Guatemala has proven interesting, to say the least. On my way to Antigua, I pulled into a restaurant for breakfast. This was a slightly more upscale restaurant, more like a fancy Denny’s. Anyhow, got seated, got breakfast, and enjoyed it. I don’t eat egss (due to prostate cancer and increased lethality), so breakfast was fried cheese (aka frito queso), something I had learned about in Costa Rica, along with some black beans, sauteed mushrooms and tomato slices, and some sourdough bread. I broke down and ordered some jam for protein. It looked like the kind of ham you buy for a sandwich (i.e., thin cut).
Anyhow, enjoyed the breakfast, and since the front of the restaurant was also a bakery, I picked up some bakery type food for lunch on the road (a cheese empanada and a ham and cheese croissant).
So, as I merrily left the restaurant, I walked smack dab into the middle of a bunch of guys armed to the teeth. I’m talking pistols and M4s (the shorter version of the M16). They looked like civilians, as there were no uniforms in sight, so I’m thinking “important person” or “drug lord”. The guy closest to me (armed with a pistol and an M4) indicated I shouldn’t walk to the Himi the way I had planned. So, I went around the building and proceeded to gear up.
If you’ve never ridden a motorcyle, it’s a lot different preparing to go than driving a car. In a car, you get in the car, insert the key, put your foot on the brake, turn the ignition on, put the car in gear, and go. On a motorcyle, you put on your riding jacket (you should already be wearing your riding pants and boots), your earplugs (which you really should be wearing when riding), your helmt, in my case, my glasses, your gloves, insert the key in the ignition, turn it to the on position, turn on the kill switch, then press the starter button. Then, and only then are you ready to go.
As I was doing all this, one of the said gentlemen approached me and engaged me in conversation. I’m like, “I’m from Washington, the State, not the City. On my way to Argentina. See ya!” Then off I went, riding through all the armed gents.
A bit unnverving, but, not my country, so not my problem.
The ride into and through Guatemala City was also interesting. The road transformed from two-lane potholed nightmares to two and three lanes of concrete, mostly in good shape. The temperatures also dropped as I climbed out of the sea level humid tropics into the mountainous humid temperate climate of the tropics (yeah, a bit of an oxymoron, but hang with me).
I then continued on to Antigua, one of the old historic Spanish settlements which is a UNESCO heritage site. I can see why. Lots of old buildings and cobblestone streets that’ll beat the living bejesus out of you. I took a bunch of pictures. Fortunately, I even got a shot of one of the volcanoes not covered in clouds this morning (it’s the rainy season, as you may recall – lots of clouds). The other volcano is still playing hide-and-seek and doing a good job of it.
I’m here for two nights (last night and tonight) then off to San Salvador, in El Salvador, where I plan on meeting up with a couple of ADV riders.
Today I did laundry in a machine for the first time since Yosemite – over a month of hand washing. It was nice (but expensive). Other than what I’m wearing, everything is clean and smells nice (not scented).
