Escuela Española en Antigua

Hills above Antigua

Somewhere along the way, between the conception of this trip, and the eventual start back on October 3, someone suggested I consider learning to speak Spanish. Wonderful idea, even given my inability to pickup ANY new languages in my life.

After a little research, we discovered that the old colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala is one of the world's largest centres for Spanish language training.

And, like most of the plans that have ever crossed my feeble mind, it passed out of the memory of man, like a certain long lost ring.

So, to make a long story short .. (I know.. too late, eh!) .. when I landed in Antigua the other day, after following a tip from a guy I met at the border, the decision to learn a least pequeño Español resurfaced.

Rebecca stays at school

My view while walking to school

I'm signed up for 5 days of classes, 4 hours per day with Centro Linguistico Maya, and moved out of the hotel to stay with a local family.

My homestay

(For those concerned, I'm being fed three solid squares a day. Nice.)

Mi profesora on the roof of the school

More to come. Send all the positive vibes, and "Lord, please help this boy learn" prayers you can ....

Look closely ... Volcan Fuego is active today!

I feel kind of badly that I haven't given as much space in this blog to Rebecca. Yesterday we rode down to Guatemala City to get some work done.

I must say that the roads in Guatemala are top-notch -- especially in their capital city. The signage is excellent, even for an Inglesi-phile like myself. The only problem is the outrageously out-of-control pollution spewing from the tailpipes of the vehicles here. I think I'll do a separate post on the chicken buses..

Back to 'becca..

While I waited in the ultra-posh digs of the Volvo/Kawasaki/Renault/You-Name-The-Chines-Brand-They-Got-It dealership surfing the Net and playing video games, they changed the rear brake, flushed both brake lines, and did a full oil change, including a new filter. Total bill -- $777.45 Quetzales (CAN $99.30)


Update: I don't think they actually flushed the brakes lines. To do so, they would have had to open both brake fluid reservoirs, right? And to do that, you'd HAVE to at least brush them off before opening them up, right? Given the state 'becca's in -- ANY bit of cleaning up would just stand out.

Sadly, it looks like this got missed -- at least on the front brakes.

Man, I hope that was just an honest mistake. The folks there didn't seem to be crooked, or nickel-and-dimers in the least. I hope my Spidey senses are still working. I didn't feel a tingle...