning.
Next was accommodations for the night. The Quetzaltrekkers (volcano tours) office is in Casa Argentina. I looked at one other hostel then went back to Casa Argentina and scored a decent single room for ~$3. I wish I would've taken pictures of it. Literally looked like a monk's cell but I didn't care. Took a shower and crapped out.
This morning I had to hustle here for breakfast and then started my 4.5h lesson. Not so bad. Stuff I remember. El, los, la, las. Articles, ya know. Then I went to my homestay house. I'd requested no extraneros other than myself. She wasn't ready for me to get there, so I walked around and got some lunch.
So much food for ~$1.75! Damn good though. She never stopped patting out tortillas the entire time. Spoon out rice. Pat tortillas. Fry up carne asada. Pat out tortillas. Take another order. Pat out tortillas. Yeah, no washing of her hands, but when in Rome....Marcia, you're so right. Handmade tortillas are so much better! These are pretty thick though. I prefer thinner, but they're still so much better than machined ones. You can taste the fat in them. Mmmmmm.....
I went back to the house, stashed my stuff in my room, asked about dinner, then came back here to write this.
I've got to study too so I'm out.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Hippie...
...Hell. Well, I suppose not really. I'm in San Pedro La Laguna now. We came back from Santiago La Laguna today. That roundtrip boat ride was so slow in comparison to the lanchas. But we got to see a nice rainbow this afternoon and the lake wasn't as choppy as it could've been if we were going faster. Let me talk about Santiago first since we were there for only a few hours. The main drag consists of shops and vendors all selling Mayan artisan things. We didn't go see much more of the town, except for the city center (I think) and the central market. This market is multiple floors, 2 or 3. We were glad we decided not to stay here. Again, first impressions.
San Pedro is for lack of a better phrase, an interesting place. Lots and lots of hippie gringos hanging out all day waiting to party at night. Yeah, I'm labeling. I don't mean to, but, really when the shoe fits....
I think the story of San Pedro is a bunch of hippies were driving south from the states, possibly San Francisco, and this is where their van broke down. They either never left, or set up for a really really long smoke break. That seems to be the norm for a lot of whites here in San Pedro. They come and stay for really long times. It's really strange to see all the gringo hang outs close to the water and then the locals living further up into town. I guess everyone gets along amicably though. There's a fair number Spanish immersion schools here, but again, I'm confused how one would be immersed. San Pedro also has a handful of coffee production companies, for lack of a better term. There are certain areas of town where you walk by and the coffee smell is overpowering. Huge piles of shelled coffee beans from the plants. Then, in some places, there are entire lots where the shelled bean is laying out in the sun to dry. I'm not really sure of how the process goes but I think they go from brown to tan to dark brown again when roasted. I guess we could've filled one of our days with learning more of this process, but we were never in a hurry to get up. I chalk it up to the environment.
We're both leaving tomorrow to separate destinations. I'm off to Queztaltenango to do my Spanish immersion and hopefully climb a volcano overnight during this full moon. Hopefully I'll see the eclipse too.
Hasta Pronto.
San Pedro is for lack of a better phrase, an interesting place. Lots and lots of hippie gringos hanging out all day waiting to party at night. Yeah, I'm labeling. I don't mean to, but, really when the shoe fits....
I think the story of San Pedro is a bunch of hippies were driving south from the states, possibly San Francisco, and this is where their van broke down. They either never left, or set up for a really really long smoke break. That seems to be the norm for a lot of whites here in San Pedro. They come and stay for really long times. It's really strange to see all the gringo hang outs close to the water and then the locals living further up into town. I guess everyone gets along amicably though. There's a fair number Spanish immersion schools here, but again, I'm confused how one would be immersed. San Pedro also has a handful of coffee production companies, for lack of a better term. There are certain areas of town where you walk by and the coffee smell is overpowering. Huge piles of shelled coffee beans from the plants. Then, in some places, there are entire lots where the shelled bean is laying out in the sun to dry. I'm not really sure of how the process goes but I think they go from brown to tan to dark brown again when roasted. I guess we could've filled one of our days with learning more of this process, but we were never in a hurry to get up. I chalk it up to the environment.
We're both leaving tomorrow to separate destinations. I'm off to Queztaltenango to do my Spanish immersion and hopefully climb a volcano overnight during this full moon. Hopefully I'll see the eclipse too.
Hasta Pronto.
Monday, February 18, 2008
San Marcos La Laguna
I'm in San Marcos La Laguna right now. Elisa and I are still traveling together. She's been great to move around with. Good conversations and similar interests have made it really nice. We spent ~3 days in Antigua not doin' a whole lot but chillin' out. We booked a shuttle to Panajchel (aka Pana) yesterday and got there ~11 or so this morning. This was a pullman bus that stopped for everyone on the road. The twisty roads down to the lake take a certain amount of skill to maneuver like the driver did, either that or lunacy. A fine line, right? We had no real plan. Elisa was interested in checking out San Marcos but was up for anything. We decided to go to San Marcos after some consulting of the book and our guts which you do by lancha (20 person boat, really maybe 10, but they fit 25+). After some negotiating (shhh. can't tell anyone else what we paid) we got on the lancha. About 30mins later (b/c it stops at a bunch of other towns and goes as fast as it's loaded) we were here.
The lake is absolutely beautiful. Surrounded by some volcanoes, the water is a unique blue/green color. Not as blue as Tahoe. In fact, the lake reminds me of Tahoe except for the many towns and native populations. Rich people have bought up lake front property and are building palaces, well palaces for the area...no scratch that....they're palaces no matter where they'd be. The seem very out of place mixed in with much smaller Mayan dwellings.
The lake is really big and as you look in the distance, the water sparkles like rhinestones or maybe even diamonds. The clouds and volcanoes help make the lake have an even more enchanted feeling. Too bad that doesn't last once you walk into many of the towns along the lake. We got on the lancha around noon, but apparently in the afternoon the wind really picks up and makes travel on the lake much more sickening.
San Marcos is an interesting place. Meditation retreats. Yoga. Recycling. A really small town center. Futbol played to dance club music (I think they were the equivalent of high school kids, but the match counted). A God awful dirty river bed. Not the most friendly white folks there running retreats and taking part in retreats. Mayan New Year ceremonies and a really subdued pace of life. Not a whole lot to do really.
