As we were watching a BBC news report on global warming last night, I was reminded of this funny idea I had back in February, which my friend and former neighbor, Matt Kirkland, so nicely designed for me (he even came up with two other designs!). This is it:
Fans of the movie, Zoolander, will get the humor. I hope it made you laugh. I may have it transferred to t-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads, or cat boxes for clever holiday stocking-stuffers!
As James and I were driving home from the gym, we told each other about the weirdest thing we've seen in the back of a pickup truck in la capirucha (slang for "the capital"). [Aside from an entire truckload of people standing up and being transported from Point A to Point B, of course...]
Beth's strangest sighting: a truck carrying a perfectly stacked pyramid of pineapples (yes, that was a nice alliteration. I know ;). Not strapped in or anything, but just in there tight and as high as the roof of the truck! That and a steady pair of hands is all you need.
James' strangest sighting: a humongo pig dangling by its dead hooves from a cage-like apparatus in the bed of the truck.
So yeah, that's where we live.
Question for the readers: What is the strangest thing that you have seen while driving lately?
So last night Beth and I went over to see Randy and Iniyal's place for the first time and to have dinner with them. Iniyal cooked us the tastiest--and only Inidian--food we've had here. That really should be a whole post in itself.
While there, it really began to rain. We headed out around 10 to drive over to Kelly's place because there was a birthday party going on for one of her roommates. As we were leaving Randy and Iniyal's complex, we came upon some low areas that had really collected water. Then it got worse as we began driving through deeper water. I really thought our car might lose control to the water when it started coming in waves over the hood! I also thought the engine might get flooded. Thankfully it was a quiet side street with no other traffic, so we didn't have to worry about other drivers. Miraculously we made it through fine and got back out onto the main avenue we live on. From there we drove over to Kelly's, taking it nice and slow as the sides of the avenue were fairly flooded and it was still raining hard.
While at Kelly's, her roommate, Rebe, got a call from a friend telling her that part of Vista Hermosa (the main avenue we live off of) had been closed due to a mudslide! We were concerned because we weren't sure how to get home if the road was closed before our apartment (we weren't about to try and figure out a detour at night and in the rain and in our new car). Thankfully we heard later on that the road was closed shortly after our building and we'd be fine getting home. When we got back, we could see from our kitchen window down below onto Vista Hermosa, and it turned out the mudslide was directly in front of our building! It was so dark that we couldn't tell the volume of mud on the road, just that there was something there. We also couldn't get a good picture of it, though we tried. I was up at 6 this morning and traffic was still being directed around it (thought it was open again by 8). Pretty crazy stuff.
Here it is, folks, our new car!
Like I said earlier, we hadn't planned on buying anything this new, but since it was such a good deal, we didn't want to pass it up. We're pretty excited about it. Now let's just hope the mean streets of Guatemala City will be good to our car.
Exciting news! We have verbally agreed to buy a 2004 Honda Civic. I just had a mechanic look it over this morning and, despite a few items needing to be fixed (which helped lower the price), he said it was a good car. We hadn't intended to buy anything this new, but the price was really good, and we figure we'll just drive it home in 2009 and keep it long-term. It's not 100% official, so I won't post any pictures of me doing my best "Icy Hot Stuntaz" pose next to it yet. But for now, it looks like the pressure is off and we'll have our independence soon!
From Guatemala to Antigua
Friday, Sept. 7
After Beth got home from school, we finished packing up for the weekend and took a cab back over to school to meet up with our neighbors, Matt and Amy. From there, we all rode the bus over to Zone 10 to hang out, have dinner, and catch our shuttle to Antigua. We ate at an Italian restaurant called Trae Fratelli, and all had margherita style pizza and split a bottle of red wine. Afterwards, we all donned our rain coats (it was pouring for a good while by then) and scuttled over to the staff favorite bar, Cheers. This bar is owned by a Canadian, and is a great little spot with fun music and lots of TVs and satellite where you can catch just about any sporting event. As it turned out, Fabio, a principal at the school, and a really great guy, was already there enjoying a drink (he was in Zone 10 earlier booking a shuttle to El Salvador for his weekend get-away). So we saddled up next to him and killed some more time before heading back out to get on the shuttle.
Our driver met us at the Camino Real, a gigantic, luxury hotel (where George Bush recently stayed while he was traveling through the area). Thankfully, our driver was only a half hour late. But before we could head out, we first had to pick up another two people at the airport and drop another two off at a hotel. It all took quite a while, so we didn't make it in to Antigua until a little after 10:30. We did find our hotel relatively easily, and it was a much nicer and quieter place than our last one we stayed in. Everyone was pretty tired, plus we had to be up early for our next shuttle, so we all went straight to bed.
