Upon arriving in Guatemala, I felt as if I was in a mini-Quito. Immediately I felt at home with the wretched smell of diesel and the winding highways through the bright green mountains and volcanoes in the distance. My driver took me through Guatemala City, then by Antigua, and finally up the mountain to a small town called El Hato. We were held up a bit when the locals wouldn't budge from their festival in the middle of the road. Mario, the driver, dropped me at the head of a dirt trail and wished me luck as I headed 300 meters downhill.
I arrived at Earth Lodge and couldn't believe my eyes. I had seen plenty of photos but nothing compares to real life. The property is majestic with a view of the city down below and volcanoes in plain sight. The staff gave me a warm welcome, complete with a special drink they call a New Mexican Wildcat: pineapple juice, ginger ale & (drum roll please...) jalapeño infused vodka. The first few sips were rough but after a few more my sinuses cleared and I began to enjoy this outrageous beverage. It was a very appropriate induction to a hostel that runs its reception from behind the bar.
There are two dogs on the property who are very handsome/beautiful. A cat roams around too but steers clear of the German Shepherd who is quite intimidating. He sits and stares a lot; either at the cat or a deflated soccer ball. The other pup sleeps on her back, just like my Stewie, with her paws in the air and belly bare, just begging to be rubbed.
The staff is from all over: Holland, France, Canada, Scotland & various parts in the US. They're a lovely bunch but a lot of them are at the end of their volunteer stint & are heading home in the next week or two.
Dinner was pasta with capers, garbanzo beans, garlic bread and salad... ¡Qué rico! My pasta had ham in it but it didn't taste quite like the ham I'm used to. This morning my bacon had the same taste which led me to believe I might be a vegetarian on this trip (Just kidding! I had chicken in town today and it was delicious).
After breakfast I took the shuttle into town, checked into a hostel cleverly named El Hostal, and then began to explore. I went to the local market and was amazed by the range of products sold. From underwear to raw meat, the market offered everything. The main product sold is fresh fruit which fills the market with vibrant colors.
I continued to walk aimlessly for a few hours and found myself in the park a couple of times. At one point I was offered coffee and when I responded "No gracias", the vendor stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around and asked if I was Cuban... That was a first! He then introduced himself as Cutie and sat down to tell me his life story. Cutie moved to Miami, converted to Judaism & then moved to Israel to enlist in the army. We talked quite a bit about Israel before I said "Hasta luego" and moved to the shade.
I've spent the afternoon lounging in the hostel, waiting for the rain and clouds to pass. Tomorrow I'm going to Lake Atitlán for a few days before I start my work at Earth Lodge. Many more stories to come... Stay tuned!
I arrived at Earth Lodge and couldn't believe my eyes. I had seen plenty of photos but nothing compares to real life. The property is majestic with a view of the city down below and volcanoes in plain sight. The staff gave me a warm welcome, complete with a special drink they call a New Mexican Wildcat: pineapple juice, ginger ale & (drum roll please...) jalapeño infused vodka. The first few sips were rough but after a few more my sinuses cleared and I began to enjoy this outrageous beverage. It was a very appropriate induction to a hostel that runs its reception from behind the bar.
There are two dogs on the property who are very handsome/beautiful. A cat roams around too but steers clear of the German Shepherd who is quite intimidating. He sits and stares a lot; either at the cat or a deflated soccer ball. The other pup sleeps on her back, just like my Stewie, with her paws in the air and belly bare, just begging to be rubbed.
The staff is from all over: Holland, France, Canada, Scotland & various parts in the US. They're a lovely bunch but a lot of them are at the end of their volunteer stint & are heading home in the next week or two.
Dinner was pasta with capers, garbanzo beans, garlic bread and salad... ¡Qué rico! My pasta had ham in it but it didn't taste quite like the ham I'm used to. This morning my bacon had the same taste which led me to believe I might be a vegetarian on this trip (Just kidding! I had chicken in town today and it was delicious).
After breakfast I took the shuttle into town, checked into a hostel cleverly named El Hostal, and then began to explore. I went to the local market and was amazed by the range of products sold. From underwear to raw meat, the market offered everything. The main product sold is fresh fruit which fills the market with vibrant colors.
I continued to walk aimlessly for a few hours and found myself in the park a couple of times. At one point I was offered coffee and when I responded "No gracias", the vendor stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around and asked if I was Cuban... That was a first! He then introduced himself as Cutie and sat down to tell me his life story. Cutie moved to Miami, converted to Judaism & then moved to Israel to enlist in the army. We talked quite a bit about Israel before I said "Hasta luego" and moved to the shade.
I've spent the afternoon lounging in the hostel, waiting for the rain and clouds to pass. Tomorrow I'm going to Lake Atitlán for a few days before I start my work at Earth Lodge. Many more stories to come... Stay tuned!
RSS Feed