Lying by a pool in 100 degree heat surrounded by the deep jungle of the Peten region of Guatemala doesn't seem like such a bad way to spend the day, especially in November. So I push the guilty feelings about my lack of productivity to the back of my mind, and excuse my laziness by promising myself that I will write a new blog, and organise some photos. . .and if I happen to tan and drink a cocktail or 2 while i accomplish these tasks. . well. . . its a hard life, you know.
Over a month has passed since I left the UK, to restart what I now call my Gap Life- I should footnote Vanessa on this, as she introduced me to the expression-.
The past 2 weeks in Guatemala have been an unforgettable experience. From the moment I arrived to roads blocked off by landslides, and chicken buses tearing round corners on 2 wheels I was excited to know what would lie ahead. And I wasn't dissappointed. Arriving into Panajachel, on the shores of lake Atitlan as the sun set behind the volcano ringed lake, I knew I'd arrived somewhere pretty special. My first night in san Pedro La Laguna was incredible. I did NOT, and I mean did NOT speak more than 5 words of Spanish, yet somehow as I sat with Issac, Elsa and their son Henry, eating tortillas and frijoles in the dim light of the kitchen as various members of their family popped in and out, I developed an ability to converse in Spanish. They are amazing people, who have come through hard times recently. Their daughter died 6 months ago, nobody knows why. I could really see the pain and sadness in their eyes, and I know when they talked to me about her it was difficult for them, Im sure in some ways having me around reminded me of her, and I felt a real connection and love for them the more time I spent with them
It is humbling to be in a country were a 22 year old goes to bed sick for a few days, and never recovers, again Im reminded how lucky we are to have access to the things we ofen take for granted and indeed complain about, and also, to see people live so simply yet so contentedly. They really have so much faith in God, and interestingly I read that the reason Evangelicalism is so popular here is that the women encourage it as it stops the men from cheating gambling and drinking, which goes to show that women are pretty savvy and usually can figure out a way to keep their men in check!! And it works. Issac and Elsa are really close,and their son is my age, and spends alot of his free time singing in the church, or with his parents. He is really smart, and is studying economics in Guatemala City.
The whole family seemed really happy to have me there, and for us to share each others experiences. Which included 24 hour evangelical gospel music being blasted through the house, and some awkward quetions. . ."so Lorraine you go to church right, which one. . .and in Scotland is it true that girls sleep with boys before they get married. In Guatemala your mother would beat you" My response was generally "uhhhh. . . no entiendo" ( I dont understand) Its useful to play dumb sometimes;)
It was also a throwback to being at home with maw and paw Close as they were so worried every time I left the house and Im sure Elsa didn't sleep until I returned home every night. I made some good friend there too, as Guy and Nakata the other boys that stayed with me were really good guys, and we definitely shared some giggles round the table as we were served up yet another plate of tortillas, beans, potatoes and rice, and Guy was bombarded with more questions about Old Testament stories from Israel while Nakata tried to teach himself to like chillis !!
Spanish school is amazing. My teacher Teresa has taught me so much in a short time, and she doesn't speak any English forcing me to speak and comprehend Spanish. we spend 4 hours a day 5 days a week one on one in a beautiful garden, or walking around San Pedro chit chatting about anything and everything. Its funny the common thoughts that cross all borders (malo chicos-bad boys), but also the ones that don't such as the day Teresa comes to school saying she is very sad because her friend had a dream that she go run over, which means it will happen that day. Of course the next day she comes skipping into school, and I'm like "so. . . your alive then. . ." She had forgotton all about it! The rest of the teachers at Escuela Mayab are fabulous too and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn Spanish in an immersion setting in one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.
San Pedro is a great little town with the right balance of culture, and a travelling scene if you want it. I can eat with my family one night, and then go get pizza and watch a movie or chat with English speakers, if I feel like it, and sometimes it nice to have that option. Its also really easy to avoid the dropouts and hippies that line the streets,and can be off putting to some, but as you know I like to mix it up and have definitely had some fun times hanging out with them ! The lake is great with lots of amazing hiking, yoga kayaking swmming and horseriding, ad all the surrounding villages are special in their own way . There really never is a moment when you need to be bored, and starting your day with a sunrise hike, then yoga and ending it galloping alongside the lake before jumping in for a swim as the sun starts to set is a pretty incredible way to spend your time.
