Another trip looms! And a summer of fun awaits!!
I'm leaving San Pedro today. I've been here since the end of November (after 2 months in Mexico) and I'll miss the tropical weather, nutty people and general hijinx.
This afternoon I'm off to Antigua Guatemala, the country's original capital located about 45 minutes from the big, bad current capital. Easter celebrations are in full swing, so Antigua is going to be crazy.
On Friday I fly to Calgary. It's a midday flight and doesn't get in too late. I've got a rental car waiting and I've been invited to dinner. Nice. Although the weather appears to be significantly cooler than it is here. Dammit!
And then on May 4, it's off to Nova Scotia for the spring/summer/fall. I'm really looking forward to that.
But have no fear, San Pedro. I'll be back -- on Nov 8.
Cheers!
Showing posts with label san pedro la laguna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label san pedro la laguna. Show all posts
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Yes, Yes, I know...
... it's been a while since my last post. Not that I haven't been writing posts. I've actually started two - I just haven't finished them. I will soon.
I'm still in San Pedro, safe and sound. I'm working (building blogs/social media) and enjoying the warm weather.
I just noticed that Roadspill will turn 8 next week. 8! Go figure.
More to come. Soon. I promise!
Cheers!!
I'm still in San Pedro, safe and sound. I'm working (building blogs/social media) and enjoying the warm weather.
I just noticed that Roadspill will turn 8 next week. 8! Go figure.
More to come. Soon. I promise!
Cheers!!
Sunday, December 26, 2010
An epiphany for Christmas
After nearly a month back in San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala, it has become apparent that I belong here and not in Mexico. The reasons for this are many, but the main ones are: warmth, friends and comfort.
There is nothing wrong with San Cristobal, but it seems that I'd be better off visiting it -- rather than living there.
Apologies for the lack of posts over the past few weeks. It's been busy (!) and I've been slack. But I have a nice collection of photos and will post them soon. I'll write more too.
Hope you're having a fab holiday...
Cheers!
There is nothing wrong with San Cristobal, but it seems that I'd be better off visiting it -- rather than living there.
Apologies for the lack of posts over the past few weeks. It's been busy (!) and I've been slack. But I have a nice collection of photos and will post them soon. I'll write more too.
Hope you're having a fab holiday...
Cheers!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Going Abroad
San Pedro Redux
Early Sunday morning I'll board a shuttle. Eight hours later I should arrive in San Pedro la Laguna, Guatemala. The plan is to recharge my batteries, swim and relax. I'll head back to San Cristobal in about a week.
It'll be fun going back to San Pedro after a year away... I can't wait!
Cheers!
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Living on Guatemala Time
My story on living in San Pedro. Originally for the Chicago Tribune.
I’m in a small water taxi — a lancha — bouncing across Lake Atitlan in the highlands of southwestern Guatemala. Surrounded by Maya women wearing traditional colorful skirts and blouses, I do my best to blend in with the bicycles, sugar cane, bags of potatoes, and appliances. The women giggle at my flowery shirt and embarrassingly white legs. I smile back; happy to be returning to what I think is one of the most beautiful and affordable places in Central America. [the rest of the story]
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
from the "ch-ch-changes" dept.
It's official: I'm leaving Guatemala. After nearly a year in the land of eternal summer, a job offer is pulling me back.
Not Guatemala
I'm heading to Edmonton on Oct 31. And on Monday Nov. 2, I start a one-year contract as a news promo producer with CBC. It'll be my first Prairie winter since 1996-1997. I'm scared.
The life change is already in progress. As I write this, I've done my final laps in the pool and I'm all packed. I leave San Pedro tomorrow (Thursday) for Antigua. And then Friday I fly from Guatemala City to Vancouver. I've got two weeks in Vancouver to get stuff ready. Then, as mentioned, I fly to Edmonton on Halloween.
Trick or treat?
Cheers!
Not GuatemalaI'm heading to Edmonton on Oct 31. And on Monday Nov. 2, I start a one-year contract as a news promo producer with CBC. It'll be my first Prairie winter since 1996-1997. I'm scared.
The life change is already in progress. As I write this, I've done my final laps in the pool and I'm all packed. I leave San Pedro tomorrow (Thursday) for Antigua. And then Friday I fly from Guatemala City to Vancouver. I've got two weeks in Vancouver to get stuff ready. Then, as mentioned, I fly to Edmonton on Halloween.
