After touring the city for a day and a half, we were struck by a few things:
- GUNS... everywhere. It seems that every entryway, store, bank, and parking lot had a security guard armed with a gun of some type. We met a Swiss girl today who accurately commented that standing near a police officer or guard armed with a gun does not necessarily make you feel safe in this country; it is intimidating & slightly frightening
- The weather is perfect... around 25C during the day and cools off at night to a comfortable temperature for sleeping
- Guatemala City is shockingly clean, maybe even cleaner than Calgary; the cars are spotless but the drivers are LOCO!
- We need to learn more Spanish...
- WiFi is abundant... it's amazing how easy it is to stay connected. Jody & I have both noticed what a different trip this is from the last time we each traveled in 2005 - gone are the days of overpriced Internet cafe's and sporadic emails
- the 'cafe con leche' is 'muy bien' (and my hair is a perma 'fro)!
We are now in the town of Antigua which is about 40 minutes from Guatemala City but seems like a whole new world. It is quaint and a bit more touristy, nestled in between 3 (inactive) volcanoes with cobblestone streets. We are loving the rooftop terraces with their refreshing breezes and relaxing views.Tonight we made dinner - for $10US we had delicious chorizo sausage, rice, fresh green peas and avocados, a wee bit of chocolate for dessert, and a 6-pack of 'Carta Blanca' cervezas (Dad: aka "SREEB"). Life is good, despite a slight sunburn on my right arm.