I got my first workout in here actually lifting. Large rocks are plentiful. It's a very surreal experience deadlifting and push pressing a rock (with some push-ups mixed in for good measure) all while different Mayan women are singing songs in one of the various Mayan languages over load speakers that penetrate all reaches of the town. I was going to jump in the lake afterward but upon further discussion with Elisa, I thought better of doing it at this location (nastiness, unknown depth, potential parasites, darkness of the lake...yeah she freaked me out pretty good).
We're staying at El Unicornio tonight but have decided to go to San Pedro La Laguna tomorrow. This place isn't what Elisa expected so we're going to move on. Me? Well...I'd rather not spend too much time here either. Everything shuts down when the sun goes down and I'm out of stories for the time being.
The lake is absolutely beautiful. Surrounded by some volcanoes, the water is a unique blue/green color. Not as blue as Tahoe. In fact, the lake reminds me of Tahoe except for the many towns and native populations. Rich people have bought up lake front property and are building palaces, well palaces for the area...no scratch that....they're palaces no matter where they'd be. The seem very out of place mixed in with much smaller Mayan dwellings.
The lake is really big and as you look in the distance, the water sparkles like rhinestones or maybe even diamonds. The clouds and volcanoes help make the lake have an even more enchanted feeling. Too bad that doesn't last once you walk into many of the towns along the lake. We got on the lancha around noon, but apparently in the afternoon the wind really picks up and makes travel on the lake much more sickening.
San Marcos is an interesting place. Meditation retreats. Yoga. Recycling. A really small town center. Futbol played to dance club music (I think they were the equivalent of high school kids, but the match counted). A God awful dirty river bed. Not the most friendly white folks there running retreats and taking part in retreats. Mayan New Year ceremonies and a really subdued pace of life. Not a whole lot to do really.
I got my first workout in here actually lifting. Large rocks are plentiful. It's a very surreal experience deadlifting and push pressing a rock (with some push-ups mixed in for good measure) all while different Mayan women are singing songs in one of the various Mayan languages over load speakers that penetrate all reaches of the town. I was going to jump in the lake afterward but upon further discussion with Elisa, I thought better of doing it at this location (nastiness, unknown depth, potential parasites, darkness of the lake...yeah she freaked me out pretty good).
We're staying at El Unicornio tonight but have decided to go to San Pedro La Laguna tomorrow. This place isn't what Elisa expected so we're going to move on. Me? Well...I'd rather not spend too much time here either. Everything shuts down when the sun goes down and I'm out of stories for the time being.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Antigua, la ciudad de no cambio
We left yesterday morning on a shuttle from the hostel to Antigua. I think El Retiro has thought of everything. This trip was the best by far. Good music to choose from. Plenty of leg room. A driver who drove quickly but cautiously and who would ask how were doing. Kudos, El Retiro for setting a standard.
We had to go through Ciudad de Guate. to get to Antigua. I have to say that before I slept through seeing the size, squalor, and dirt of this city. A concrete jungle of different sorts. Single-room cinder block 'shacks' all around the perimeter. Smog choked streets. Burning trash and tons of people. These are 'first impressions' as the area I walked around near my hotel before didn't look so fierce. Reminds me of Tiffany's comments on seeing Visitacion Valley for the first time on our way to San Francisco.
We climbed out of the city and you get to see glimpses of its enormity. I had no idea there were highrises but there are, possibly even a skyscraper or two. And I guess there's a river that runs through it b/c that's what it looked like (come to think of it we did cross a bridge). Antigua is only about 20-30km away. I thought it was much further.
Wow, what a contrast to the other places I'd been! Bustling with people. Cobblestone streets. Colonial Spanish architecture. Burger King and Subway. How the hell can this be part of the same country? So many more white faces than I've seen in a long time. Where did all the Guatemalans go? Elisa and I took care of some errands and then got some dinner. Where did my tropical temps go? I was cold, which doesn't happen often. I'll admit, I was pretty dismayed by the feel of Antigua that night. I felt like I was back in SF again, which I love, but I hadn't anticipated. I had thoughts of 'I didn't pay to come and be in the Mission again' (Antigua doesn't have that exact feel but it's close). I went to sleep a bit upset.
Today was different though. We went to the market and I was again reminded that I was in Guatemala. The markets sell everything you'd ever want. I thought the markets in Amsterdam were special. The don't hold a candle to the ones in Guate. Here in Antigua, there's a whole section of artisans or "souvenirs" and I really got a chance to haggle. The US needs more of this I think. The vendors have gringo prices which are about double what you should pay. And the vendors are aggressive. Shopping here is not for the faint of heart. You've got to have some nads to be able to walk away if you don't get the price you're looking for. I think it's a lot of fun, even with my awful Spanish, but it's not for everyone. If you ever have a first time at this, try to have someone with you since it makes it easier to walk away if you have someone else scoffing at the price they want you to pay. And remember that you're buying. THEY want your money. Oh, man if my Spanish were better.
After visiting the market, I had a renewed outlook on Antigua. The Guatemalans are here, they just mostly disappear weeknights. Antigua is known for its European feel from the colonial Spanish architecture and Spanish immersion schools. I don't know how you'd get immersed here so I'm glad I came here before deciding to take lessons.
Elisa had been here before taking lessons for 2 weeks (and enjoyed herself), so it was nice having someone who knew their way around. She also said weekends here are nuts. She was right. Well off Ciudad de Guatemalans and tour buses descend on the city on the weekend. It's funny, both strange and hilarious, to hear thick southern US accents pronouncing quetzales (Guate. currency named after the elusive national bird) mixed in with Spanish. To me, it's also a bit frightening, to see mostly US citizens come here and expect the comforts of home to exist. Watching them interact with locals grates my nerves. But....who am I to judge? I was in a very similar pair of shoes not too many days ago, struggling with differences I'd come to take for granted. I have to remember that.
We're leaving tomorrow to go to Lago de Atitlan. I think I'll be back since it seems like all traveler's roads seem to come through Antigua.
Adios
CA
We had to go through Ciudad de Guate. to get to Antigua. I have to say that before I slept through seeing the size, squalor, and dirt of this city. A concrete jungle of different sorts. Single-room cinder block 'shacks' all around the perimeter. Smog choked streets. Burning trash and tons of people. These are 'first impressions' as the area I walked around near my hotel before didn't look so fierce. Reminds me of Tiffany's comments on seeing Visitacion Valley for the first time on our way to San Francisco.
