Malena loves candy. And travel. And both together. And thus, this site was born.
A day at the dentist; an evening with a con artist; chicken buses: I don’t have enough words or pictures to write a full entry about all of these, so please accept, instead, this entry of mini-stories.
Lake Atitlan is surrounded by relatively isolated small towns, each becoming known in its own way as a tourist destination. San Pedro is for the druggies, San Marcos is for yoga and hippies, and Santa Cruz is tiny and mostly just to relax. I stayed a few days in San Pedro, learning weaving and meeting Diego, the famous chocolatier, but I soon moved on to Santa Cruz. It was there that I met one of the most interesting characters of my trip to date. (more…)
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I spent more than a month in Mexico - what a great country to start the trip in! The sheer variety of life there could be overwhelming: colonial churches stood near pre-Columbian ruins; poor farmers and rich American-schooled politicians shared cities; a wide blend of settings from beaches to deserts, mountains to rain forests; the clean cobble-stoned streets of San Cristobal contrasting with the grittiness of Mexico City. Sure, my debit card stopped working, and I fell victim to one of the many maladies that have long plagued travelers, but I also was cared for by distant relatives and spent my first three weeks bonding with my Abuelita. These entry describes my impressions of the cities I visited in Mexico - I hope it is helpful to someone planning a similar trip. (more…)
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Guatemala is well-known for the Lake Atitlan: deep, crystal-blue waters ringed by deep blue volcanoes. Aldous Huxley called it the most beautiful lake in the world, and amazing pictures of it grace every Guatemalan guidebook and travel website. I won’t lie; it isn’t as stunning in rainy season when everything goes dull gray, and the light gray clouds roll in over the dark gray mountains overlooking the churning gray water. Still, I spent five days in various small towns on the lake’s edge relaxing, reading book after book, meeting American travelers and con artists, learning to weave, and best of all, visiting a small kitchen in which amazing chocolates are created. (more…)
I’ve been pretty busy since Antigua, and yes, I am still alive! Unfortunately with the loss of my computer I haven’t been able to upload any pictures or spend much time writing entries. Here’s a quick update of where I’ve been since my last full entry… consider a hint of things to come: