When it comes to my extracurricular activities and traveling, I am pretty easy to entertain. The number one favorite activity I have, besides all the interactions with people, is hiking. Hiking is a complete spiritual and physical experience that takes the body to new found places. With the love for challenge, hiking to the top of the mountains at 10,000 plus elevation is motivating for me. Sometimes one can go up to the top and see a view with a car, bike, or bus. It's just never the same as taking step by step breathing, observing, listening, and smelling nature straight to the top. It doesn't matter if it's raining or it's muddy, I have to hike up to the final point. My mind and body will not be content just going half way or taking a car up and viewing. It's a craving of that experience, which you never forget and makes you continue to hike.
With this said, Priscilla was quite happy at the Nature Reserve of Atitlan where there was a hike up to the waterfall. Since this was a zip lining sight, there were about 10 or so suspension bridges that you crossed through your hike. They recommended to sit at the suspension bridges and wait for the monkeys.
Instead of silently waiting, I was calling out for them, "Donde esta monkeys?" " Ven aqui por favor." My experience with monkeys had been questionable-one ate my bracelet, one took my sunglasses, and some were just violent and scary. I was calling and they weren't coming, which was fine. I ended up getting to the waterfall and felt that it was not enough of a hike so I took another trail to the top.
That was not enough either so I took another trail that took me on a detour into a huge mud puddle. It's times like that where I think to myself, "Priscilla can you ever just follow instructions and stay on the route?" Getting lost can be amazing or it can a bit of pain when you are in a rain forest and it starts pouring! When it rains in Guatemala, it usually only rains for 15 minutes and then the sun reappears. The sun did thankfully reappear and I was ready to head back on course.
Finally, the monkeys came out to say "hello" and they were friendly and not aggressive-thank God. The zip lines were going through so I watched all the tourist come sliding down the lines and shouting. I had debated doing the zip lines, but was so happy I decided against it with my peaceful hike.
Instead of silently waiting, I was calling out for them, "Donde esta monkeys?" " Ven aqui por favor." My experience with monkeys had been questionable-one ate my bracelet, one took my sunglasses, and some were just violent and scary. I was calling and they weren't coming, which was fine. I ended up getting to the waterfall and felt that it was not enough of a hike so I took another trail to the top.
That was not enough either so I took another trail that took me on a detour into a huge mud puddle. It's times like that where I think to myself, "Priscilla can you ever just follow instructions and stay on the route?" Getting lost can be amazing or it can a bit of pain when you are in a rain forest and it starts pouring! When it rains in Guatemala, it usually only rains for 15 minutes and then the sun reappears. The sun did thankfully reappear and I was ready to head back on course.
Finally, the monkeys came out to say "hello" and they were friendly and not aggressive-thank God. The zip lines were going through so I watched all the tourist come sliding down the lines and shouting. I had debated doing the zip lines, but was so happy I decided against it with my peaceful hike.
After I came down the hill to see the butterflies, the blind raccoon, and the birds. Behind the front area, I found a Zip-lining swing, which you went up on a platform and pushed yourself to the other side. Like a child, I sat and pushed myself back and forth about 5 or 6 times. It was my Free Zip lining experience except not nearly the same as I was not up 4000 feet swinging through trees and staring at the Lake. You have to lose some to win some=)
After the Nature Reserve, it was off to the luxurious Hotel Atitlan gardens where it started raining again. Something about skipping around in the rain in the gardens with no one there felt good and kind of forbidden. There was the cutest bunny farm with a big, overweight bunny with patches and floppy ears-she was the Mom.
There was a Toucan, a parrot, and all different types of fish and birds. It was truly a beautiful garden with nice landscape and architecture of the ponds and fountains. There was also a Rose garden with many different types of Roses. Guatemala has beautiful roses of all different colors with my favorite one being Pink with white accents. It's one I have never even seen before.
There was a Toucan, a parrot, and all different types of fish and birds. It was truly a beautiful garden with nice landscape and architecture of the ponds and fountains. There was also a Rose garden with many different types of Roses. Guatemala has beautiful roses of all different colors with my favorite one being Pink with white accents. It's one I have never even seen before.
At the picturesque Hotel Atitlan patio with a pool and view of the Lake, I ate a Vegetable wrap with beans and plantains. Everything was outstanding and the Speciality Guatemalan Hot chocolate was perfect to finish it off.
After exploring the hotel, I went into the gift shop to meet Shirley who is from Texas. She lives in Guatemala and loves the food, people, and culture. She can't stand Obama and what he did to America and I 100 percent agree with her as I was never a fan of him. She says that Texas is trying to be turned into a Republican state and she is a Republican for life who can't stand these changes. She speaks highly of Guatemalan families, children going to school being mandatory, and the proper nutrition in their daily meals. She is just a pleasure to chat with as she makes the funniest jokes and is full of life. We both are very fond of each other and she is proud of the work I am doing in her community. It's a blessing meeting such wonderful people, it just seemed to work out that way in Guatemala.
No comments:
Post a Comment