I saw a dead body today. Whatever. No big deal. I was looking out the window of the bus when it started to slow down. I saw a shirtless male body lying face down in the muddy banks of a small river underneath a bridge. There were a couple of cops around the body and a small crowd watching from the bridge. This was about two hours into my trip. lol.
The border between mexico and guatemala is pretty crazy. I got caught up in a scuffle at the mexican immigration office, an old man who apparently didn´t have his credentials was being thrown out the door just as I was walking in. He got a death grip on my arm. He must have been a laborer cuz he was strong. I just sort of held onto the wall and let the security peel the guy off me.
Then, as I was getting my mexican departure stamp on my passport, I ended up having to pay 200 pesos in a "non-immigration" fee. I'm pretty sure that was a fake fee. The sign they had posted up said 262 pesos. But the guy just took my 200 and told me that was okay. This unexpected fee sort of put me in the red. I didn´t have enough pesos to pay for bus ride. But luckily, the bus conductor took $USD. Good old greenbacks, god bless America!
Had to fend off a horde of guatemalan money changers as I got my Guatemalan entry visa after leaving the mexican side of the border. Then got back on my bus. The drive through guatemala to the city was beautiful. gorgeous. verdant. lush. green. Then I saw the dead guy. Then we arrived at Guate City.
I took one look around at the sprawling chaos around me and made a tactical decision to not try for Pacaya volcano right now. I may try for it after I get two weeks of spanish school and Guate experience under my belt. I need more hair on my chest.
So, I caught a chicken bus up to Antigua as soon as I could. The chicken bus ride wasn't bad. my ass started to hurt after a while, but it wasn't terrible.
Antigua is a beautiful city. They have some amazing cafes, restaurants, art galleries and bars. the really nice ones are way out of my budget but would be a great experience if you just wanted to splurge. the weather here is perfectly cool, it was pretty rainy in the late afternoon.
What a day.
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hahaha..that all sounds a bit outta hand. glad you made it there safe though. waves are big and closing out. solid 8ft+. think i´m gonna walk down to la punta this afternoon. upgraded to the ines hotel just a couple hotels down from the rockaway. cool place. staying right next to the guys from salina cruz again! watched the aus vs. ger world cup match with a bunch of ausies by the pool. aus got smoked 0-4 haha. have fun in guatemala.
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