One of the reasons I chose to move from Canada to Guatemala is to travel more and experience new cultures and geographies. I definitely need to do more exploring! I kinda thought I would be visiting more of the nearby countries in my time here -- Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua. I need to get on that! Finding the money and the pet-sitter seems to be the hardest part.
I saw this neat article shared by Thrillist Travel and was excited to see Antigua, Guatemala, featured. Honestly, Guate is so cheap and such a neat experience. I recommend it to anyone tired of all-inclusive resorts and too touristy locations. Come here and see something different. It gets in your soul! How to Travel When You're Broke As A Joke
Paraglider over Lake Atitlan and Tolimán volcano
The above picture is what I see whenever I walk out my front door. Why would I travel? Ha ha! But honestly, my visa trips to Mexico every three months are getting a bit routine. I need to plan for a more adventurous holiday soon. 😊
A friend shared this on Facebook and it is hilarious! It is by comedian Arturo Castro of Comedy Central. I couldn't find the complete original to share so this one is a bit cut off. It should start with the words, "Imagine a place..."
I would like to also add that Guatemala is waaaaaaaay cheaper than Costa Rica. So plan your trip today! And say HI to me if you see me in Panajachel. 😄
I came across this neat video on YouTube of a Guatemalan traveler who went paragliding at Lake Atitlan recently. This is an activity that I would never do. Never ever ever. Sorry! You're never gonna see a video of me jumping off a cliff! So I'm sharing this video so you can see what it's like and see some amazing vistas of Lake Atitlan, the volcanoes, and the scenery.
But there is another reason for this post -- I'd like you to try to understand his Spanish! And then maybe sympathize with poor me who is trying to learn this language in my 40s! I think he is a ciudadano, a person from the city, and they speak faster than the local people here in Panajachel. That is because Spanish is most likely his first language, whereas many of the locals here are indigenous and they learn their Mayan language first, then Spanish, and then sometimes English. So that makes it actually easier to communicate with indigenous people because they are learning Spanish too and so they speak slowly and simply.
If you're not interested in the real-life Spanish lesson, then just watch this video for the awesome visuals. He actually doesn't even fly until the last 3 minutes of the video. Before that, he visits the nature reserve, talks about the history of paragliding, and chats with the instructor. Skip ahead to 14:00 if you just wanna see him fly!
The funniest part is that I didn't know what his channel name was and had to translate it. He is Traveling Walrus! And near the end of the video, he says, "A walrus is not made to fly but without a doubt, he loves it." So cute!