We climbed out of the city and you get to see glimpses of its enormity. I had no idea there were highrises but there are, possibly even a skyscraper or two. And I guess there's a river that runs through it b/c that's what it looked like (come to think of it we did cross a bridge). Antigua is only about 20-30km away. I thought it was much further.
Wow, what a contrast to the other places I'd been! Bustling with people. Cobblestone streets. Colonial Spanish architecture. Burger King and Subway. How the hell can this be part of the same country? So many more white faces than I've seen in a long time. Where did all the Guatemalans go? Elisa and I took care of some errands and then got some dinner. Where did my tropical temps go? I was cold, which doesn't happen often. I'll admit, I was pretty dismayed by the feel of Antigua that night. I felt like I was back in SF again, which I love, but I hadn't anticipated. I had thoughts of 'I didn't pay to come and be in the Mission again' (Antigua doesn't have that exact feel but it's close). I went to sleep a bit upset.
Today was different though. We went to the market and I was again reminded that I was in Guatemala. The markets sell everything you'd ever want. I thought the markets in Amsterdam were special. The don't hold a candle to the ones in Guate. Here in Antigua, there's a whole section of artisans or "souvenirs" and I really got a chance to haggle. The US needs more of this I think. The vendors have gringo prices which are about double what you should pay. And the vendors are aggressive. Shopping here is not for the faint of heart. You've got to have some nads to be able to walk away if you don't get the price you're looking for. I think it's a lot of fun, even with my awful Spanish, but it's not for everyone. If you ever have a first time at this, try to have someone with you since it makes it easier to walk away if you have someone else scoffing at the price they want you to pay. And remember that you're buying. THEY want your money. Oh, man if my Spanish were better.
After visiting the market, I had a renewed outlook on Antigua. The Guatemalans are here, they just mostly disappear weeknights. Antigua is known for its European feel from the colonial Spanish architecture and Spanish immersion schools. I don't know how you'd get immersed here so I'm glad I came here before deciding to take lessons.
Elisa had been here before taking lessons for 2 weeks (and enjoyed herself), so it was nice having someone who knew their way around. She also said weekends here are nuts. She was right. Well off Ciudad de Guatemalans and tour buses descend on the city on the weekend. It's funny, both strange and hilarious, to hear thick southern US accents pronouncing quetzales (Guate. currency named after the elusive national bird) mixed in with Spanish. To me, it's also a bit frightening, to see mostly US citizens come here and expect the comforts of home to exist. Watching them interact with locals grates my nerves. But....who am I to judge? I was in a very similar pair of shoes not too many days ago, struggling with differences I'd come to take for granted. I have to remember that.
We're leaving tomorrow to go to Lago de Atitlan. I think I'll be back since it seems like all traveler's roads seem to come through Antigua.
Adios
CA
Friday, February 15, 2008
Now things are starting to get good
Elisa and I left from Flores a few days ago and headed to Semuc Champey. Initially, I was going to skip this location and go straight from Flores to look for some schools. I'm glad I didn't skip it. It's in the middle of the country, mas o menos, but in a more mountainous region. Foothills, I guess you could say. I've never seen foothills like these though. Not massive. Just look like moguls covering a mountain. And maize/corn everywhere. Everywhere. 50-55 degree hills (I don't know how to put that symbol into my blog)? No problem. Let's plant maize. No cornfields here. Corn hillsides. No combines ever. All planted/harvested by hand.
Semuc Champey is close to a small town called Lanquin, at the bottom of a ravine (for lack of a better word). Elisa and I, Mercedes, Rogan, and Lotti (I think that was her name) stayed at a hostel walking distance from the SC entrance. Again, I/we didn't get there until about 6-7pm. Getting there also involved a pick-up ride for ~9km, mostly downhill on a winding, mostly dirt road. The pick-ups are set up with a cage of sorts, built on top of the truck bed. Looks like it's there to hold livestock, pigs or goats or something, but it's really there to hold people. Imagine 30-40 people in the back of a light-duty Toyota pick-up all standing and you've got an image of these trucks. I would've taken a picture of this, but a lot of the native population don't like having their pictures taken, and I only try to take out my camera discreetly so as to not draw more attention to myself. It was just the 5 of us and our bags in our truck and the driver hauling ass. I've never surfed or snowboarded but the needed movement of the hips and knees would probably be the same.
Next morning, the 5 of us went on a tour of the Gruta de Las Marias (cave close by). This would never happen in the states. I'm convinced. We got to the entrance and our Mayan guide (only way I know he's Mayan is how short he is-his chin is at about my navel-and the fact that he's speaking one of the Mayan languages, not by the way he's dressed or looks or anything) hands us all candles. He showed us the bats at the entrance and then starts directing us in Spanish. I recognized some of the verbs like walk and swim, but it was really nice to having the other 3 girls fluent in Spanish. We got in the water at the entrance and never got out until we came out. This was so much fun! Climbing ropes up waterfalls (small ones). Jumping into deep holes of water. Swimming with one hand to keep the candle out of the water and lit. Took about 1.5h to get in and then 20mins to go back out the way we came. Good thing b/c we were all shivering by then. Back in the sun, we dried off very quickly then tubed (you know, intertubes) down the river back to our hostel. All for ~$4.
That afternoon we all went down to Semuc Champey. Seven naturally formed, limestone pools that descend like stair steps. This place is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The pools are really deep, even for me, and if I would've had better footwear, I might've swam from each one, diving from one pool to the next. If the water got too cold (temp was ~70-78F), just stand up and dry off. Round it off with a tough hike to el mirador (lookout) for some pictures.
Elisa and I left the other 3 and went back to our hostel, Las Marias, to collect our things and go up to the other hostel closer to Lanquin. Another 20min pick-up ride (not as fast since it was uphill) and we were at El Retiro. Like the LP book says, a backpacker's dream. Great accommodations (far superior to the night before's) on a river, we found out there's an all you can eat BBQ that night and really good happy hours too. We couldn't stop smiling. They had a sign up saying they need staff (paid, free accommodations and food) for 2 months minimum. Hmmm.....I could come back and make drinks for a bunch of gringos. How much different would it be from mixing chemicals?
So I should say, that by now my outlook on things has completely changed. My Spanish is still awful but I'm not lonely anymore. I would think often though, how much better these experiences would've been having my peeps with me. I was truly missing you, which, like I said before, is not a feeling I've had as much or as intense of an experience with.
