Back in Guatemala

So I went (came?) to Vancouver (home?) for a while to work. Some people call that the "real world". I know better... But I'm back in Guatemala again. Just can't get enough.

Since I've been gone (5 months), everything has changed and yet remained the same. I travel light as many of you know, usually just my ukulele, toothbrush and camera. This time however, I had FOUR bags!!! No I didn't go on a shoe-buying expedition. I brought 3 laptops (for friends in Guatemala who have exorbitant import taxes here), 6 textbooks on metal casting, sand casting, oil furnaces, and masonry engineering, 3 circuit boards and various electronics (for AIDG), 3 bottle brushes and 2 bags of corks (for Xelavesa, a microbrewery I'm helping get off the ground), my ukulele, camera and toothbrush. So I took a cab around to look for a hostel (the first one was full).

My first breath brought back so wonderful rich memories, triggered by that smell which I think is probably burning plastic. Ahh Guatemala...

Buses and traffic were as lively as ever, but there have been some CRAZY changes. Motorbikes in Guatemala City are only allowed one single person on them and you must wear a reflective vest with your license number and a helmet with your license number now. Apparently there were too many drive-by gunnings on motorbike so they're enforcing these crazy rules now. I'm happily riding my motorbike around with just a regular helmet (you'll be happy to know dad), and guests aplenty since those rules don't come into effect until June 7. I might try to sell it by then t0 avoid the hassle of getting reflective numbers on a jacket and helmet. I don't actually have a license here, so there may be other problems as well with getting those numbers.

A lawyer defending a previous assasination victim was assasinated and he left a video indicating it was the President of Guatemala who was at least partially responsible as well as Banrural (the biggest bank in Guatemala). He apparently has significant evidence for this that he left with various friends who are appealing to the courts to seek justice. People are quite agitated and there have been protests pro and against the President. Rumours are flying like crazy, but fortunately no bullets... yet.

There have been at least six earthquakes today in Xela. Mostly small ones, one of them spilled my tea, or it could have been my shakey hands from last night at Ojala. Earthquakes make me nervous so I'm leaving Xela for a bit.

Well actually... I'm meeting Gogi in Guatemala City and then we're heading to Tikal, the most epic of all the Mayan ruins discovered so far.

Hasta pronto!

Dan.

PS: There have just been 2 more tremours since writing this. I think I'll be safer at a bar with open mic...