For the next two months or so I will be travelling throughout Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala, known as Xela (that's SHAY-la).
I got up early in the morning to catch the bus from Guatemala City to Xela. There were all these signs in the office to be aware of the "ladrones" (theives), who are watching you closer than you think... Eek! Okay, so I got really paranoid that the guy who WORKS there who kept smiling and nodding at me was going to steal my backpack from the luggage compartment once I got on. Needless to say, this didn't happen. Guatemalans are quite nice (sorry Sr. Luggage Man).
The bus. Okay, so this wasn't one of the "chicken buses" (highly decorated old school buses), but it was still a fun ride. In order to boost business, there is a driver's assistant who stands by the open front door yelling "Xela! Xela! Xela!" and dismounts while the bus is in motion, finds people who want on, get there luggage, and reboard all while the bus continues to slowly move forward. And here I thought Guatemalans just take there time doing everything...
I had two friendly passengers sit next to me, an anciano (old man) and a woman with her adorale child. The traditional dress worn by the people of the rural areas, combined with their leathery sun-beaten skin, small stature, and smell of candle wax (from religious ceremonies) was all very reminiscent of Tibet.
Needless to say, the countryside was quite beautiful, with towering volcanoes and lush, steep mountains everywhere. Then arrival in Xela...
1 comment:
the guy who works on the chicken bus, that you thought was going to steal your mochilla, befriend them. they are the ones that can choose to tell you to get back inside the bus when you are crawling around the back or roof while they bus is moving. if you ride the bus from san marcos to the interamericana on the roof of the bus you join a select minority of gringos with cojones grandes.
Post a Comment