We're in Antigua right now. Just got here and I'm tired so I'll write about it later. Happy VD day.
Semuc Champey is close to a small town called Lanquin, at the bottom of a ravine (for lack of a better word). Elisa and I, Mercedes, Rogan, and Lotti (I think that was her name) stayed at a hostel walking distance from the SC entrance. Again, I/we didn't get there until about 6-7pm. Getting there also involved a pick-up ride for ~9km, mostly downhill on a winding, mostly dirt road. The pick-ups are set up with a cage of sorts, built on top of the truck bed. Looks like it's there to hold livestock, pigs or goats or something, but it's really there to hold people. Imagine 30-40 people in the back of a light-duty Toyota pick-up all standing and you've got an image of these trucks. I would've taken a picture of this, but a lot of the native population don't like having their pictures taken, and I only try to take out my camera discreetly so as to not draw more attention to myself. It was just the 5 of us and our bags in our truck and the driver hauling ass. I've never surfed or snowboarded but the needed movement of the hips and knees would probably be the same.
Next morning, the 5 of us went on a tour of the Gruta de Las Marias (cave close by). This would never happen in the states. I'm convinced. We got to the entrance and our Mayan guide (only way I know he's Mayan is how short he is-his chin is at about my navel-and the fact that he's speaking one of the Mayan languages, not by the way he's dressed or looks or anything) hands us all candles. He showed us the bats at the entrance and then starts directing us in Spanish. I recognized some of the verbs like walk and swim, but it was really nice to having the other 3 girls fluent in Spanish. We got in the water at the entrance and never got out until we came out. This was so much fun! Climbing ropes up waterfalls (small ones). Jumping into deep holes of water. Swimming with one hand to keep the candle out of the water and lit. Took about 1.5h to get in and then 20mins to go back out the way we came. Good thing b/c we were all shivering by then. Back in the sun, we dried off very quickly then tubed (you know, intertubes) down the river back to our hostel. All for ~$4.
That afternoon we all went down to Semuc Champey. Seven naturally formed, limestone pools that descend like stair steps. This place is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. The pools are really deep, even for me, and if I would've had better footwear, I might've swam from each one, diving from one pool to the next. If the water got too cold (temp was ~70-78F), just stand up and dry off. Round it off with a tough hike to el mirador (lookout) for some pictures.
Elisa and I left the other 3 and went back to our hostel, Las Marias, to collect our things and go up to the other hostel closer to Lanquin. Another 20min pick-up ride (not as fast since it was uphill) and we were at El Retiro. Like the LP book says, a backpacker's dream. Great accommodations (far superior to the night before's) on a river, we found out there's an all you can eat BBQ that night and really good happy hours too. We couldn't stop smiling. They had a sign up saying they need staff (paid, free accommodations and food) for 2 months minimum. Hmmm.....I could come back and make drinks for a bunch of gringos. How much different would it be from mixing chemicals?
So I should say, that by now my outlook on things has completely changed. My Spanish is still awful but I'm not lonely anymore. I would think often though, how much better these experiences would've been having my peeps with me. I was truly missing you, which, like I said before, is not a feeling I've had as much or as intense of an experience with.
We're in Antigua right now. Just got here and I'm tired so I'll write about it later. Happy VD day.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Lions, Tigers and Bears...Oh my!
Made it out of Amatique Bay. Too much time on my hands, I'd been psyching myself out of getting from the resort to Flores, where I am now, about 6 hours north of Puerto Barrios. It was actually pretty easy. The ride north was nice. Lots and lots of green, tropical vegetation. Both buses would stop along the way to pick up people along side of the road. I was surprised by this on the second bus since I paid for a ticket from an actual bus company. I'd been really concerned about changing buses at a crossroads where you just get off from one bus and wait there for the next one, but it turned out just fine. Unfortunately, I didn't get here yesterday until about 6pm which didn't leave me a whole lot of time to have day light to look around. Flores is on Lago de Peten Itza in the El Peten area of Guatemala. It's an island or possibly peninsula depending on how you look at it (it's connected by a bridge to Santa Elena). It's a really small town/isla and can be walked in 10mins. Cobblestone streets and a church in the center at the top of a hill. It's all set up for tourists and backpackers were everywhere. I was expecting more of this when I was in PB (even though PB is not a suggested destination in many of the guidebooks). It was a very nice change and I was already feeling better about moving on.
I'd wanted to reserve a sunrise tour of Tikal and finally did so at ~10pm that night. Lack of confidence speaking Spanish had a role in this. Next morning I was up at 3am outside my hostel waiting for a shuttle to take me to Tikal. I met Elisa here on the steps of the hostel. She was also going on a sunrise tour, through a different company. We started talking and found our travel plans to be the same for the coming days. She's from Santa Barbara. Her shuttle came before mine, but we ended up being on the same tour at Tikal. We´ve decided to travel around together for a piece.
At 3:30am the shuttle showed up and took us through the pitch black to Tikal. The shuttles/microbuses are all Toyota minivans. Not the ones they sell in the states now, smaller (I don't remember what they were called back in the early 90's but that's what they look like), but with capacity for 12-21 (although they're almost always filled way beyond capacity). Tikal is one of the largest, if not the largest, ancient Mayan city. I can't remember exactly how many acres, but it's massive. The Mayans built this city and all the other ones in locations around Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras in such a way so that Tikal was in the center. They form a shaped when looked at on a map that's important to they're calendar (I'm pretty sure of this although not positive). All of the cities they built were also designed around the cycles of the sun and moon. Some pretty amazing things happen (entire temples turn gold from the sun) during the solstices and the equinoxes.
Back to the tour....We hiked in the darkness to the base of one of the largest temples at this site, Templo IV. Not the easiest hike in the dark and about 30mins. There, we climbed (on wooden stairs) up to the top of the temple. By now it was ~5:30am and still incredibly dark. I'd been sold a sunrise tour, but hardly anyone gets to see the sun rise....ever. I was really there that early to hear the jungle wake up below me. The guides said we were to sit in silence and possibly meditate as we waited for this to happen. What I hadn't anticipated (Alyssa, you left this part out or maybe you didn't experience it) was the 30-40 other people there with me rummaging through their things and talking in not so hushed voices. Imagine trying to enjoy natural silence with plastic wrappers being opened, zippers being zipped, and velcro being velcroed. Not exactly silent. But anyway, it was still really amazing. At about 5:45, a howler monkey started howling. They sound like big cats (lions, tigers, etc.) roaring. About 10mins later the other howlers woke up and we were being serenaded by 5-6 of them. These monkeys dominate the show although we did get to hear birds and what not. It was great!
