Quieres busear?

Here is my proof that my spanish lessons are really
paying off. My spanish sentence of the week (some of
you will recognize this): "Nunca encuentro una chica
a quien yo le gusta solo si ella no esta bastante
borracha." My teacher and I spent a good 15 minutes
trying to come up with a good translation for: "I have
never met a girl that didn't like me, she just wasn't
drunk enough." I think that we got close. Yep, the
guatemalans teaching me spanish are getting a great
impression of American males.

Anyways, since my last email the only real story is
the hike I took to Lake Atitlan last weekend. The
trip was with a group called Quetzaltrekkers. They
are based in Xela and 80% of the cost of the hike goes
to help an organization which provides education,
housing, healthcare, counseling, etc. to some local
street children.

The trip was awesome. We (12 hikers and 3 guides)
covered the 35+ miles in the first two days. Pretty
grueling hike altogether. Very much up and down, up
and down, up and down. We passed through all
different types of landscapes. And spent a good
percentage of the trip on single track trails on the
edge of cliffs.

The trip began with a steep 2 hours climb to a peak
which looked back into the entire valley containing
Quetzaltenango and a couple other small towns. This
part was typical forest terrain until the very top
which was a vast grass land (seemed a bit out of
place).

We had a snack up there and then headed into a cloud
forest, very tropical terrain. After several hours
and after passing a few small pueblos with only
indigenous people (and after some soccer with some of
the kids) we broke for lunch on a ridge in the cloud
forest. Then we headed through some corn fields for a
few hours to our campsite (and some more soccer with
kids) on a cliff looking down at our decent for the
next day. We quenched our hungry with some asparagus
soup, pasta and corn and had a sweet bonfire.

On Sunday we awoke before the sunrise (4:45) to a
clear sky and vast array of stars and then the sunrise
over the volcanoes on the horizon. We began the days
hike by heading down into town and eating some
breakfast in the center of town. After breakfast we
continued down to a river where we hopped in to some
really frigid water (a smaller group of us also
climbed down to a ledge where we stood and look down a
40 foot waterfall). After which we passed over a very
rickety bridge (one of the guides almost fell off the
bridge cause the boards were not nailed in and he was
on the edge and the board began to flip).

We climbed for a couple hours and then walked on a up
and down type circuit of mostly cornfields for a long
day. At the end of the day we hit a restaurant in a
small town. Great food. Got a well deserved liter of
Gallo (guate beer). The restaurant was really some
families house. One of the little boys was the center
of attention. He was running around with obvious
signs of a recent pants peeing incident while beating
up his older brother.

The meal was awesome. I could have eaten another two
plates but no luck. And then we headed out of town
for a half hour to a campsite in the backyard of some
house. Also on a cliff.

Little did I know since we set up camp after dark that
Lake Atitlan was just below us. After trying to sleep
through the sounds of one of the hikers hurling 4
times during the night I awoke at 5:45 to the most
beautiful view of the sun rising over the Lake
surrounded by volanoes and small pueblos. Really
undescribable. Two hours later we were in the water.
After 35+ miles it was quite refreshing. And it was
an awesome way to go see the lake for the first time.
Most people hit it on a bus. The anticipation was
well worth it.

We spent our day swimming in the lake and the having
lunch in San Pedro on Monday. I checked out a
language school there. And am seriously considering
heading there for a couple weeks after Honduras. It
is really hot and sunny at the lake and I am thinking
swimming and tanning might be better than breathing in
the polluted air of Xela for a couple weeks.

It was an awesome trip. Toughest hiking I have done
in terms of distance. We lost some dude the first day
who had to head back to Xela in a pickup truck cause
he couldn't hack it. Awesome view of a vast array of
plants and animals. And a good peak into the
dismal/simple life of the indigenous people in the
countryside. Very friendly people of meager means of
living.

Only bad part was the two of the three guides sucked
and we had to keep waiting for them. They were a bit
slow and there was some obvious sexual tension between
them. Much bickering/flirting.

Got back around 5:30pm on Monday night, had some
dinner and went to sleep for 11 hours. Great sleep.
All I have left at this point from the trip is 30+
misquito bites and a couple small blisters on my big
toes (which have already gone away).

The rest of the week has pretty much consisted of the
usual: spanish classes, chillin with the fam, hitting
a couple bars, reading, etc.

My plans for the remainder of the stay in Guatemala
have probably changed a bit. Although my family
rules, I am thinking that 4 weeks in Xela is enough.
After my study break in Honduras visiting the ruins
in Copan and the Bay Islands (to learn scuba for $150)
the week of the 16th of November I think I am going to
head to San Pedro (at Lake Atitlan) and take classes
for two weeks. After which, I plan to head to Flores
(in the Peten region of Eastern Guatemala) for two
more weeks of classes. The ruins of Tikal and some
cool caving, rafting, jungle type stuff are near
Flores.

Hope this note finds all in good health and good
spirits.

BTW - I am struggling to find cheap airfare to Bolivia
or other parts of South America. Any advice is appreciated.