Sunday, January 23, 2011

The "draw"....

According to Merriam-Webster the definition is: "to cause to move continuously toward or after a force applied in advance". What is the force we (at first it was just me...now it is both of us) feel toward Antigua?
We just HAD to make a short trip to Antigua before we left for Roatan and this trip was all about shopping! First of course...the getting there. To make a seven hour trip short...a late launcha...one broken down bus (it was interesting to watch them check the fuel with a stick)...luckily changing buses within 10 minutes of the breakdown...a much busier road into Guatamala City than we had remembered...then a lost ticket to Antigua...and, again luckily the young man let us ride the shuttle without any further complications! In fact he took us directly to the hostel that we have stayed at on all of our previous visits...Casa Jacaranda! This is a great little hostel...always clean...serves a great breakfast...very reasonable...and very friendly owners. Of course I was all about business...(ha ha ha) going shopping in town...knowing that the next day we would be shopping at the large Artesania Market...and thinking that if we were able to get back in time perhaps I could go on another horseback ride that Pam was arranging with some other friends. Capt Paul (CP) walked and walked (only cane assisted too)...of course he teased that he walked a zillion blocks...and I teased that it was only because he walked so slow that I could have walked those zillion blocks in the time it took him to walk the eight or nine that we did...but we so enjoyed, and shopped, and shopped. I did find a new shawl...but not the color of my favorite old one that I lost...they only had a scarf in that color...so I bought it...and who knows maybe this summer I'll find the old shawl! To dinner in town...and a few more stores! Back to the hostel where they always turn on Fox news for CP while he drinks a beer or two and to our room...we were exhausted!

I was anxious the next morning to get to the market, so once full with breakfast we were off and running by 9:00am! We did take a Tuk-Tuk there...because Capt Paul was (even more than me) wanting to walk every single isle of this market! There are so many beautiful things to see! I knew Capt Paul enjoyed shopping...but it turns out that he is the BEST shopper in the world!! While I was working price with a vendor on something we were looking for...CP continued walking to the next stall...or even a couple down...or to a bench even further down (this market is wonderful with benches every other vendor or so). This would panic the vendor into giving me a GREAT deal thinking that I was going to walk away too! Oh, it was FUN! Of course, at first CP did not know this was helpful...but when I explained that it was...we had even more fun with it! And, does the expression "shop 'til you drop" mean anything to you? Well, it certainly does to CP! He HAD to walk the entire market (I bought another beautiful bag to carry purchases) and once done there we walked to the grocery store (just had to get Guatamalan coffee)...then finally started walking back to the hostel...were two blocks away...when...yep...he dropped! He caught the toe of his shoe on the cobble-stone sidewalk, was so fatigued, couldn't catch himself, and down he went (rolled). No this isn't CP...A young man walking by, came running over and between he and I got CP back to his feet...then two blocks! CP was DONE for the day! Fox News and beer!

I decided to walk across town to the bus station to buy our tickets back to the Rioand did a little shopping on the way...and then proceeded to get lost!
I found this square that I believe use to be where laundry was done... Our third time here...and my only excuse in getting lost is that ...the volcano's were not out to guide me! I did see some neat things...I had not seen before...or perhaps it was just looking at things from a different perspective?Earthquakes have been hard on some of these wonderful old buildings. After buying the tickets back to the Rio...I walked back to the hostel! I was planning on taking a Tuk Tuk back...but somehow just spaced out and walked! By the time I realized I had forgotten to take a Tuk Tuk it would not have been worth it! I was exhausted when I returned...and we both decided that ordering in a Pizza was the best way to have dinner!
Our journey back the next morning included...the Guat City bus station...Views of Guatamala City...One of Capt Paul's favorite things!!And lots of Saturday men's soccer games going on!
So, we are back to the Rio... back to the boat...cleaning, provisioning, and getting ready for the high tide this week and our passage to Roatan.

So what is the draw I (we) have to Antigua? The adventure?...the food (topic for another day)? the shopping?...the town?...the volcano's? I do not know. I do know that the morning we departed, from the tiny little bus station, the clouds cleared... and the volcano's showed themselves...their way of taunting me to return? My disappointment was that when we got back to the boat I realized that there was way too much for me to do on the boat to go on another horseback ride with Pam and her friends! However...spending time with her and horsebackriding in the beautiful Guatamalan countryside...yet another "draw" back to Guatamala...

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Hey there...let us know what you think...Capt Paul