Trick or treat?
Cheers!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
from the "up to speed" dept.
Lest you think I'm on some sort of extended holiday, let me reassure you that my nose is firmly planted to the grindstone. Here's the headlines:
A documentary project I am involved with is being pitched Thursday (Oct 1) to a panel of commissioning editors at the Vancouver International Film Fest. Read more about the Storyville session here. Ours is the 5th from the top. With luck our project will receive some development money to flesh out the story even more. It would mean work for me, and likely keep me in Canada for a while.
I'm also waiting to hear if I might be returning to Canada to do some work for the CBC. One of the gigs I'm interested in is in Halifax. I certainly wouldn't mind returning to the East Coast for a spell.
Things are getting interesting in San Pedro. There has been a new focus on bars and restaurants that stay open past 11. There's a lot of rumor and speculation as to what exactly is going on and why. However, groups of evangelical vigilantes are now visiting bars and restaurants to enforce a closing time of 11pm. Apparently this is a new national mandate, but there is no confirmation of this. Local business owners are worried -- as are many people living here. It almost seems like an US vs. THEM mentality. And that's not good for anyone.
There is no question that San Pedro could use a little cleaning up. Groups of faux-hippies congregate around the main entertainment area (the Vortex) selling crappy hand-made jewelery and drugs. Plus many dress in a manner that is completely disrespectful of the local population.
No one is quite sure how this will all play out. Some think that the clean-up effort will die a natural death in a few weeks. Others see it as the death of San Pedro and are planning to hit the road, in search of a new tropical paradise. And, honestly, a lot of the accusations coming from the evangelicals are very hypocritical.
"Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."
But let's not get into a long diatribe about religion.
I had some friends from Saskatchewan visit San Pedro on their honeymoon. I worked with Shawn and Nichole in Ghana and it was nice to see them again. They stayed at my big house for about a week. It was a treat to have normal conversations about new things! Plus, they brought me the new issue of Vanity Fair. Aaah...
There will be changes in my housing situation soon. Two of the Americans I'm house-sitting for return Oct 13. They've assured me that I can hang here until my planned return to Canada on December 2. They've also told me I'm more than welcome back in January.
The neighbour's little annoying demon-dog that plagued my life these past few months seems to have disappeared (knock on wood). He would bark and bark and bark -- making it so that I would never sit out on the patio or enjoy much of my time in the house. I often had to wear earplugs and crank up my music to block his piercing yaps. But no more. For nearly a week and a half there has been nothing but silence from his rooftop perch.
Of course, there are always trade offs. And yappy was no exception. At the very same time as he disappeared, construction began on a new house next door. And this isn't like housebuilding in Canada. Everything is manual labour. And when you live on the side of a volcano, there are lots of big rocks that have to be removed or broken down for use as building materials. That's done by hand. So, from 6:30am until 4pm a small army of men hammer away, breaking massive boulders into smaller pieces. Tink. Tink. Tink...
But I'll take the tink, tink, tink sounds of rock breaking over demon-dog's yipping any day.
Lastly: I discovered a little photo essay on Lake Atitlan. It was published two years ago on The Atlantic website. While it is a little out of date, it gives a good overview of San Pedro and San Marcos. Check it out: HERE.
Anyway... that's where things stand on this last day of September. Hard to believe that the year is winding down so quickly.
More to come.
Cheers!
A documentary project I am involved with is being pitched Thursday (Oct 1) to a panel of commissioning editors at the Vancouver International Film Fest. Read more about the Storyville session here. Ours is the 5th from the top. With luck our project will receive some development money to flesh out the story even more. It would mean work for me, and likely keep me in Canada for a while.
I'm also waiting to hear if I might be returning to Canada to do some work for the CBC. One of the gigs I'm interested in is in Halifax. I certainly wouldn't mind returning to the East Coast for a spell.
Things are getting interesting in San Pedro. There has been a new focus on bars and restaurants that stay open past 11. There's a lot of rumor and speculation as to what exactly is going on and why. However, groups of evangelical vigilantes are now visiting bars and restaurants to enforce a closing time of 11pm. Apparently this is a new national mandate, but there is no confirmation of this. Local business owners are worried -- as are many people living here. It almost seems like an US vs. THEM mentality. And that's not good for anyone.