The visual is also pretty amazing, even without the sun rising. The mist would roll back and forth revealing the tops of other temples in the distance and then covering them back up again. At about 6:15, the guides came back and told us about our morning (English and Spanish speaking tours in case you're wondering). Massive amts. of info came out of my guide's mouth all at once. A lot too absorb before 7am. Fortunately, he repeated a lot of it as we went along.
I'd go into a lot more detail about the place, but this is pretty long already. I'll try to sum it up a bit though. Tikal was first discovered by chicleros (sp). They're guys that would, and still do, go into the forests here for weeks on end collecting sap from the chicle trees (is that the right name?). This sap would then be sold to, anyone, anyone? Wrigley's and some other gum manufacturers. When Tikal was first discovered, it was overgrown with forest (tropical forest, not deciduous trees). Even now, forest dominates the park. At the time of use, this entire city was cleared of forest, and set as well, a city. Everything is built out of limestone. Not only did they build massive temples, they built central plazas, roads, and palaces. All from limestone. Under the temples and central plazas (and roads I think), archaeologists think there are 6-7 layers of limestone blocks making flat spaces on which other things could be built. The temples are absolutely massive-possibly 5-7 stories tall and there are 5-6, maybe 7 of them. The temples would have been painted in various colors, brilliant reds, blues, greens, yellows, golds, etc. The guide claimed that the Mayans did all of this work without the use of slaves. I find this hard to believe though. All of it is absolutely awesome! It's hard to imagine such an advanced civilization being over taken, especially in their own backyard. But then I remember that foreign microbes were also participants in the conquest. Anyway, I'd highly recommend coming to Tikal if you ever have the chance.
We´re leaving to Semuc Champey tomorrow.
Mwah!
I'd wanted to reserve a sunrise tour of Tikal and finally did so at ~10pm that night. Lack of confidence speaking Spanish had a role in this. Next morning I was up at 3am outside my hostel waiting for a shuttle to take me to Tikal. I met Elisa here on the steps of the hostel. She was also going on a sunrise tour, through a different company. We started talking and found our travel plans to be the same for the coming days. She's from Santa Barbara. Her shuttle came before mine, but we ended up being on the same tour at Tikal. We´ve decided to travel around together for a piece.
At 3:30am the shuttle showed up and took us through the pitch black to Tikal. The shuttles/microbuses are all Toyota minivans. Not the ones they sell in the states now, smaller (I don't remember what they were called back in the early 90's but that's what they look like), but with capacity for 12-21 (although they're almost always filled way beyond capacity). Tikal is one of the largest, if not the largest, ancient Mayan city. I can't remember exactly how many acres, but it's massive. The Mayans built this city and all the other ones in locations around Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras in such a way so that Tikal was in the center. They form a shaped when looked at on a map that's important to they're calendar (I'm pretty sure of this although not positive). All of the cities they built were also designed around the cycles of the sun and moon. Some pretty amazing things happen (entire temples turn gold from the sun) during the solstices and the equinoxes.
Back to the tour....We hiked in the darkness to the base of one of the largest temples at this site, Templo IV. Not the easiest hike in the dark and about 30mins. There, we climbed (on wooden stairs) up to the top of the temple. By now it was ~5:30am and still incredibly dark. I'd been sold a sunrise tour, but hardly anyone gets to see the sun rise....ever. I was really there that early to hear the jungle wake up below me. The guides said we were to sit in silence and possibly meditate as we waited for this to happen. What I hadn't anticipated (Alyssa, you left this part out or maybe you didn't experience it) was the 30-40 other people there with me rummaging through their things and talking in not so hushed voices. Imagine trying to enjoy natural silence with plastic wrappers being opened, zippers being zipped, and velcro being velcroed. Not exactly silent. But anyway, it was still really amazing. At about 5:45, a howler monkey started howling. They sound like big cats (lions, tigers, etc.) roaring. About 10mins later the other howlers woke up and we were being serenaded by 5-6 of them. These monkeys dominate the show although we did get to hear birds and what not. It was great!
The visual is also pretty amazing, even without the sun rising. The mist would roll back and forth revealing the tops of other temples in the distance and then covering them back up again. At about 6:15, the guides came back and told us about our morning (English and Spanish speaking tours in case you're wondering). Massive amts. of info came out of my guide's mouth all at once. A lot too absorb before 7am. Fortunately, he repeated a lot of it as we went along.
I'd go into a lot more detail about the place, but this is pretty long already. I'll try to sum it up a bit though. Tikal was first discovered by chicleros (sp). They're guys that would, and still do, go into the forests here for weeks on end collecting sap from the chicle trees (is that the right name?). This sap would then be sold to, anyone, anyone? Wrigley's and some other gum manufacturers. When Tikal was first discovered, it was overgrown with forest (tropical forest, not deciduous trees). Even now, forest dominates the park. At the time of use, this entire city was cleared of forest, and set as well, a city. Everything is built out of limestone. Not only did they build massive temples, they built central plazas, roads, and palaces. All from limestone. Under the temples and central plazas (and roads I think), archaeologists think there are 6-7 layers of limestone blocks making flat spaces on which other things could be built. The temples are absolutely massive-possibly 5-7 stories tall and there are 5-6, maybe 7 of them. The temples would have been painted in various colors, brilliant reds, blues, greens, yellows, golds, etc. The guide claimed that the Mayans did all of this work without the use of slaves. I find this hard to believe though. All of it is absolutely awesome! It's hard to imagine such an advanced civilization being over taken, especially in their own backyard. But then I remember that foreign microbes were also participants in the conquest. Anyway, I'd highly recommend coming to Tikal if you ever have the chance.
We´re leaving to Semuc Champey tomorrow.
Mwah!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
I'm here
Man I'm writing a novel here it seems like. Please bear with me, I'm paying to write this. Here's a review of my first week.
The Guatemala City airport is one of the cleanest I've ever been in. Seriously!