I will return there for another month after this brief intermission for a week of sightseeing and beachbumming in Guatemala and Belize, with my friend Shannon who has decided its time for another week long holiday to the other side of the world. . .if she very makes her connection that is. . . In the meantime Im happy waiting for her by the pool, especially as my Margharita has just arrived!!!
Friday 14 November 2008
A Rapid Journey through America and Mexico
This blog is going to be a bit narrative, so I apologise in advance for the lack depth of thought but trying to describe 3 weeks of non stop travel get a bit like that.
Usurprisingly my intended week in San Francisco quickly became 2, then almost 3 thanks to a major disaster with Delta airlines who I will unashamedly say are the worst airline in the world and NOBODY should EVER have the misfortune to fly with them. I just hope their legal team are as useless as they are or I'll be facing a lawsuit for slander. . .
San Francisco is amazing. Its the first place I've been for a really long time that I could imagine living long term, with some kind of routine. Anything goes, everything is available, and on every corner there is an eclectic mix of people, just being, being themselves, being who they want to be, being. . . alive and enjoying life.Its a city full of liberal, intelligent forward thinking people, and I think my friends there, and all the people I met demonstrate that perfectly. It's also foodie heaven. There are so many places to eat, catering to whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it. The surrounding area is made for outdoor living, with diving, hiking, surfing and kite boarding all within easy distance of the city, and the California coastline is some of the most spectacular I've seen. But the best thing about San Francisco was the people I was with. Julie and Kai, friends I met in Borneo almost 2 years ago, really proved to me that true friendships can be picked up any time any place, and be continued like you saw each other yesterday and they were so good to me, my experience in SF would have been entirely different without them. And Rob, well what can I say, I have no idea what he thought when I moved myself into his apartment, took over his closet, ate his food, stole his music, kicked his ass at surfing AND rock climbing and generally harassed him with my Scottish chit chat, most of which Im fairly sure he didn't understand. But despite all this he certainly looked after me well, showed me some good times both in and out of the city and became a true friend, who I hope to see again soon. It was also great to see some other faces from the past couple of years, namely Sam and Kase, albeit briefly, and to experience people and places I had heard so much about
So, from San Francisco I flew to Mexico City and was truly back in the world of backpacking. It definitely was a little scary, being alone for the first time in a while was strange, arriving in MC at 11pm with no Spanish, no luggage and , worst of all, as any backpacker will know, no lonely planet, was almost enough to put me on a plane straight back to San Francisco, but I soon figured out and gesticulated my way to a hostel in Mexico City. It took a few days to adjust. Being in your own head 24 7 gets a bit tiresome, especially when you' re trying to adjust to a whole new ball game, and take in the experiences that have gone before and anticipate those that lie ahead.
Mexico City was overwhelming as it really is massive, but it was interesting and I strolled around for a few days, checked out the main sights ate many quesidillas as they were the only thing I understood on the menu, and then jumped on a bus and headed south to the mayan ruins of Palenque.
Palenque was pretty cool. Its a massive ancient Mayan town, dating back to 250 BC, and walking around in the jungle, alone for much of the time, stooping under big jungle vines, and climbing over tree trunks to get to some of the more hidden sights was seriously good fun. I emerged from the jungle some hours later, sweaty muddy and a bit dazed, and didn't feel like staying overnight so I got on another bus to the Spanish colonial town of San Cristobel de las Casas. Spent a few days here, chilling, actually more like freezing out, as it was pretty cold here at night, not just normal cold but the kind of cold that seeps into your bones and doesn't leave no matter how many layers you put on. Its an interesting little town though, with some good day trips, a couple of great arthouse cinemas and an interesting feel to it, thanks to the Spanish architecture but largely Mayan population. This town, for those of you who are at all interested, was taken over by the Zapatista revolutionaries in 1994, who were protesting for rights and autonomy for the Mayan people, its still very evident that this happened recently as you wander round the small cobbled streets and browse the bustling Mayan markets that are around town.
