It’s been raining for three days straight now. And when I say that it’s been raining, I mean pouring so hard that some people’s houses are now underwater. I’m lucky that I live at the top of a hill, because our apartment has managed to escape most of the damage. But even so, our living… Read More A Volcano Erupted and Our House is Flooded
I’ve moved apartments and relocated to a new city, but that hasn’t stopped the bugs from tracking me down. Somehow they’ve all gotten wind of my change of address and have been showing up in droves in the last few days. You may remember the last surprise visitor that crawled into bed with me. Well,… Read More Yet Another Surprise Visitor
If you’re sitting in some cafe in Haight-Ashbury and wondering to yourself where all the hippies have gone (like the REAL hippies, not the third-generation-urban-outfit-wearing posers), well, I have an answer for that: Guatemala. While Guatemala doesn’t even register on most people’s radars (“like, is that a city in Mexico?” – is the usual question… Read More The Hippies in Guatemala
I’m beginning to realize now that when a Guatemalan says that we’re going for a walk and that the walk will be easy and only last an hour, what he really means is that we’re going on a two-hour-long vertical climb up the side of the mountain. And that the climb will be anything but… Read More The Height of Entertainment in Guatemala
What was once an ‘adventure’ is now just hard work; a ginormous pain in the butt. A couple of weekends ago I went to Chichicastenango (try saying that five times fast) to see the largest market in Latin America. Besides hundreds of rainbow-colored blankets and handbags, the list of items vendors tried to sell me… Read More Thoughts on Being a Jaded Traveler
Photo source In my pocket-sized Spanish phrase-book, there’s a list of important phrases that you might need should you find yourself in an emergency in Latin America. Useful phrases like “Se me extraviaron los checks de viajero ” (“I’ve lost my traveler’s checks.” – Who carries traveler’s checks anymore?) and “Me ahogo” (“I’m drowning”. – Um, wouldn’t… Read More Phrases You Won’t Find in Your Spanish Phrase Book
I could show you pictures of the crumbling Spanish colonial churches or the view of the volcano from the famous Arch of Santa Catalina, but that would be like visiting Paris and showing you a picture of the Eiffel tower. Lame. So here are some photos of the McDonald’s instead. Even as touristy as this… Read More Fast-Food Chains in Antigua, Guatemala
So it won’t be on an episode of Cribs anytime soon (even the Guatemalan version), but my new apartment is not without it’s perks. The most important being that it’s near the center (read: safe) part of the city and it’s still reasonably priced. It certainly beats the last two places I rented when I… Read More My New Crib
Yesterday I hiked four miles up an active volcano. In the pouring rain. And during a lighting storm. It was one of those experiences that you only appreciate after it’s all over and you’re back in the safety of your apartment; warm, dry, comfy in your pajamas and drinking a hot cup of tea. Because… Read More The Hike from Hell