Intercontinental Hotels Real Guatemala Guatemala City

... just had a rather frightening experience in the pitch black loo.

We arrived in Flores at 7am and were immediately offered a free taxi to ‘Los Amigos’ the hostel which came highly recommended.

Lessons learnt – ‘English clean’ and ‘Guatemala clean’ are different things. In Guatemala clean is if it doesn’t come off with your fingernail…. The mug Jon gave me to drink my beer out of was not Guatemala clean.

... liquor. We hitched a ride on several tuk-tuks back to the house and then got in our bathing suits. We sat by the pool while having a few beers before grilling out. Thomas and Bri were the grill-masters for the night and the rest of us prepared the food inside. It was nice to be able to cook for ourselves since it's been over three months since we have been able to do so. Afterwards some people from S@S that were staying at a nearby house came over to ...

... and purple cloaks, and eating tasty festive goodies. Basically the way this whole Lent/Holy Week thing works is that different communities around Antigua walk down floats, featuring floats with Christ, Virgin Mary and other Biblical figures, each Sunday of the month of Lent, culminating in the fantastical week of Easter. Tradition has it that the bearers of the floats and, well, all involved dress in robes and garb decorated according ...

... the way to the volcano, even though I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. It was hot, and at one point Franz asked if I had any water. The fool had forgotten to bring any on the trek. I said no, even though I had two litres in my backpack, because I didn´t want to catch any diseases. "We should of brought water" said Franz. "I`m dehydrated as hell". "Well, hell is pretty dehydrated." I said. Franz said he wouldn`t ...

... to look as if I didnt know him. Incidentally, there do seem to be a lot of drug dealers here in Guatemala. Its much like Stockwell. Except that rather than living in cramped council flats, these guys have built massive villas with pools in the jungle. You can see them as you fly into Guatemala City. The flight was ok, but the surfleit of Americans on board meant that we had to sit through an unnecessary round of applause on landing. I always ...

... nuestra compañera que después de un rato nos dejo por un grupo de turistas gringos.....



Nos subimos en un guajolojet con destino a Guate city, donde nos esparaba nuestra querida anfitriona del Couchsurfing Maria Andre, nos presentó a su familia, comimos una rico caldo de gallina, y nos llevó a conocer la peligrosisima Guate City, visitamos su zocalito y fuimos a una zona gringa de taco bells y burguer kings a tomar un cafecito y ...

... We just finished dinner (eggs, beans, fried bananas, and fresh lemonade) and are now starting to get ready to call it a night. We both have some computer work to do and some phone calls to make. Tomorrow sounds like it will be another long day. I almost forgot to mention that there is a nice Christmas tree set up in entranceway to Dos Lunas. I will try to get a picture of it in the morning.

... periodically large, sharp rocks were sent down the slope by the climbers above. When we reached the lava flow, we climbed on top of hardened rocks that only days ago had been lava. Underneath, you could see the red glow of the molten rock that still flowed below. I got within a few meters of the lava flow, and am proud to say that I was only slightly paranoid that the crust we were all standing on would ...

... where I had not even intended to go. We got to a random deserted bus parking lot at midnight - there were (official) taxis around but and the nice girl told me I couldn't take one to find a hotel because even licensed taxi drivers will rob or kidnap you given half a chance. Her brothers were coming to get her so they took me to a hostel and took her and her mum home. Cannot imagine what I would have done if I hadn't met her ...

... to Livingston, Garifuna (black Carib) country on the Caribbean coast, inspired by the success of world music artists Andy Palacio and others. I approach world music like I used to approach world crafts, as if you could just find something you like and cut a deal. In retrospect it probably doesn’t work like that, but who knows? Maybe it can, even if it usually doesn’t. It’ll have to wait a day or two, though, because no buses ...