Mexico was inetresting but I didn't love it. Its almost a transitioning country from developing country to developed and I found it to be a bit less intense than some places I have been. Also I was keen to get to Guatemala and get some Spanish lessons. And as soon as I arrived at the border to the general chaos of Guatemala, which fits perfectly with my chaotic mind I knew I was onto a good thing.
Usurprisingly my intended week in San Francisco quickly became 2, then almost 3 thanks to a major disaster with Delta airlines who I will unashamedly say are the worst airline in the world and NOBODY should EVER have the misfortune to fly with them. I just hope their legal team are as useless as they are or I'll be facing a lawsuit for slander. . .
San Francisco is amazing. Its the first place I've been for a really long time that I could imagine living long term, with some kind of routine. Anything goes, everything is available, and on every corner there is an eclectic mix of people, just being, being themselves, being who they want to be, being. . . alive and enjoying life.Its a city full of liberal, intelligent forward thinking people, and I think my friends there, and all the people I met demonstrate that perfectly. It's also foodie heaven. There are so many places to eat, catering to whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it. The surrounding area is made for outdoor living, with diving, hiking, surfing and kite boarding all within easy distance of the city, and the California coastline is some of the most spectacular I've seen. But the best thing about San Francisco was the people I was with. Julie and Kai, friends I met in Borneo almost 2 years ago, really proved to me that true friendships can be picked up any time any place, and be continued like you saw each other yesterday and they were so good to me, my experience in SF would have been entirely different without them. And Rob, well what can I say, I have no idea what he thought when I moved myself into his apartment, took over his closet, ate his food, stole his music, kicked his ass at surfing AND rock climbing and generally harassed him with my Scottish chit chat, most of which Im fairly sure he didn't understand. But despite all this he certainly looked after me well, showed me some good times both in and out of the city and became a true friend, who I hope to see again soon. It was also great to see some other faces from the past couple of years, namely Sam and Kase, albeit briefly, and to experience people and places I had heard so much about
So, from San Francisco I flew to Mexico City and was truly back in the world of backpacking. It definitely was a little scary, being alone for the first time in a while was strange, arriving in MC at 11pm with no Spanish, no luggage and , worst of all, as any backpacker will know, no lonely planet, was almost enough to put me on a plane straight back to San Francisco, but I soon figured out and gesticulated my way to a hostel in Mexico City. It took a few days to adjust. Being in your own head 24 7 gets a bit tiresome, especially when you' re trying to adjust to a whole new ball game, and take in the experiences that have gone before and anticipate those that lie ahead.
Mexico City was overwhelming as it really is massive, but it was interesting and I strolled around for a few days, checked out the main sights ate many quesidillas as they were the only thing I understood on the menu, and then jumped on a bus and headed south to the mayan ruins of Palenque.
Palenque was pretty cool. Its a massive ancient Mayan town, dating back to 250 BC, and walking around in the jungle, alone for much of the time, stooping under big jungle vines, and climbing over tree trunks to get to some of the more hidden sights was seriously good fun. I emerged from the jungle some hours later, sweaty muddy and a bit dazed, and didn't feel like staying overnight so I got on another bus to the Spanish colonial town of San Cristobel de las Casas. Spent a few days here, chilling, actually more like freezing out, as it was pretty cold here at night, not just normal cold but the kind of cold that seeps into your bones and doesn't leave no matter how many layers you put on. Its an interesting little town though, with some good day trips, a couple of great arthouse cinemas and an interesting feel to it, thanks to the Spanish architecture but largely Mayan population. This town, for those of you who are at all interested, was taken over by the Zapatista revolutionaries in 1994, who were protesting for rights and autonomy for the Mayan people, its still very evident that this happened recently as you wander round the small cobbled streets and browse the bustling Mayan markets that are around town.
Mexico was inetresting but I didn't love it. Its almost a transitioning country from developing country to developed and I found it to be a bit less intense than some places I have been. Also I was keen to get to Guatemala and get some Spanish lessons. And as soon as I arrived at the border to the general chaos of Guatemala, which fits perfectly with my chaotic mind I knew I was onto a good thing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)