Day 86 – Friday, September 20, 2013

We once again awoke in the Turicentro AutoMariscos Water Park. Our guide was off early this morning to get his master cylinder in Guatemala City and arrange installation. He phoned around noon to let us know the part was still held up in customs. We agreed that Julie and I would travel on to Antigua, Guatemala and would meet him there tomorrow or Sunday morning. This was actually Julie’s idea a few days ago. Julie notes “Well I’d say great minds think alike but that would be giving our guide a bit too much credit. I really need to work on this attitude. Maybe once I shed about 200 plus pounds of guia my attitude will improve. ”

We packed up the RV and were on the road again. It felt good to be on the move even if it was only an hour and a half drive. Julie notes “Yes we were very happy to move on. Good bye ants. Hope you all disembarked the camper, otherwise you are going to walking back on those teeny tiny legs from Antigua.”

We found the camping site, the Policia de Turismo parking area. Although it is a large abandoned compound, it is pretty neat. We are surrounded by old stone walls and ruins of bygone buildings. Julie notes “So right now you might say our life is in ruins. Bwahahahaha.”

After getting settled in, and after some research, we walked down to the main square through this beautiful old colonial city. We found a recommended tour company and booked our walking tour of the city, for tomorrow morning. Then we found the hotel and restaurant our guide had recommended. This time his recommendation was a good one. The Posada de Don Rodrigo was an amazing place. The ambience and service were top notch and the food was very good.

We were back to the camper just as the rain started for the night.

Scenery on the way to Antigua.

Sleeping in the back of your truck on the way to the market?

The couple in the car ahead of us stopped to ask if we needed help. We had pulled over at a significant Y in road trying to decide which way to Antigua. They said “Follow us. That’s where we’re going.” So we did. We followed them a few kilometers through a small town and then on to Antigua. They stopped at the entrance to the town and asked more specifically what we were trying to find. They didn’t know the location of the Policia de Turismo lot but asked a policeman standing nearby and directed us right to our spot a few blocks away.

Julie notes “You can’t drive down a skinny street without one of these busses barrelling towards you. Most of the busses and public transport have religious sayings on them and I am thinking that is because you are putting yourself in God’s hands when you board one. Hold on!”

Julie notes “The tall Good Samaritan and Brad, assessing the situation. I think they were actually saying ‘You go ask the policeman. No YOU go ask the policeman. Then they drew straws.”

A street scene Julie took out the front window (like many of our pictures.) I like this one.

Stone walls around our compound.

Dinner at Posada de Don Rodrigo and the adjoining courtyard. Julie notes “Delicious sangria and margarita. And this is where my next wedding is going to be, okay? I’m not sure who to yet but watch for those invites and save the date.”

….over and out, the muleskinner and his sidekick

Julie notes “I am stuffed. Glad we had to walk several blocks to and from our supper location. Did not wear my Christmas dinner stretchy pants. But it is now only 5 o’clock and it might be bed time! We both have had restless nights wondering what the next step of our journey will entail. There was a family of 4 from France parked beside us when we arrived here and they have left in their vehicle. Will I be able to wait up to see if they return safely? Honkshew, honkshew (snoring noises…)”