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Published: January 27th 2009
steps heading down...
my first time taking the launcha...this is the beginning of the downward climb of about 200+ steps...Wednesday, January 14,2009
Today I ventured on to the launcha for the first time. I thought I would head to Panajachel...but because the waters were so rough, I opted for going to San Marcos which was just a five minute boat ride away. The climb down to the dock was about 200 steps...all of various sizes...and not easy. There is a railing made of bamboo only part of the way down, so I walked down very carefully
.
I waited about 20 minutes for the launcha and when it arrived...I climbed on and wrenched my knee. I knew my right knee was not feeling great as I began the decent down to the water.
San Marcos center is a maze of tiny little streets lined with little hotels and restaurants and lots of holistic therapy places and yoga studios. It's charming. I walked out onto the main street and up the hill and came to a path that lead to an upward climb of granite steps...all leading to this beatufiul restaurant in a treehouse set in the jungle. I ordered a liquado and some delicious three cheese crepes with shaved carrots, cucumber, tomato slices fresh basil and capers!
more steps...
taken one at a time...going down is one thing...coming back up is quite another!! I took out my journal and pen and ate leisurally ...enjoying the setting and the food. Heavenly!
I met two woman from California, while I was looking at a local bulletin board of various information advertised by locals. We chatted for a bit and they told me they have a friend, who owns a house in Antigua, and has had it for 11 years. She is now 74 and found it necessary to move back to California and is looking for a long term renter for house. They vouched for the house itself, and the location as both being great...although they had no idea of what the rent would be.
We exchanged email addresses.
Before heading home, as there really is not much to do in San Marcos, although I found it completely charming, I bought a few groceries and went up to the top of the street to take a tuk tuk home.
I was told to just hand them 5Q for the short trip to Pasaj-cap. So I saw two tuk tuks parked side by side and I went up to one and offered him my 5Q. "No, ten". I turned to the other guy
next to him, and offered him the 5Q, and he says" No, dias". So I walk away, starting to head back to my apt...thinking I would be able to find my way, or hopefully, one of them would change their mind and take my 5 Q!! I ended up walking, following behind a group of young Mayan girls, who kept turning around to look at me. I walked up to a point where I questioned whether I had gone too far, and so backtracked back down the mountain, stopping at a driveway I thought was mine. I walked down the very steep driveway, only to be told my two young workers that i had the wrong property. So, I went all the way back to San Marcos, now ready to give the tuk-tuk my 10Q. There was one just dropping someone off and before I got in I hand him my 10Q and he says, "No, 15Q"!!!!. I give the 15 and get my ride to my apartment! (Just get me home!!)
BIENVENIDO, GUATEMALA, DOLORES!
Pierre came knocking at my door, later that afternoon, to straighten out a problem concerning my date of departure. His neighbor, Joyce Maynard the
Dock in San Marcos
Which way do I go??/ American author, who lives in San Marcos about 6 mos a year, is giIving a writing workshop in February, and my apartment was rented to one of her attendees and he needs me to depart a day earlier than I had been contracted for. Luckily, I can be flexible. I am not sure what I will do exactly, when the time comes. I am drawn to wanting to stay at the Lake. It appeals to me more than Antigua did. We'll see.
Just before leaving, Pierre asked me if I would like to go to Santiago in his private boat, as he had some business to attend to there. I declined. I was done for the day. My knee was really acting up. I was tired. I instead, laid in my hammock, and to the sounds of the lake and the wonderful breeze coming in, I was lulled into a blissful sleep.
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don tibbett
non-member comment
you're breaking my heart. the weather and flowers look so beautiful and i'm stuck in an ice storm with broken limbs all around. the next time you get a chance to go to santiago, google search 'stanley rother' before going. he's a personal hero. take care of the knee.