Grabbed my enormous bag and headed for the shuttle. No problems there either. It was about 10pm. I checked into my room. It'd been a long day. So you know, the resort I was heading to provided first and last night accommodations in the hotel. (Oh, yeah. Resort you might ask? Momma gave me one of her expiring timeshares to use as a Xmas present. I have mom and Marriott Interval to thank for my first week in Guatemala. The resort is on the Caribbean coast, near Puerto Barrios.)
Morning came and I went down to the business office to figure out how to get to the resort. I reserved a seat on the 2pm bus from CG (Ciudad de Guate). The girl asked me "¿Solo?" and I said yes. She thought it was weird I was there alone and traveling alone but then said it wouldn't matter once I get to Amatique Bay. I walked around the neighborhood a bit and got some lunch.
During the cab ride to the bus station it began to sink in how limited my Spanish is. 5-6h on a bus with Spanish dubbed US movies, I was finally in Puerto Barrios. The landscape from CG to PB goes from desolate arid land to lush green with palms and banana trees. It was also pitch black as we rolled closer to our destination. The tinted windows didn't help, but it was darker than I've seen in a really long time. Immediately, I was bombarded by taxi drivers offering to take me anywhere. The cab driver was very helpful but again I was reminded about how limited my Spanish is. The divide was growing.
I checked in alright into my huge apartment before going for food. I was the only one in the restaurant! It was about 9pm, but it still didn't make any sense why I was the only one there. Me and 5 servers. I ate alone. The loneliness was really starting to set in already. I walked around the resort a bit (I'd bathed in DEET before hand because I didn't know what to expect. Want to read something scary? Read the back of a container of bug spray with DEET) before one of the guards with a shotgun (have I mentioned this yet? No? They're everywhere I've been so far. The guards with shotguns that is. The assault rifles in the airport were one thing. Shotguns outside banks or bus depots, or restaurants is another. Mom and Dad, are you scared yet? Just kidding. HaHa!) helped me find my apartment again. It was scary dark there.
Next morning, I was the only one in the restaurant for my resort priced meal. I was starting to think I'd stepped into a zombie or horror flick. Waiter said (in Spanish mind you cuz that's how I asked) everyone's at "la playa o la piscina". 2 couples there....A grand total of 4 people at the big pool and beach. What the eff?? About now, feelings I've never had before started percolating pretty strongly. I was lonely. I met one of the couples and these feelings subsided some for awhile. They were older and from Bend, OR and really nice. We chatted for a while about a bit of everything. Then I got back in the hammock for a bit longer. I tried to remind myself while I was sitting there that I had to start somewhere, might as well be someplace safe and secure like a resort set up for mostly US peeps. I decided to try to get to PB to buy some food since I had a kitchen and check out the town.
It wasn't trivial getting into town. They have a pretty good racket going there. But, I suppose the place was set up for families and not parties of 1. Again I was reminded about my limited Spanish. I got dropped off at the central market near a grocery store. I got my food for the week loading up my backpack. Remind me to touch on the plastic bags later.
Then I went to the market to look around. Ok. To all of you that have walked around a mall or down the street in the US have a frame of reference for what people's reactions are when I walk by. Not only because of my amazing looks (thank you Mom and Dad), but because of my height. This time, I got the full experience myself. As soon as I stepped out of the cab, people were gawking. Going through the market was over the top. First, there were things hanging way too low for me to get by without ducking at least 6-12in. Guatemalans are short. Really short. Second, people would just stop whatever they were doing and stare. They'd get their friend's attention and talk about me. All eyes were on me. At first it was comical. By the end of my time walking around, I was beginning to feel incredibly awkward. Normally, attention about my height isn't a big deal to me. Statements and questions like "You're really tall" or "How tall are you?" or "Do you play basketball?" are the norm. This was way beyond anything I'd experienced in my life. If this is anything like being a different color in a white man's world, then it feels awful, and I don't think anyone was saying anything derogatory.
I bought a few things, doing my best to haggle in really awful Spanish, but I got out of there feeling pretty good about myself considering.
I went back to the super market to get some leche for cereal, and my fortuitous luck, the cab driver that took me to town was there waiting for 3 Mexican girls (Ciudad de Mejico. Marica Lizette is one of the nicest Mejicanas, let alone women I´ve ever met. These women/girls don´t compare) on holiday, staying at my resort, buying groceries. In the cab, they were full of questions for me asked mostly in Spanish. The questions kind of subsided when they found out I'm 29, and not 19 like the cab driver had told them. For the record, this is the first time I felt any kind of confidence about speaking Spanish. I was thinking great, built in Spanish instructors for the week. Wrong.
This week went by and I started to feel like a prisoner (well as much as I can feel like a prisoner given the fact that I wasn't actually in prison). I spent my time working out, trying to review Spanish from my limited Lonely Planet phrasebook, and planning where I'd go next. This got boring, so I'd watch tv which was either dubbed in Spanish or had Spanish subtitles. I tried to justify watching Law and Order: SVU (which I think is a dumb show but only after you've watched many many many episodes) since it had Spanish subtitles and at least I'd be exposed to the language. Yeah, I could've gone to the beach or the pool, but the beach really wasn't a beach but on a lagoon (real marshy, algae infested water. No white sand beaches or clear blue water like I'd anticipated) and no one would hang out at the pool. I tried to interact with the Mexican girls but they were funny. I couldn't figure out how they operated (they'd speak great English if you're wondering). We'd converse a little about this or that, then nothing. Just walked on by me. I was getting really tired of this scene when Brent and his brother Eric showed up. They were on vacation from Atlanta and they had the same sentiments as me about the resort and the PB area. At least there were other people to talk to now. At this point I also met Federico and his wife Eliana (they're originally from Columbia but live and work in Tampa, small world) through the couple from Bend, OR (whose names I don´t remember now). Too bad I didn't meet them earlier because they and the Bend couple all went to Livingston and up toward Rio Dulce which I would learn later are really very nice.
Right now, I'm beginning to doubt myself about taking this trip and wondering what I'm doing here. Being lonely is kicking my ass. Too much time to think and not enough time doing things. The week is ending though, and I'm ready to see some shit. I heading to Flores tomorrow to see Tikal. The largest Mayan city in all of the Mayan "country". Don't worry. I'm sure it'll get better.
The Guatemala City airport is one of the cleanest I've ever been in. Seriously!
Grabbed my enormous bag and headed for the shuttle. No problems there either. It was about 10pm. I checked into my room. It'd been a long day. So you know, the resort I was heading to provided first and last night accommodations in the hotel. (Oh, yeah. Resort you might ask? Momma gave me one of her expiring timeshares to use as a Xmas present. I have mom and Marriott Interval to thank for my first week in Guatemala. The resort is on the Caribbean coast, near Puerto Barrios.)
Morning came and I went down to the business office to figure out how to get to the resort. I reserved a seat on the 2pm bus from CG (Ciudad de Guate). The girl asked me "¿Solo?" and I said yes. She thought it was weird I was there alone and traveling alone but then said it wouldn't matter once I get to Amatique Bay. I walked around the neighborhood a bit and got some lunch.
During the cab ride to the bus station it began to sink in how limited my Spanish is. 5-6h on a bus with Spanish dubbed US movies, I was finally in Puerto Barrios. The landscape from CG to PB goes from desolate arid land to lush green with palms and banana trees. It was also pitch black as we rolled closer to our destination. The tinted windows didn't help, but it was darker than I've seen in a really long time. Immediately, I was bombarded by taxi drivers offering to take me anywhere. The cab driver was very helpful but again I was reminded about how limited my Spanish is. The divide was growing.
I checked in alright into my huge apartment before going for food. I was the only one in the restaurant! It was about 9pm, but it still didn't make any sense why I was the only one there. Me and 5 servers. I ate alone. The loneliness was really starting to set in already. I walked around the resort a bit (I'd bathed in DEET before hand because I didn't know what to expect. Want to read something scary? Read the back of a container of bug spray with DEET) before one of the guards with a shotgun (have I mentioned this yet? No? They're everywhere I've been so far. The guards with shotguns that is. The assault rifles in the airport were one thing. Shotguns outside banks or bus depots, or restaurants is another. Mom and Dad, are you scared yet? Just kidding. HaHa!) helped me find my apartment again. It was scary dark there.
Next morning, I was the only one in the restaurant for my resort priced meal. I was starting to think I'd stepped into a zombie or horror flick. Waiter said (in Spanish mind you cuz that's how I asked) everyone's at "la playa o la piscina". 2 couples there....A grand total of 4 people at the big pool and beach. What the eff?? About now, feelings I've never had before started percolating pretty strongly. I was lonely. I met one of the couples and these feelings subsided some for awhile. They were older and from Bend, OR and really nice. We chatted for a while about a bit of everything. Then I got back in the hammock for a bit longer. I tried to remind myself while I was sitting there that I had to start somewhere, might as well be someplace safe and secure like a resort set up for mostly US peeps. I decided to try to get to PB to buy some food since I had a kitchen and check out the town.
It wasn't trivial getting into town. They have a pretty good racket going there. But, I suppose the place was set up for families and not parties of 1. Again I was reminded about my limited Spanish. I got dropped off at the central market near a grocery store. I got my food for the week loading up my backpack. Remind me to touch on the plastic bags later.
Then I went to the market to look around. Ok. To all of you that have walked around a mall or down the street in the US have a frame of reference for what people's reactions are when I walk by. Not only because of my amazing looks (thank you Mom and Dad), but because of my height. This time, I got the full experience myself. As soon as I stepped out of the cab, people were gawking. Going through the market was over the top. First, there were things hanging way too low for me to get by without ducking at least 6-12in. Guatemalans are short. Really short. Second, people would just stop whatever they were doing and stare. They'd get their friend's attention and talk about me. All eyes were on me. At first it was comical. By the end of my time walking around, I was beginning to feel incredibly awkward. Normally, attention about my height isn't a big deal to me. Statements and questions like "You're really tall" or "How tall are you?" or "Do you play basketball?" are the norm. This was way beyond anything I'd experienced in my life. If this is anything like being a different color in a white man's world, then it feels awful, and I don't think anyone was saying anything derogatory.
I bought a few things, doing my best to haggle in really awful Spanish, but I got out of there feeling pretty good about myself considering.
I went back to the super market to get some leche for cereal, and my fortuitous luck, the cab driver that took me to town was there waiting for 3 Mexican girls (Ciudad de Mejico. Marica Lizette is one of the nicest Mejicanas, let alone women I´ve ever met. These women/girls don´t compare) on holiday, staying at my resort, buying groceries. In the cab, they were full of questions for me asked mostly in Spanish. The questions kind of subsided when they found out I'm 29, and not 19 like the cab driver had told them. For the record, this is the first time I felt any kind of confidence about speaking Spanish. I was thinking great, built in Spanish instructors for the week. Wrong.
This week went by and I started to feel like a prisoner (well as much as I can feel like a prisoner given the fact that I wasn't actually in prison). I spent my time working out, trying to review Spanish from my limited Lonely Planet phrasebook, and planning where I'd go next. This got boring, so I'd watch tv which was either dubbed in Spanish or had Spanish subtitles. I tried to justify watching Law and Order: SVU (which I think is a dumb show but only after you've watched many many many episodes) since it had Spanish subtitles and at least I'd be exposed to the language. Yeah, I could've gone to the beach or the pool, but the beach really wasn't a beach but on a lagoon (real marshy, algae infested water. No white sand beaches or clear blue water like I'd anticipated) and no one would hang out at the pool. I tried to interact with the Mexican girls but they were funny. I couldn't figure out how they operated (they'd speak great English if you're wondering). We'd converse a little about this or that, then nothing. Just walked on by me. I was getting really tired of this scene when Brent and his brother Eric showed up. They were on vacation from Atlanta and they had the same sentiments as me about the resort and the PB area. At least there were other people to talk to now. At this point I also met Federico and his wife Eliana (they're originally from Columbia but live and work in Tampa, small world) through the couple from Bend, OR (whose names I don´t remember now). Too bad I didn't meet them earlier because they and the Bend couple all went to Livingston and up toward Rio Dulce which I would learn later are really very nice.
