Tranquillo

It is my second night in Antigua, Guatemala, and I'm starting to adjust to the fact that my phone and my pager aren't driving me insane. I like it, and I like the people. The city is so lovely, so quaint. Everyone here is friendly. Nobody is telling me their problems and complaints. Tonight it feels as though I'm truly on vacation. I am all alone, and I kind of like it!

I ran into a medical student who is studying at a hospital in Guatemala City. He spoke a little English and I a little Spanish. Nobody here speaks English. I'm glad I speak enough Spanish to get by. If I didn't, I'd be fucked.

This morning I got up nice and late and walked over to the Mercado. It's the biggest, most surreal flea-market you've ever seen. Half indoors, half outdoors. They sell everything. I got a band-aid for the gigantic blisters on my big toe and some socks. Who goes on vacation without taking socks? I must be insane. I also bought a sketch pad, some colored pencils, and a glass of young coconut juice. It was positively delicious.

After wandering around the market for a few hours, I went and got a haircut and shave. The barber was a really nice guy, and he invited me to stay with his family. I suppose I'll find him in a couple of days and take him up on his offer. He lives in a village in the mountains a few miles away.

After my haircut, I sat on the curb and drew a picture of the store fronts. I am no artist, but I'd forgotten how much I love to draw pictures. I must've sat out in the sun for too long because I got a pretty good sunburn on the back of my neck.

There is a coffee shop/ resteraunt right around the corner from my hotel. They have a beautiful patio, and I sat and drank coffee and ate lunch for a little bit. After that, I was ready for a little siesta. I went back to my hotel and dozed off for maybe a half an hour. When I woke up, I walked around again for a couple of hours. I found the main plaza. It's a really nice park with a beautiful fountain in the courtyard of a colonial church. Everywhere I go, there are tons of people. The women here are so beautiful. I wish I had the courage and I knew enough Spanish to approach them, but I'm feeling really shy. Around 4 pm, I started feeling sleepy again, so I went back the hotel for another nap. I seriously must need the sleep.

When I woke up, it was maybe 7 pm, and I was hungry. I went out for a bite to eat. I found a nice little place that had a pasta special for 1.40 USD. The food was so-so, but the owner of the restaurant, Gustavo, was a really nice guy, and he and I talked for a couple of hours. Did I mention that nobody here speaks English? A couple of beautiful gringas walked into the place. I introduced myself to them. They were traveling from Alaska. They had to leave to meet up with some friends, and I didn't really feel like widening my circle of friends, so I stayed on at the restaurant chatting with Gustavo and his lead-waiter who's name I've forgotten.

It's been lightly drizzling tonight. It's so beautiful here. So calm, so tranquil. I feel content and relaxed. It's been a long time since I've felt something other than urgency and stress. I realize that I need to take better care of myself. I need to make the most of this life.

I was feeling very alone and somewhat alienated, but now I just feel serene. It's really nice to know that I can just go up to someone, anyone, and talk to them if I want. Or, I can just be alone. Either way, it's nice.

Today is my ex-wife's birthday. I miss her. It's just about the one-year anniversary of our divorce. I wonder if she's happy. I wonder if she still thinks of me.

After dinner, I came back to the hotel. There is a patio on the roof, and that's where I'm sitting now. I feel good., and my tummy is full. When I'm done writing, I'm going to my room to finish watching Ratatouille. In some ways I really wish I were sharing this experience with someone in person, in other ways I am cherishing my solitude.

Everything smells like wood burning stoves and rain. Guatemala is great. I'll check in again soon. Apologies for the lousy grammar.