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I am home. Home is wonderful.

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My computer's charger is dead, which means my battery charge has suddenly become particularly precious.

In all likelihood this will be the last chance I get to update my blog. I've stuffed one memory card with all the files I might need for work, and I've emptied the other to make sure I don't have to worry about running out of space for photos. It has been a great pleasure writing this - as an excuse to tell the stories I would be telling you if we were hanging out, as a place to mull over things that seem one way at first-lonely-gringo-impression, but turn out to be another, and to share* the pictures I've taken of this unique part of the world.

In 18 days I start my journey home, hopping to the capital and Antigua for one last day in the beautiful, refreshing (NOT sweltering and humid) mountains, and then I'm flying home. I'll be in boston sunday night, and I'll be seeing you sometime soon after. We've got a lot to catch up on, I can't wait to see you all!

Thanks for reading - here's a last dump of some pictures I've taken in the last couple days

*show off - somehow photography brings out the compliment whore in me.

Tuk Tuk!

So I rode in a tuktuk today. Usually Guatemalan tuktuks have a regular horn, or a police siren (or if you're cool, some large, cheap speakers under the seat).

This on had both a horn and a siren, and the driver knew when each was most effective. The horn was vigorously abused whenever there was a traffic light in sight. It didn't matter if the light was green or red, or if there were any cars in front of us - his fist was going to pound the horn button. The horn was not a warning to other drivers that we were about to cross an intersection. it was not even an angry insistence that the assholes idling at the green light vamanos. It was a vengeful threat to the traffic lights themselves, warning that one day, he would come for them, and make them pay for every second wasted at a red light.


The siren was reserved especially for the ladies. Should we happen to pass a lady he deemed attractive (the criteria for which seemed to be 1) female, and 2) living) he would blare the siren, leaning out the door and waving his hand in case she might want to leap into our speeding motor taxi.

After a ride like this, there is nothing more appropriate than Tony Jaa's tuktuk chasescene masterpiece.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x58QctN0aaA&feature=related

Lancha Update

It turns out that the Municipality-run situation that I had heard about was what was being threatened, in response to the lancheros raising prices. Which is unfortunate, because they only raised them from 1.50q to 2q. The people I talked to were generally in agreement that since fuel prices are high, and the lancheros are very accommodating - often crossing with only one passenger, rather than making people wait - this really wasn't a big problem. But apparently the Muni cracked down on them, because they all have signs saying prices are back to 1.50q, and they're handing out receipts as well.

Here's a picture of a happy horse.