Right now, I'm beginning to doubt myself about taking this trip and wondering what I'm doing here. Being lonely is kicking my ass. Too much time to think and not enough time doing things. The week is ending though, and I'm ready to see some shit. I heading to Flores tomorrow to see Tikal. The largest Mayan city in all of the Mayan "country". Don't worry. I'm sure it'll get better.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Flying at 37,000 ft. Patriots are up 10-3 over the Giants. Alice Smith is my iPod. Somehow I've pulled this off--getting to my flight to Ciudad de Guatemala that is. This has been a long time coming. Hay Dios Mio has it been a long time coming. Over a year of thinking about this. But the last 2-3 months have been hell. Been quite a lesson in how not to plan a trip. Really hope the feelings brought up in January have sunk in enough so I don't pull this shit again. Baby steps yeah, but damn, spread'em out over 6 months instead of 2. Anyway. I'm here. Flying to Ciudad de Guatemala. Have 2 overstuffed bags for 3.5 months (by the way, I left 2 days later b/c I had too much stuff to do at the end.-Gotta run the experiment though. First time for everything), a plane ticket to and from and accommodations for the first week. Other than that, I'm a pack mule roaming around Latin America. Once I get to the hotel in Guate, I think it will all sink in. Until then, I'm going to....rest.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
About the title of my blog....
First, I manipulated the dates of my posts so they'll reflect when I wrote about that date for myself or should've written about them on my yet to be published blog. I'm about 3 weeks into my trip at the time of writing this, but it's pretty damn close to what I was thinking at the time, if not exactly what I was thinking. I hope this will be easier than the flickr or fotki pages I was trying to do (I didn't realize it but I had a free trial going on with fotki which is why I was able to post so many photos. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about all the photos yet. Maybe I'll put together a huge page on one of those sites at the end of my trip while I'm chillin' in MD.) Once I get up to date, I'll post here regularly (hopefully). Now on to the show....
About the title of my blog.... I'd thought of this much earlier but when I was telling my friend JI what I was going to do he instantly thought of this set of dialogue. If you're not familiar with it, and I think of my mother who wouldn't be watching such movies, it's from Pulp Fiction. It's during the coffee shop scene of the movie when Vincent and Jules are having breakfast after being helped by Mr. Wolf (I think everyone needs a little more Mr. Wolf in them and I try to summon him when necessary). They're sitting there talking about eating swine (which is the reason why I'll never be vegetarian; could never give up bacon) and the conversation comes to what Jules has been thinking about and his feeling of being touched by God and not being able to go back 'to sleep' after being touched. Vincent asks if he's seriously going to quit the life (for lack of a better label, they're gangsters) to which Jules replies 'most definitely'. Vincent wants to know what Jules is going to do with himself to which Jules replies
About the title of my blog.... I'd thought of this much earlier but when I was telling my friend JI what I was going to do he instantly thought of this set of dialogue. If you're not familiar with it, and I think of my mother who wouldn't be watching such movies, it's from Pulp Fiction. It's during the coffee shop scene of the movie when Vincent and Jules are having breakfast after being helped by Mr. Wolf (I think everyone needs a little more Mr. Wolf in them and I try to summon him when necessary). They're sitting there talking about eating swine (which is the reason why I'll never be vegetarian; could never give up bacon) and the conversation comes to what Jules has been thinking about and his feeling of being touched by God and not being able to go back 'to sleep' after being touched. Vincent asks if he's seriously going to quit the life (for lack of a better label, they're gangsters) to which Jules replies 'most definitely'. Vincent wants to know what Jules is going to do with himself to which Jules replies
That's what I've been sitting here contemplating. First, I'm gonna deliver this case to Marsellus. Then...basically, I'm gonna walk the earth.Travolta delivers one of my now favorite lines in the movie to this response...
What'chumean 'Walk The Earth'?!?!?!Their conversation that follows is below and it's one that JI and I would repeat frequently in my last days at work. I want to say before I go much further that I'm not a religious person. I'd say my beliefs are as close to the label of agnostic more than anything else. I don't follow the line of thinking of Jules; that I've been touched by God nor do I follow the thoughts he has below.
Jules: You know, like Caine in "Kung Fu." Just walk from town to town, meet people, get in adventures.Classic. Sorry for the language, but that's how it goes in the movie. There's a bit more to it but this is the meat of the conversation. I've thought about both sides because, well, basically what I've done by quitting my job and traveling with no plans for the immediate future could be construed as being a bum. I try not to think of it that way since it has a negative connotation. I try to think of it more as the freedom to make such a maneuver in my life. Freedom financially. Freedom of mind. Freedom....in every sense of the word. Even so far as knowing that I'm a white man in a white man's world (I really really don't like that this is true, but that's reality, in my opinion.). So out the door I went. Let me tell you getting my mind around going from fantasy to reality was much more difficult than I anticipated, especially for me, who doesn't have the easiest time making decisions. That bit of it was much harder than having the discipline to pay off my credit card debt and to continue saving money for the next 3-4 months. Just ask Susan and Dave or Tiffany or Jenn. They probably witnessed the worst of it all. But back to my point. I think I had one....Some of you may be thinking of this as a soul searching expedition, but I don't consider it that. I consider it plainly and simply as an adventure. One of many yet to come. I felt compelled to come to Latin America for reasons not entirely known. Possibly since I want to get better with my Spanish before trying to learn other languages. Possibly because I want to experience being a minority (as best I can here). Or possibly, it was so I can look at all the big butts on the latinas. Possibly all of those and more. I don't really know. Just wanted to go, so I did. Not knowing what is coming next has been great. Very liberating for me. Especially since, recently I'd been having a really difficult time trying to figure out what would be next. It's much less stressful for me not knowing. "I don't know" or in Espanol "No se" is so much easier for me than here's my plan...and much more fun. Instead of trying to pigeon-hole (for lack of a better term) myself into the norm, I'm swimming the other way. Please also know, that I am aware that I haven't really jumped off the cliff without a cord. I'm not carrying my house/entire life around on my back like turtle, although I can see how I could with more training of my mind. All my stuff is in Peoria, AZ at D and S's house. They've graciously put me up and that's where I return when I get back to contemplate the next place I will walk. I sense a bit of rambling so I'll end this post. So, vamanos as I try to take you on the beginning of this journey into the unknown of Latin America, and maybe even my life.
Vincent: How long do you intend to walk the earth?
J: Until God puts me where he wants me to be.
V: What if he never does?
J: If it takes forever, I'll wait forever.
V: So you decided to be a bum.
J: I'll just be Jules, Vincent - no more, no less.
V: No Jules, you're gonna be like those pieces of shit out there who beg for change. They walk around like a bunch of fuckin' zombies, they sleep in garbage bins, they eat what I throw away, and dogs piss on 'em. They got a word for 'em, they're called bums. And without a job, residence, or legal tender, that's what you're gonna be – a fuckin' bum!
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