Hola Todos! Angie and I are back in Guatemala City, or as the locals call it “Guate”. Lake Atitlan was beautiful! After having some fun in San Pedro we took a boat over to Panajachel. It was long boat trip from one side to the other, but it was incredible; mountains and volcanoes lined every shore. Panajachel is supposedly the best town on the lake, but in retrospect; I really enjoyed San Pedro a lot more. San Pedro was much quieter and more intertwined with nature. Panajachel was actually very touristy; shops, restaurants, and hotels were as far as the eyes could see. We did enjoy a really great meal at the Sunset Café, and it really did have the best view of the sun setting over the Lake. On the other hand, we managed to find the worst hotel in town that night. With the door and windows shut it sounded as if we were sleeping outside on the street. Loud car engines and blaring reggaeton music made my dreams a bit cloudy. When it got to be about four in the morning we discovered that Panajachel has a very large population of roosters. They would take turns crowing in their many various ways, and it almost seemed as if they were having a citywide conversation with each other. The most social of the birds was the one across the street from us; it kept chatting until about noon.
Still half zombie later that morning, we found this great little coffee shop called “The Crossroads Café”. Michael, the owner of the café, was a wonderful guy. He was friendly, inviting, and wore a great big smile. There was no question that he was happy and loved his job. Everyone in the café was from somewhere different, and all were swapping their tales of travel. The Americans were conversing about in what direction our country may be headed under it’s new presidency. We met some really cool people there. Michael even took some time to show us a hidden room behind a swinging bookshelf where he stores and roasts all the coffee. By far, they sell the best cup of coffee in town, and his wife’s homemade cinnamon rolls were to die for. If you are ever in Pana look it up!
We bussed back to Guate and are surfing the couches again. We waited to get off the bus until the last stop; it was far into the city in a safer area. Angie and I were the last two people left on, but there is no way we could have known that the taxi drivers were on the hunt. As soon as the bus came to a halt they came swarming on. They shoved past one another down the isle while others hurdled the bus seats, and all yelling “TAXI, TAXI, TAXI” as they rushed towards us. We jumped out the back door and there were more. We were surrounded by at least twenty of them; all in our face, trying to take our bags, and desperate for our fare. We had the bus driver pick out one that he trusted. It was a sad and scary experience; people must really compete for a living here.
We are staying with a young guy named Harold and his girlfriend Stephanie. They are wonderful host and very welcoming. The house is cozy with a few extra rooms, and a hot shower (a Latin American luxury). He lived in Jersey for many years before coming to Guatemala and teaches English down here now. The only favor he asks of us is to help with a few classes while we stay with him, which we are more than happy to do. We are naturally teaching them salsa as well. In his classes he introduces us as the “NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS THAT HAVE COME ALL THE WAY DOWN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO ASIST THEM”. What is funny is that they actually get nervous talking to us. The only thing that is kind of strange about being here at Harold’s is his cat.
Harold has seen his cat, Moonlight, through about five pregnancies, and always has trouble finding homes for the kittens. Getting her fixed is very expensive in Guatemala. Moonlight is in heat and Harold has decided that this time she’s staying in the house. All day and all night the cat screams loudly in hopes that a lover will hear her; it almost sound like human cries of suffering. She wanders all around the house looking for some way out, and when she finally gives up her search she squirms violently in circles on the floor screaming in hormonal rage. It's only funny, however, for about the first twenty minutes. On the subject of pets, it’s a kind of sad environment for them here. There really are tons of stray dogs and cats. There was a group of us on our way home from El Nahual in Xela when a pack of well over fifteen dogs surrounded us just to join us on our way down the road. The dogs here are like some kind of sub culture. Dogs don’t really bark or bother you, they keep to themselves as if they have there own lives and agendas to attend to. The worst part is that people here have taken pest control into their own hands. Many people feed the stray animals poisoned food. Harold just buried a poisoned cat that he was unable to nurse back to health; they’re hunted by dogs and poisoned by the people. I don’t know where they can begin to solve these problems.
Guatemala City is the biggest, most populated, and most industrious city in Central America…or so I read. You can almost feel the congestion as you sit in the cramped traffic. We head are headed back to Antigua, Guatemala to volunteer with an organization for two weeks starting this Wednesday. I think it will be nice to be back in a smaller town where you get to most places by foot again. It is hard to get around without a vehicle in Guate. Soon after that it’s on to Honduras as we continue south. Much love to everyone!!
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