Sunday– End of My First Week in Antigua

Cool flower in the yard that I think eats flies

My Sunday started slowly, but when I finally got moving I decided to go get breakfast and then walk up to the Cerro de la Cruz, which is a giant cross on the top of a hill here, and another iconic symbol of Antigua.  I set out looking for food, but not much local stuff was open today. However, I passed this slightly pricey place near my language school that looked really good, so I ate there. 

The restaurant was Canadian owned and full of foreigners, but on a Sunday we're probably the only ones not with our families or going to church, so we tend to turn up in the same places. I had a fantastic meal of eggs, avocado, black beans, tortillas and fried plantains (which are one of my favorites) in the company of this extremely relaxed dog.  

The walk up the hill was nice and shady and it felt good to get some real exercise. I was huffing and puffing for sure. Speaking of which, I haven't quite figured out how I'll workout here in Antigua other than walking. There's a gym, but I didn't bring the right sneakers for running on a treadmill or taking a class, so I'm just going to try to find a yoga mat or something and workout in my room. I'll have to make a trip to the market to look for that. 

When I made it to the top of the hill, this was the panoramic view of Antigua with Volcan de Agua in the background. The air was cool and crisp and the place was full of tourists, locals, vendors, and dogs.

Cerro de la Cruz 

I hung out for a while and caught a good shot of these two teenagers who seemed to be professing their love on the edge of the world. It was pretty intense for 11 a.m. 

Later when I was walking around I happened into this ridiculously pretty scene. You just never know what you'll find when you turn a corner around here. 

I did so much walking today that when I got home I was completely beat and fell asleep for a couple of hours in the late afternoon -- and I'm not even a napper. I think it was the week catching up with me. Yep, it's officially the end of my first week in Guatemala and overall I'd say it's going better than I could have hoped. My biggest worry had been work and making sure I was properly set up with good Internet, which fell into place pretty smoothly.

Working remotely puts you in a weird category of travelers. You're still a tourist, but not like the free-wheeling ones you see touring the city, enjoying that liberating, no-need-for-a-watch, vacation feeling. I don't think the family here at the house quite knows what to make of me, staying home all day in front of the computer. At first, they didn't even know I was working (must have gotten lost in translation), which I think is funny. I guess they just thought I really liked to be online.

In some ways, it would have been easier to just rent my own apartment and have more space and total privacy, but I didn't want to isolate myself too much. I like the setup here, working in front of my bedroom window, watching the household comings and goings, and chatting with the family and housekeepers.

Money spent today:
Q35 breakfast
Q10 Gatorade and chocolate
Q5 bottle of water
= about $7