From Antigua to Panajachel to San Marcos
Saturday, Sept. 8
We met up with Matt and Amy around 7 a.m. and went in search of breakfast. We found a nice little restaurant nearby and were the first patrons of the day. The place had good coffee, generous portions, and cheap prices. I had a scrambled egg sandwich with a side of black beans. Beth had some granola cereal.
After breakfast, we trekked over to meet our shuttle (which was taking us to Panajachel--about two+ hours away, where we would then take a boat to San Marcos, our final destination) at another hotel called The Black Cat. The driver pulled up nearly on time with an already-full mini van. There was some confusion over Beth and me since we didn't have a true, paper confirmation to show. Amy had just verbally confirmed over the phone with someone that there would be room. I really didn't think we would be able to take the van, but, being in Guatemala, the driver found room for us and our stuff. Beth, Amy, and Matt squeezed in to the back, and I squeezed in to the front with the driver and another passenger. The top of the bus was LOADED with everyone's gear. I think there were 14 or 15 people people total.
Thankfully the driver realized how laden with weight the vehicle was, and he took it very easy, averaging 30 mph the whole way (I'm not kidding). He took every turn super slowly and was careful never to pick up much speed. So, none of our stuff rolled off the top and somehow we made it to Panajachel in decent time, despite the tortoise-like pace. I was so relieved that he was a cautious driver, as throughout the whole trip, we would see chicken bus after chicken bus barreling down the curvy roads just barely maintaining control. We would never ride one of those cross-country, so don't worry!
Along the way, I enjoyed talking with the guy sitting next to me. Jacob was from Tennessee but went to Columbia College, and was now doing a two-year Peace Corps stint in a little village near the Mexican border. He is assisting with their city government, which is pretty neat. Jacob was very affable and had lots of good info to tell me about Guatemala, including the politicians involved in the current presidential election.
We got in to Panajachel (where we had traveled to a few weeks prior for some shopping) around noon and were dropped off by the boat docks. We had many offers to take us on a speedier, more expensive private boat, but we opted for the $2.61/person public boat. This was my least favorite part about the trip. The boat had four or five benches and a low roof overhead. So, we filed in and waited while more people came to fill out the boat. It was fairly crowded and it made me feel claustrophobic with the low roof and that fact that it was on water. Thankfully there are open windows beside you, so all along I was planning my and Beth's escape should the boat capsize. I did get really uncomfortable as we waited to depart when the boat started heavily leaning to one side. I really thought if it went a bit more we'd start taking on water and be in trouble. Luckily nothing like that happened.
To get to San Marcos, we had to make five or six stops beforehand to drop people off at different lake towns. In all, it probably took 35 minutes for us to finally get to San Marcos. But the wait was worth it! Once docked, we grabbed our gear and headed in to the town along a narrow path that is covered on both sides by dense trees and foliage.
As it turned out, the whole town (really it's more like a village) was like that; everywhere you went was just a narrow walking path in the middle of the forest that opened up to restaurants, hotels, shops, massage and holistic centers, etc. I never saw a single car or true road, though there may have been an area like that farther up. It was great!
To give you a better idea, our travel guide describes San Marcos as "Guatemala's premier New Age centre." "The land close to the lakeshore--densely wooded with banana, mango, avocado, and jocote trees--is where San Marcos' bohemian hotels and guest houses have been sensitively established." "It has a decidedly tranquil appeal--there's little in the way of partying and no bar scene at all." Oh, one good thing to know beforehand is to come with flashlights, otherwise you will have a very difficult time navigating the narrow paths at dark! Thank you, Matt and Amy, for that tip!
We didn't have a place reserved for Saturday night (we did for Sunday), so our first goal was to find lodging. We found a place called Paco Real, and it was a hotel and restaurant owned and constructed by a Swiss man (and his Mexican wife) who's been living in San Marcos for the last 15 years. He was really friendly and had two little bungalows for us for $28 a night each. They were rustic and basic, but that just added to the ambiance of the whole place. Although the giant spider in the bathroom was a little too rustic for Beth.
After we dropped our bags off, we headed over to the Moonfish Cafe, which is a quaint little place with a gorgeous view of the lake and its three volcanoes. Matt and Amy loved this place, and now we do too (we ate there three times total this weekend). I had a really, really good chicken burrito (so did Matt and Amy) and Beth had a hummus burrito. All the veggies and fruit are grown on site. The owner is frequently seen spraying the produce with a backpack apparatus that has a little sign on it saying "Don't worry, it's just garlic pepper."
