On traveling solo

When I told people that I was going to be traveling solo during part of this trip to Merida, some felt sad for me and many were concerned for my safety.   While I love traveling with my fish friend and would not trade one single experience traveling with her, I can honestly say that traveling solo has been a very unique experience.  I have loved every minute of it.  

First of all, when I am with Julie, I tend to depend on her for most communication in Spanish.  The five days we were together in Guatemala, I did a lot more listening than speaking.  In a way, this was good for me because I haven't really spoken Spanish full time in many years.  I found that I understood a lot, but the vocabulary I needed wasn't coming to me until I heard Julie use it.  Since I first arrived in Merida, I have been speaking and listening almost 100% of the time.  It's not easy, but there is already a big improvement.

Another great reason for traveling solo is that you meet people that you might not otherwise meet.  Some examples:

1. Vendors in the market - When I speak Spanish, they initiate conversations.  They ask a few questions like where I'm from and what do I do, but then they begin to tell me about themselves.  Many are from nearby villages and come to town to sell their produce.  One man told me all about the difference between Haas avocados and giant Yucatecan avocados as well as the best season for them.  There was a Mayan woman sitting on the floor with a basket of papaya, she was asking, "Who wants papaya?"  When I said, "Yo lo quiero. (I want some)." She gave me a big toothless smile and picked out the most amazing papaya for me.  Meridianos are also very proud of their city and want to know if you love it as much as they do.  

2. People in cafes - A woman near my table was coughing because the habanero sauce that is typical of the region was too caliente.  I checked to see if she was ok and a conversation ensued.  She was in Merida on vacation and is a preschool teacher from the neighboring state of Campeche.  We had a nice chat.  The next day after a little shopping, I stopped at an outdoor cafe for lunch.  The maitre'd separated a table from three older men having coffee so I could sit down.  The men welcomed me and asked a question or two.  Soon a fourth man arrived and the only place for him to sit was with me, so I offered him the seat.  It turns out three are retired and one still works as an actor.  They are old friends and meet every day at noon for coffee and talk.  A couple of them had worked in the US at one time, but said they prefer Mexico.  They joked with each other and told me about the changes in the city since I had last visited.  It was a fun time and I hope to run into them again before I leave.  

I will write about more observations in other posts.

Day 1 - Arrival in Guatemala

Internet was a problem in Guatemala and there was very little down time, so it was difficult to blog.  I will try to catch up on the highlights.  

My part of the trip to Guatemala, although long, was mostly smooth going.  Julie had some delays, but thanks to some kind Aeromexico employees, we made our flight to Guatemala City.  La Aurora airport is one of the cleanest I've traveled through and the people are very polite.  Our Gate 1 bus was there to pick us up along with others on the tour.  We were transferred to Barcelo hotel a short distance away and had a bird's eye view of the planes taking off.  Actually, they were at eye level on the 8th floor!  

Since there was no meeting with our tour guide, we asked the hotel for a restaurant recommendation and were directed to Kacao, a typical Guatemalan and fusion restaurant.  We were a bit early, but they kindly welcomed us into a beautiful palapa-covered tropical paradise.  The food was amazing and the service excelente.   We both had delicious squash raviolis in a cream sauce.  By the time we left, the place was busy and everyone recommended Kacao before any other restaurant.

We crossed a few busy streets and I noticed that unlike Chico where you have 10 seconds to cross a street, you have about a minute.  They have digital signs to let you know how much time before the light changes.  While they drive fast, Guatecas generally drive within their lane as opposed to the middle of the road like Mexicanos.

Off to bed early for our morning trip to Antigua and Chichicastenang.

Saludos de Guatemala

Vamanos!

Bienvenidos a Julie!

Boat ride to Tortuguero in Costa Rica 2009

retroceso de la pura vida en Costa Rica Nov. 2008

Un poquito dinero

I love foreign currency.  It's so much more colorful than US currency.  With the exchange rates in Latin America, it feels like you have more money than you actually do.  Of course, it's all relative.  Lately, a few countries have been switching up their bills from paper to plastic.  It's more difficult to counterfit and more durable.  Both Guatemala and Mexico have made the switch.

Currency can be a little history lesson too, with local heros, buildings, and other symbols of national significance.   I'm ready with a small amount of Guatemalan Quetzales to get me to the hotel, tips and other snall expenses.