"We need to get away."
That is how the whole thing started. After 2 months in this country and onlyonce leaving the city for Antigua it was due time to put the school behing us and leave the city if even only for the day and night. After some quick consideration we decided Monterrico was where we would go.
The venture began on Friday night with Jimena and I, and 2 chicken buses! I had lost my chicken bus virginity and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. We were able to get on buses that had seats available, so I could sit stare out the window and not let my fear of crowds take over. (I actually even took the chicken bus 20 blocks all by myself!) These rides resulted in our booking of a 6:00 am shuttle to Antigua followed by a 8:00 am shuttle from Antigua to Monterrico.
Saturday morning started way to early! Unfortunately I needed to leave my house around the same time I normally wake up for school, and after 5 days straight of 5:30 am - 5:10 am is not an easy task. 1 extra snooze and I was rushing trying to pack my bag as I had been to lazy to do it the night before. Satisfied I had enough for my day/night away we began our 20 block speedwalk through the earlymorning streets of Zone 9. Which was surprisingly busy for pre-6:00 am on a Saturday (I am not actually sure when some of these people sleep). We hop on our shuttle to Antigua and arrive 40 minutes later. Leaving a little over an hour before our next shuttle. Just enought time for a Guatemalan breakfast, a couple of cups of coffee, and some pictures in central park.
Jimena and I in front of the fountain in Central Park. (Notice the jeans and bunnyhug.)
Forgetting that Monterrico would not be part of the land of eternal spring it never occurred to that jeans might be a bad idea. And that they were, by the time we arrived in Monterrico in our non airconditioned shuttle bus I felt as though my skin was melting and needed to change immediately! A quick change in one of the nastiest bathrooms I have ever stepped into without the influence of alcohol and we were on our way to the beach!
The air was different! We were able to breath for an entire day without the constant fear of losing our lungs and braincells inhaling the black smoke of the chicken buses and the pollution of the city.
Kara braving the dangerous Monterrico waters. The undertow was insane, definately would let any little ones in these waters on their own.
The black sand was amazingly hot! You had to run to the beach in order to keep your feet from burning off.
We sat on the beach as long as we could bear it before the calls of pinacolada were so loud I could no longer tune them out. We proceeded to where the pinacoladas were and spent the next few hours sipping (or guzzling) pinacoladas in some fabulous hammock chairs.
YUMMY!
Kara sipping her pinacolada!
Jimena looking lovely in the Monterrico heat!
Pinacolada, Pinacolada, and Mojito!
After the drinking, came the lunch. And I was at the ocean so I was not scared to try the seafood, so I shrimp it would be! Unfortunately when they arrived they were a little bit scary to look at, as they were whole shrimp: tail, shell, legs, head and eyes!
To my disapointment all of the effort required to consume these shrimp was slightly more difficult than I had hoped and in doing so I removed all of the garlic flavor and was left staring at a plate of legs and eyes!
We returned to our hammock chairs for the remainder of our day at the beach.
[I am going to sidetrack for a moment for something a little horrifying!
4 lifeguards! Not one of them with their eyes on the water. "A very dangerous beach where people drown all the time" I was told. And not one of the lifeguards was watching the water. If I could speak better spanish, or if I thought they would understand me I would have torn them a new one!
We left Monterrico and returned to Antigua for the evening. It was nice to spend an evening outside: drinking coffee, eating dinner and all with Jimena not having to carry her pepper spray in one hand and beating stick in the other.
The church in Antigua at night. So pretty!
The fountain in Central Park.
We were thirsty!
Leaving Antigua the next day was hard. However, the ride home was an adventure or as our spanish tutor calls it an "extreme sport". The chicken bus from Antigua is pretty entertaining. Being on the isle seat was a little bit of a struggle as when the roller coaster began my body decided it was going to leave its seat and join the man across the aisle . . . and then 3 seconds later we took another curve in the suped up school bus and I was cuddling with Jimena like a child trying not to go to the dentist. You couldn't have stuck a dime between us we were so close together . . and 2 seconds later I was sharing the seat with the man across the aisle again. This continued for the remaining 40 minute ride to the city.
All in all, an excellent and well deserved break from our hectic Guate life.
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