We were all fairly tired after lunch, plus it was beginning to rain, so we all headed back to our rooms. Along the way, Beth talked to a masseuse working at our place and scheduled times for us. Massages in San Marcos are cheap compared to the U.S. I paid about $28 (including a tip) for an hour+ full body massage. It was my second professional massage, and...my first from a guy. I felt like George on Seinfeld when I showed up and he greeted me. But I didn't let it freak me out and just went with it. It was fine, and I followed it with a cold, tearful shower, balled up and rocking on the floor. : )
After my massage, I napped a bit, then got up with Beth to have coffee in our hotel's restaurant. The owner had made a fire, which was so nice since we were both a bit chilled from all the rain and the cool weather. We pulled a table up right next to the fireplace and enjoyed some really good coffee. Beth left shortly after for her massage, so I ended up staying put for more than two hours, having another cup of coffee with my book ("All Quiet on the Western Front") and enjoying the sound of the rain. I also had a piña colada after my coffee, and it was tas-ty!
Also in San Marcos was another group of eight faculty members. We all met up for dinner at Paco Real, the same place I had just been enjoying. We made the owner's day as he had had no business (it's a slow time of year), and suddenly he had 12 hungry customers. His wife cooked up some delicious Mexican food, and everybody thoroughly enjoyed the place and each other's company. After dinner we all went our separate ways and Beth and I went to sleep.
A Fun, Full Day in San Marcos and San Pedro
Sunday, Sept. 9
We were up around 7 a.m. to have breakfast and meet up with everybody else for a morning of horseback riding in San Pedro (a lake town 10 minutes away by boat). We ate at Moonfish again, and Beth and I split a double portion of wheat pancakes and coffee. Matt and Amy were up bright and early with us, but the other members needed a little more time to recover from the night before.
Finally, around 11 we had a group of just five and boated it over to San Pedro. San Pedro is a big draw for students as it's in a gorgeous location and offers lots of language schools. It's also a big draw for hippies, as many nature lovers never leave the place. So, on the one hand it feels very safe as you see lots of people like you, but it's also a bit of a downer to be around so many tourists. San Pedro is also way more developed than San Marcos with big buildings, full roads, and traffic.
Once off the boat we quickly found someone offering horse rides. We each paid about $20 for a two hour ride up into the mountains. I ended up with a lazy horse named Princesa, who would lag behind until I gave her some encouragement, upon which she would take off into a full run, which was both exhilarating and painful! The first hour we zigzagged our way up through the city streets and finally out into nature. We eventually came to a scenic stopping point, which which opened up to the most amazing, sweeping views of the gigantic lake and surrounding volcanoes and mountains. It was so beautiful. Then we headed back down. The ride was just long enough, as it started to get a little painful, with too much chafing and bouncing. Plus, I neglected to put on sun block, and I was really feeling the heat.
After our ride, we had lunch at a place near the docks which also had a nice view of the lake. I had two small tortillas with chicken, potatoes, and veggies for only a $1.30! While eating, a tiny and friendly Mayan woman came by with an assortment of baked goods. We all bought something from her, since each mini loaf cost about $.65. We got some chocolate bread and carrot bread. They were good, but a little weak on flavor.
When we got back to San Marcos that afternoon, we checked into our new place for the night. Matt and Amy always stay here and for good reason. It's called Aaculaax and, again, my guide book describes it best as "An astonishing labor of love, this fantasy echo hotel was built by an eccentric German visionary craftsman from thousands of recycled bottles and wood, with stained-glass detailing and giant glass butterflies doubling as lampshades. Most rooms (ours did) have hand painted murals and bathrooms. It has to be seen." It was so cool and we'll definitely take any of you there who to come to see us.
(Views of the bathroom)
The marimba is the national instrument of Guatemala, and we were able to see some performers during our first trip to Antigua. Here's a video clip of them in action. (Unfortunately, this was shot on our digital camera and not our actual camcorder, so the quality is not the best.)
Friday, Aug. 31Friday night Beth and I and a group of another six went to a trendy and fun section of Guatemala City called Cuatro Grados Norte. It's basically a 4-block loop full of bars and restaurants. Lots of people were out, with reggaetón thumping out of every bar ("so hot right now"), and we all felt very safe walking around and exploring. We ate at an American-themed restaurant called "Friend's," which we found funny since it implies the possession of only one friend, thus losing the feeling of comradery they were probably going for. The food was decent, but the location was good as it was directly across the street from the music venue, El Bode, that we were going to afterwards.
The art teacher at school used to sing with this Gipsy Kings (and other Latin musicians) cover band called Unicornio (Spanish for "unicorn") and she invited us all out to see them. Being fans of the Gipsy Kings, we were immediately down and excited for the show. We got there early, right after dinner, with about an hour to kill before the show began (which is when we explored Cuatro Grados Norte). The stage was neat--multi-tiered and high up, so you could really see everyone performing. And this was a big band, with 8 or 9 members playing guitars, drums, bongos, keyboard, etc. And the best part was that they sounded great! They were all really talented and had the crowd going--lots of people sang and clapped along, and a group of a dozen or more crowded the front to dance. We headed home around midnight as we had to be up early to move in to our new place.
