I try to avoid coming back to places I have already been to. Antigua was surely a nice place, but why should I visit it for second time? Well, sometimes faith wins over reason and I was back on its cobbled streets...
Today's story starts back in El Paredon, where I was checking out from the hostel at the same time as Kevin - a Guatemalan local who gave me a lift to Port of San Jose. A transition town on my way to Iztama - which was supposed to be another surfing destination. After I touched the waves a little again I wanted to try my best to see all the Guatemalan surfing destinations. There might be still many undiscovered spots around the coast here but it is beyond my abilities to discover those. On the other hand Iztapa seemed like an easy place to get to. In theory of course. To my surprise even Kevin - a local, had problems asking for directions to a bus stop that would take me there. After a third attempt we found a person who was able to help us.
The only place that resembled a hostel was a Surf Shack Iztapa. There is no way of booking it online, so I was running purely on my luck. Of course the gate was closed and nobody was opening even after ten minutes of constant bell ringing. That was my limit and a sign I could probably just hit the road and head back to Antigua - where I knew I would get few chilled days to get ready for my upcoming flight.
Iztapa was a small disappointment. I end up being glad that the hostel was closed. It saved me two days in dirty town next to a river delta from which it is probably still quite a walk to a place that could have a surfable wave. So I have bought some bananas and tortillas there, chatted with a policeman and coca cola vendors and jumped back on the bus to Antigua.
After quite a long and unplanned journey from the Mexican border I was happy to be somewhere familiar and easy. Even though I had no real plan than keep up with my blog I found something cool to do...
Originally I wanted to rent a bicycle and explore the city somehow faster than by walking. Also some weird mosquito bit me back at the beach and my ankle was swollen a little. So a cheap beach bike in Antiqua sounded really awesome to me - there was a catch however - They were asking for my passport and wanted to hold on to it for the whole time. I wasn't too happy about that and I end up refusing their conditions and hence I had no bicycle.
That didn't stopped me though - with slow tempo I managed to walk all the way to Finca La Azotea.
This place is awesome. Cafe and Cacao plantation with more attractions you can count on one hand. From horse riding to cafe museum there is something for everyone. I was interested the most about the cacao production. Sadly there wasn't much about cacao other than a little store with chocolate and small cacao paste maker.
On the other hand the Cafe museum was quite a diferente story. Plenty of information to consume for an hour or so. From ancient cafe history that goes back to Ethiopia to the times of Columbus and/or British empire.
A little video screen was explaining the cultivation and processing of the local cafe. Very interesting insight and reminder that good cafe doesn't just fall down from a tree but needs to be well taken care of.
Another great exhibition was so called Mayatenango - a small garden with examples of Mayan architecture dating way back in time. Mud houses and even small sauna were reminding me the history untold in most schools. The way of life humans once had - in real connection with nature and all its elements.
Top this up with a harmonic - zen like pond with Japanese carp and baby turtles and you get a great activity for some lazy afternoon.
This is my last post from Guatemala for this time. Thank you all for your kind comments and support in last few weeks - it gives me great motivation to write and travel further. See you next time from a new location!
All the best,
Global Local