paradise sucks

lake attitlan, guatemala, is a hugemoungous lake surrounded by monsterous moutnains, ringed with little "towns." the two larger towns are panajachel and san pedro.

after a three hour minibus ride along roads more twisted than christopher walken, we arrived in panajachel (pana to the locals). from pana we took a boat to santa cruz, where the hostel is. you have to take a boat to anywhere, its the taxi between towns.

the hostel is great, the lake is beautiful, the weather is perfect. its paradise. i hate it here. its a fucking resort. the whole lake is a resort, kind of. it has that feel. people come here to "study spanish" and smoke tons of weed, meditate, do yoga, do mushrooms, be all earthy and crusty and its just really annoying. the hostel is at the lakeside, it really does have a great view and all.

today jergan and i walked up the mountain behind the hostel, into the "town". by town, i mean houses built into and on the side of the mountain. i mean, it is fucked up. there are two pick up trucks in town, that is it. the trucks haul heavy shit up the mountain, but bundles of sticks for firewook, concrete, food, ,supplies, all other things are hauled up by women, girls, and kids, on thier back with the strap across the forehead. they are not a happy people. i walked up the mountain unencumberd and it was brutal, in the sun, with at least an 11 degree pitch. those old women and kids are hard like woodpecker lips.

afterwards we took the boat over to san pedro, ,and i saw my freind chris, the chef. he looked great, relaxed, comfortable, ,like he belonged. he is leaving tomorrow, back to antigua to help out TOPS at the pirate bar, then back home. i could live and work in san pedro if i want, chris hooked me up with a sweet job, but i dont want it. i really really like him a lot.

i hate it here. i really do. and so i am staying here one more week. the plan is this: i am going to study spanish, really learn as much as i can, and then leave and head out to honduras and regions more south. i could work here at the hostel in trade for free food and room, work as long as i want.

but staying and working, at least in this environment, isnt travelling, istn learning, its like living in the states. and i am supposed to travel, learn, and so that is what im gonna do.

so i will be here at a resort for one week, then back to travelling.