Saturday, Sept. 1
We were up early to prepare for the movers who were coming from the school to help us move in to our new apartment. Being on Guatemalan time, they of course didn't show up right when we expected them, but that's OK as we had more time to sit around and chat with Randy and Iniyal (who were also waiting for movers (theirs showed up two+ hours late!)). They came in a full sized yellow school bus, which was not what we were expecting, but it turned out great as we filled it up with the boxes of stuff we purchased from the librarian who didn't return this school year. We couldn't get our couch though as it was being held in another staff member's apartment, and the guards at her complex wouldn't allow the school bus to go through (we are supposed to get it today, though).
Once we had everything, we headed over to our new place and, with the help of our friendly doorman, Joel, unloaded it all in the parking garage next to the elevator. From there, we got everything up to our fifth floor place in six or seven elevator trips. The apartment is really nice and we're both so excited to live here. The owner of the place just moved to London to study for a year (which likely means we'll have to move out next summer when he returns), and he was nice enough to leave us his two couches, two end tables, coffee table, entertainment center, and microwave (in addition to the other major appliances). So that helped us be immediately set up and save some money!
*Soon we will post a video tour of our place!*
That afternoon we cabbed it over to Price Smart, which is basically a Guatemalan Sam's Club (and probably owned by Wal-Mart). We purchased our one-year membership and went to shopping so we could get all the needed food and household items. After nearly an hour of combing through the big aisles and weaving in and out of all the people, we finally got in line to buy everything. Once we were all rang up, I handed him my VISA to pay for it all and the card was promptly rejected. The cashier tried it another couples times and then my other credit card. Still no luck. Now we were feeling the dozens of eyes on our backs all wondering why these gringos were holding up the line. Thankfully, a friendly manager took us aside to assist and the others behind us could carry on. The manager called the credit card company and, in our limited understanding of what he was explaining, the amount charged was denied. Defeated and embarrassed, we picked up the essentials we could afford with the cash on hand (one of the essentials being a pound bag of Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips...mmmm!). We found our already-waiting cab (who had been running the meter while were sorting out the credit card mess), and took an expensive ride home. Needless to say, we were bummed and feeling irritable when we got home. We had planned to go to a couple's place that evening for "Quizamajig," a trivia game event they host every six weeks or so, but were not in the mood for socializing. Instead, we made dinner with what we could, settled in, and watched Batman Begins.
(I got the credit card problem resolved yesterday, by the way. They thought it was fraudulent, being a charge out of the U.S. (even though just a week prior I spoke to someone about our situation and to set up our PIN...oh well)).
Sunday, Sept. 2
Sunday morning...I think we just lazed around. We had planned to go to school at 2 to play Ultimate Frisbee, but the rains came in and dashed away our plans. That evening we did go to the Union Church (the only English-speaking, Christian church service we know of) and really, really enjoyed it. I wasn't in the mood to go with the rain making me feel lethargic, but I was so glad we went. It was an informal service, with groups of four to five sitting at tables, in an expansive room just off the sanctuary. There was a fire going in a large, stone fireplace, and each table had a candle burning at it; it was a nice ambiance. The pastor was very likable, and we met some friendly, talkative locals. We sang just two or three songs from our seats (old songs I hadn't sung or heard since my days in Monett, which I really enjoyed), and then jumped in to the service. The pastor was speaking on the subject of skepticism and would pause every so often with questions for each table to discuss. It was a nice way to interact with our table members. Unfortunately, we had asked our cabbie to come back at 7:15 to pick us up, so we had to duck out a little early as the service wasn't over yet. We were disappointed to leave early as we were fully enjoying it. Beth and I are really excited to have found a church so soon that seems to be a great fit for us, and we are looking forward to going back Sunday!
Other Happenings
We're currently on the hunt for a good used car. We had our hopes up for a Subaru Forrester we were looking at, but a mechanic looked it over yesterday and discouraged me from buying it due to the high level of rust throughout the car. The search continues...
This afternoon we're heading over to sign up at a gym somewhat nearby (40-minute walk away). Being the exercise-lovers that we are, Beth and I are eager to get back into our daily work out routines.
The U.S. Open is underway, and Beth and I enjoyed watching the exciting conclusion to the Haas/Blake match and see Federer steamroll his opponent after losing the first set. I think Hennin plays Serena today, which always makes for a great match. And hopefully Nadal plays, too, as he's our favorite.
This Sunday is the presidential elections of Guatemala. We don't know much about the candidates, but it's exciting to be here for this big occasion.
Hurricane Felix is supposed to hit Guatemala tomorrow, and the city is expected to receive a lot of rain. I don't believe we're in any danger, but please be praying for our safety nonetheless, and of course for all those who have already and will be affected by it.
Check our Flickr account as I'm uploading pictures of our recent trip to Panajachel (which Beth is still planning to write about... : )
