6.3 – Exploration
Today was our first full day in Guatemala! All of our group spent the day exploring the city and learning more about the culture and people here.
In the morning we ate a wonderful breakfast at the Atlantis cafe, just a few steps away from the hotel. The meal was exquisite: fresh orange juice, coffee, eggs, avocados, melons, beans, potatoes, and pancakes. Next it was time to tackle the day.
We split off into two groups, one going on a zip lining tour high in the mountains, and one going on a boat tour filled with learning experiences and a mountain hike.
The boat tour featured demonstrations of local craft, history, and sweeping mountain views. The zipliners experienced similar spectacular views of the mountains and lake as they sped through the trees and above the forest canopy far below.
Once back in town, we split off and began to explore the city. The streets are filled with people, motorcycles, and dogs all seeking their spot on the crowded, colorful path. Every store here is adorned with colorful blankets, masks, signs, and other art so thickly placed that you can barely make out what the buildings actually look like.
When shopping, you are expected to negotiate the price of most everything. 150 Quetzales for a shirt becomes 80, then 100, and both parties walk away happy. Andrew has turned out to be quite the negotiator, and listens closely to the deals we make, telling us when to take, and when to walk away.
At the end of the night we finished up with a delicious pasta dinner and live music at the Hotel California.