Pig´s Feet, Traffic Jams, Romantic Fleas and Avocado trees

---

Well alot has happened in the past 20 days or so since my last entry. The week after my birthday was Graham´s birthday and we celebrated it very well, practicing our 12 oz. curls. The last couple weeks we put an end to the high time of students and I finally ended my stressful 10 work day.

Things are much more tranquil now and I really enjoy getting off work at 5 and being able to work around with the sun still out and about. It really is beautiful here! Last week I said bye to Graham as he made his way to Monterico, a beach town, to work with sea turtles. From August 14 to August 20 there was a big festival type thing (something of the sort happens every year, sponsored by the government) called GUATE-AMALA. The Thursday before Graham left we went to see my friend´s band, Sombrero Negro, play in the Zona Militar Antigua (where the military used to be located before the 1996 Peace Accords). It was alot of fun. Alberto (my Colombian neighbor), Ileana, and Ambika all joined us to see the music.

The next day, I went to San Francisco el Alto with Ambika in the morning. This is supposedly the biggest market in Central America, and if you saw it, you probably would believe it. We returned about 12 and I got my stuff together for my free weekend. Kriss and I went to Lake Atitlan for the weekend. We took a chicken bus to Panajachel and then una lancha (little boat) to Jaibalito which is only accessible by foot or boat.

The first night we stayed at the Vulcano Lodge, which is tucked back in a garden setting that is really pretty. It does not have great lake views nor lake access, but is beatuiful nonetheless. There is a couple that works there from Lake Tahoe and the man is a professional chef. The dinner was family style (in that everyone ate together) and was incredible. The following day we decided to hike around on some of the trails that surround the village. I wanted to check out Casa Del Mundo because I tried reserving it but they didn´t have space. To our suprise, some people cancelled and we decided to stay there Saturday night. This place is awesome; pricey but well worth it.

---