Discovery -- I will survive Montezuma’s revenge
We left the Lake Atitlan area in a pick-up truck. I rode in the cab with Joan and Don rode with ALL the luggage in the back. Francisco, the young man Joan sometimes calls for trips into Pana, was due to pick us up by 7:30 am at the gate so that we could arrive at the travel agency by the designated 8:15 am He was late. That would have been no big deal because it would have just meant no breakfast. Joan only allowed him to pick up a couple of women going our way because we would miss our bus if he did more than that. He and Joan dropped us off and then went to run another errand. We went into the hotel dinning room next door and ordered breakfast. The trip to Xela is about 2 hours from Pana. Joan and her driver returned in time to have a cup of coffee with us then the doors opened to the travel agency. Joan cried when she hugged us good-bye and left before our 15 passenger van arrived. I wish her well on her Bed and Breakfast and that her son finds the courage to come out and visit her.
As we left Pana we discovered that we were the only passengers making the trip! Can I tell you that tourism is more that 50% down this year! I put on my sea bands than Van gave me and enjoyed the view all the way to our door. These shuttles will drop you and your luggage at your destination, hotel or guest house. When we were here studying Spanish the last time our home stay was directly across the street from our current location. We watched this place go up and wondered about would it would grow up to be. When we arrived we discovered that it is both a guest house and a Spanish School. The guest here do not necessarily study Spanish here but work on other projects.
Our room is a rather large closet. NOT KIDDING! We have a double bed slam up against the hot water heater which is boxed in, a very poorly made chest of drawers that make a horrible noise when we open the drawers, a table that does the duty of night stand and catch all and a plastic chair. The room has windows on both ends which is great during the day for light and ventilation (only one end opens) The ceiling light had 2 yellow/orange 25 watt bulbs in it. I know that utilities here are expensive but that is not enough light to keep you from running into the bed!!! We washed the light fixture and put in a incandesant bulb with 60 watts. We don’t spend much of the day in here and do not read very long at night but we like to see when we are in here. The common area is open to all with a kitchen with two burner stove top, bigger fridge, a bin for food for each room, a shelf in fridge for each room, space in cupboards for each room. a sofa with TV, and a dining room table, plus two outdoor patios available for all of us. We have more freedom here than at Hortensia’s and like it just fine. About ½ block down the street is a market with farm fresh produce and plenty of fruit. The grocery store is a bit more of a walk but the music there makes it a pain in the ears to shop there (I know they say if it is too loud you are too old) but this is grocery shopping and not a dance hall or disco where the DJ wants to see if he can make your ears bleed!!!! Not much fun!
Discovery!
I will survive Montezuma’s Revenge! Yep! when we got here on Friday I was feeling a little bit ‘punk’. Bye night fall I thought I had fallen off of the truck and that something rolled over me and drug me down the mountain. I was really, truly and terribly sick. I was up most of the night. I think Don missed some of the trips but I have not asked him (payback can be hard). I laid low and by Saturday afternoon was beginning to feel like survival was possible, maybe. I was hungry but stayed with bland stuff, which is not so hard to do here and drank plenty of water which stayed down. Success! (the staying down part). On Sunday I got up and drug some outdoor clothes on a trudged behind Don to church (I figured it could possibly help) and trudged back to bed. Don did the cooking, scrambled eggs, oat meal, boiled potatoes, and plenty of water. I can’t remember what day I made a soup--a very bland soup-- but it was tasty enough for me. I have been doing the disinfecting of the bathroom and any surface I touch in the kitchen so as to keep this thing all to myself -- nobody deserves this. The worst part of this is that Coke Light, Seven Up, etc. taste absolutely terrible!! I am not able to drink any of them but water taste just fabulous! I am happy to report Judy that ALL systems are working. I tire easily and breath like a steam shovel if we go up hill too long -- Don does an ERIK -- he just waits. I am having to watch my blood sugar more closely. This mornings reading was 97 which is a new low for me in the past couple of years. My afternoon reading was 127.
Our readings/research say that getting use to the altitude takes a good week and I plan to use the whole week. Sometimes the beginning of both are very much the same yuckiness! I was sick at the apartment the weekend before we left so this may well be round two of the same thing. This time it may be overkill but I am taking my dose of Cipro. I have had enough of this for now (or ever).
