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...

Central Mexico to Guatemala

It's a long road..

Oaxaca is one of the greatest cultural centers of Mexico. Some consider it the heart of the history of the country and it's founding peoples. Sadly I didn't capture much of that. It was a quick in and out for me.

Cathedral on the road to Oaxaca

The city is quite chilly, being as high up as Denver, Colorado in the US (aka the 'Mile High city')

Waiting room of a government office

Another view of that waiting room..

A local school trip

Protest art in the zocalo

Tuesday in the zocalo

Tapachucla, MX
Once again I found myself at an auto-motel, this time though, the sun had already set, so I had no options to find another place.

And lucky me! This turned out to be one of the best places I have stayed anywhere along the trip -- US and Canada included!

- Completely secure, finished and brightly-lit garage
- working AC
- hidden speakers playing light jazz music throughout the room
- glorious bathroom with HOT water and a bidet!
- a brand new comfy, removable hammock in the middle of the room


Sadly, more border madness crossing out of Mexico. I should have expected the place where they cancel the bike Import Permit to be 20 km from the border, on the side of the road for traffic ENTERING the country...

Well .. Mexico is over for me.


Guatemala
Crossing into Guatemala someone stole my camera. That's pretty bad news, as I really like that camera -- a Sony Cybershot DSC-WX1 (I think..) Hence no pics of the room last night... :(

Sadly, it also means the photo quality will be quite rough from here on in.

The real bummer though was that (the same dude, or another) someone stole the TT $1 I had taped to the inside of my windshield. The sad thing is that it's going to be completely worthless to them. There's nowhere within 2,000 miles to change TT money. Losing that symbol of my ultimate destination really bummed me out ...

Antigua centro

Good news though. At the border I spoke to some Guatemalans heading north to Oaxaca. They suggested I stay in the hotel across the street from their restaurant in downtown Antigua. I'm always up for taking recommendations

The Hotel Posada San Vicente on 6th Avenida Sur in Antigua is gorgeous. If you are ever in this town, do yourself a favour and book a room for a night or two!

And be SURE to dine at the Saberico restaurant across the street. Talk about rosmantic! Guaranteed to make you a star with that special someone in your world.

In my case, I was dining with Clay, an ex-Outlaw biker from Florida. Wonderful man.

Local dancers in the Chichicastenango Market

The next day we took the bus tour to the Chichicastenango market.

The rest of this week I will be in Spanish school 4 hours a day. Let's see what sticks in the ole' noggin :)

Nnenna from D.C.

And as a special bonus of bonuses -- the day after I had a chat with Nnenna in the market about the lack of brothers traveling abroad -- I run into part of a group of FIFTY brothers from Morehouse College on tour of Central America as part of the Semester at Sea program.

Morehouse in the house!

Oh be still my beating heart!! :)