School Bus Heaven

(Note: excuse the tardiness of this post, but computer problems have plagued both my houses... Can't post pictures yet, but they will be added soon)

Ever wonder where those hideous yellow school buses go when they die? Well I recently found out: they go to a little slice of heaven otherwise known as Guatemala. Before they get there, however, they undergo a spectacular rebirth: their fronts are often replaced with those of Mac-type trucks, their bodies are painted spectacular colours and patterns, they are given names, and finally they hit the road where they are crammed full of Guatemalans on a regular basis. These buses, which are everywhere, are just on of the many little things that made travelling in Guatemala a delightful adventure.

I was only four days in Guatemala, as it was all the time that Xavi could get off work. We logged a lot of hours both on various buses and organizing travel on various buses, but the time we were able to spend in Antigua and the Lago Atitlan was well worth it. Antigua is a peacful colonial town where we caught the celebration of Guatemalan independence. We spent one night there and then made our way on a chaotic trip up to Panajachel, a town on the edge of Atitlan Lake, which is enclosed by three stunning volcanoes and about ten little pueblos that can be reached by boat.

Both Antigua and the villages of Atitlan Lake were teaming with tourists, a fate that seems impossible to escape in this age of travel. And yes, call me a travel snob, but I would prefer to visit new places in solitude, I can't help it. But then tourists can also be entertaining, I learned: upon arriving in San Marcos, a peaceful village on the Lake (complete with meditation centre), Xavi and I wandered up to the village square where I overheard a father saying to his blonde-haired son, "Yes, that's how you say 'goodbye' in Spanish." Suddenly the boy turns around and shouts "ASKA WAYGO!" and waves vigourously to two little Guatemalan girls sitting on the step of the village Church. A fine first attempt at "Hasta luego!"

There are countless stories to tell about my short experience in Guatemala, but I'm sure it would bore any of you who are actually reading this to death. Some tidbits:
- Church services being broadcast over loudspeakers heard for miles
- Admiring the colourful indigenous dress of the locals
- Puzzling over just how people can manage to carry so much on their HEADS, from bundles of calalillies to buckets of water
- The breathtaking views of roadside life and natural scenery taken in from the window of a bus travelling at breakneck speed
- The giggles of young Guatemalan boys and girls as they race past
- And much more...

Apart from our travels in Guatemala, I spent the rest of my two weeks in Central America in San Salvador, where Xavi is living. It was quite daunting being in a city famous for being incredibly dangerous, and I adjusted at a very slow pace. But, on my last day I was taking the bus by myself. Getting lost, but still, taking the bus by myself! I felt that each time I ventured outside I was faced with the paranoia of looking at each passing person and wondering if they would be the one to rob me, attack me, kill me... A horrible feeling, but those who live there say it passes, eventually. It was also the first time I had visited a country recovering from such a brutal history of civil war, and although developmentally El Salvador shows signs of improvement (especially in comparison to my other Latin reference, the Dominican Republic), the history of violence lingers... I don't think I can really comment on it, having been there for such a short time, other than to say that it was certainly present.

I regret not seeing much of the city, but then I have to remind myself that that was not the purpose of my trip. I was there to see Xavi, and that part of my visit was just wonderful:)