There is no question that San Pedro could use a little cleaning up. Groups of faux-hippies congregate around the main entertainment area (the Vortex) selling crappy hand-made jewelery and drugs. Plus many dress in a manner that is completely disrespectful of the local population.
No one is quite sure how this will all play out. Some think that the clean-up effort will die a natural death in a few weeks. Others see it as the death of San Pedro and are planning to hit the road, in search of a new tropical paradise. And, honestly, a lot of the accusations coming from the evangelicals are very hypocritical.
"Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone."
But let's not get into a long diatribe about religion.
I had some friends from Saskatchewan visit San Pedro on their honeymoon. I worked with Shawn and Nichole in Ghana and it was nice to see them again. They stayed at my big house for about a week. It was a treat to have normal conversations about new things! Plus, they brought me the new issue of Vanity Fair. Aaah...
There will be changes in my housing situation soon. Two of the Americans I'm house-sitting for return Oct 13. They've assured me that I can hang here until my planned return to Canada on December 2. They've also told me I'm more than welcome back in January.
The neighbour's little annoying demon-dog that plagued my life these past few months seems to have disappeared (knock on wood). He would bark and bark and bark -- making it so that I would never sit out on the patio or enjoy much of my time in the house. I often had to wear earplugs and crank up my music to block his piercing yaps. But no more. For nearly a week and a half there has been nothing but silence from his rooftop perch.
Of course, there are always trade offs. And yappy was no exception. At the very same time as he disappeared, construction began on a new house next door. And this isn't like housebuilding in Canada. Everything is manual labour. And when you live on the side of a volcano, there are lots of big rocks that have to be removed or broken down for use as building materials. That's done by hand. So, from 6:30am until 4pm a small army of men hammer away, breaking massive boulders into smaller pieces. Tink. Tink. Tink...
But I'll take the tink, tink, tink sounds of rock breaking over demon-dog's yipping any day.
Lastly: I discovered a little photo essay on Lake Atitlan. It was published two years ago on The Atlantic website. While it is a little out of date, it gives a good overview of San Pedro and San Marcos. Check it out: HERE.
Anyway... that's where things stand on this last day of September. Hard to believe that the year is winding down so quickly.
More to come.
Cheers!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
from the "picture this" dept.
I've taken some photos (finally) around my new San Pedro home, San Pedro and Lake Atitlan. You can see them by clicking on the slideshow to the right or right HERE.
Enjoy!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
from the "rainy season" dept.
I'm back in San Pedro la Laguna and have moved into my comfortable new home that I will be housesitting for the next few months. I still have my charming rustic spot, but will likely let it go at the end of this month -- unless I find a tenant.
The rainy season has definitely started here. Rain overnight. Sunny hot mornings. Rainy afternoons. Rainy evenings. If you schedule around the downpours, it's easy to live with. And everything is dust free and green. Apparently there is a 3-4 week period in June where the rains stop. Here's hoping!
Since returning to San Pedro I've discovered the pool (La Piscina). Since returning, I've been spending 45 minutes swimming and doing watery aerobics. This is the hopes of kickstarting my turtle-like metabolism. I've also sworn off the beer, but as I write this a bottle of Red Breast Irish Whiskey is tempting me.
The plan for this trip is to write more, exercise more, and hopefully continue to earn a living. So far, so good.
Lastly, sad news about my Macbook. First the drive failed and now the whole thing seems dead. I may have to spring for a new one as I have some work that I must do asap as I've already been paid.
And you thought living in paradise was all tropical drinks and bikinis! Ha!
Cheers!
The rainy season has definitely started here. Rain overnight. Sunny hot mornings. Rainy afternoons. Rainy evenings. If you schedule around the downpours, it's easy to live with. And everything is dust free and green. Apparently there is a 3-4 week period in June where the rains stop. Here's hoping!
Since returning to San Pedro I've discovered the pool (La Piscina). Since returning, I've been spending 45 minutes swimming and doing watery aerobics. This is the hopes of kickstarting my turtle-like metabolism. I've also sworn off the beer, but as I write this a bottle of Red Breast Irish Whiskey is tempting me.
The plan for this trip is to write more, exercise more, and hopefully continue to earn a living. So far, so good.
Lastly, sad news about my Macbook. First the drive failed and now the whole thing seems dead. I may have to spring for a new one as I have some work that I must do asap as I've already been paid.
And you thought living in paradise was all tropical drinks and bikinis! Ha!
Cheers!
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