Tuesday, November 30, 1999

November 30, 1999 - San Salvador, Guatemala, Ana's Birthday


Hello everyone, our apology for not writing sooner, but it's been quite busy lately.   For those of you who didn't know my birthday was last week on the 25th of November and it was quite an event.  Kris took me out  for lunch and promised dinner with friends at a nice restaurant.  Well what a surprise to find all of our friends at a surprise party at the hotel roof top patio. Kris had arranged the entire event....cake, food, beer and even a piƱata.  It was a wonderful way to turn 28.

This last weekend we finally got the opportunity to take out long awaited trip to Guatemala.  It was great.  We took the public bus system to get there on Friday morning at 7:00 am.  For $45.00 return you get a meal and drinks.  We ended up in Guatemala City, the capital and had lunch at a cute Italian restaurant in Zona Viva...or Zone 10.  It is the tourist area or wealthy area of the city.  Later in the afternoon we met a work friend of Kris who drove us to Antigua.  It is a small tourist village about 40 minutes outside of the city.   It was the highlight of the trip.  We proceeded to look for a place to stay for the night and found this cool hotel.  It use to be a house with several large rooms with cathedral ceilings and a garden in the centre of the house.  After settling in we went for a walk around the town.  It is filled with bars and nice restaurants.  Many foreigns and backpackers have discovered this place, but it's still not commercial.  We give it a few more years before the Mc Donald's and Burger Kings invade. 


Apparently this town was filled with monasteries and many many churches centuries ago.  Then a earthquake destroyed many of the structures and today there lies the haunting memories.

The next day we decided to tour around.  We had breakfast at the most gorgeous and unique hotel I've ever seen.  It is called Santa Domingo and it use to be an old monastery.  They have taken the rooms where the nuns use to live and converted them into hotel rooms.  The wonderful thing about this place is that they have not tinkered with the original architecture but just enhanced it.   The reception is at the alter for example and near the pool is an area of ruins that can be explored during your stay.  It is a popular spot for outdoor weddings.   Apparently they are booked for events years in advance.  I'm not surprised.  


Well after a day of exploring we returned to Guatemala city to have dinner at our friend Eric's home.  He and his wife Rosa fed us well.  We went for a brief drink after dinner at a local bar.   Kris was in shock to know that last call for drinks in Guatemala is an early 12:30 pm!!!  Unusual for Central America. 

The next day was our last day and we took advantage of a local spa we found and I had a massage and our friend Karen also on the trip, was pampered as well.  A perfect end to a perfect weekend.


As our final days in El Salvador approach we are sad.   We have recently met some wonderful friends Jessica and Memo.  I  met on my diving course and they are wonderful.  We are sad we can't spend more time with them.  Hopefully they will visit us on our travels.

Our last week has also been busy with work.   We've been wrapping up last minute business and I've been finishing off some of my websites.  Work in Costa Rica looks promising so I'm happy about that.

That's all for now.  Please e-mail us when you can.


Ana

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