Today is Dia de Los Diablos in Guatemala. that means that people take their garbage out into the street and burn it. The Lonely Planet Guatemala book said there are costumed devils that run around too. I haven’t seen any evidence of this yet. Maybe it will start in the evening. I am quickly finding a routine here in the city. It is much easier to live here. We have the trappings of modern life. Last night we stayed in and watched the Blu Ray disc of Captain America on a large TV. I snacked on Pretzel Chips. I also repaired the toilet last night. This morning Jill and I have already gone for a walk and found a large park in the back of the Residenciale with a collection of dog walkers. iTunes is pissing me off. There’s even a frenchman sleeping on the couch. It’s like we never left the Minneapolis.
There are a few differences I could mention. Apparently Netflix believes that one would never want to watch anything that is not dubbed into Spanish or has Spanish subtitles. So far it has been impossible to find a movie on it in english without any subtitles. I also attempted to watch the pirated Expendables 3 disc laying by the TV, it was dubbed terribly into Spanish with no other options.
Sidewalks here are strange. First of all they are narrow, usually with a wall on one side and rushing traffic on the other; secondly, there are curbs, steps, doors, awnings, holes, chasms, rubble, scat, food carts, market stands, and people. Sidewalks don’t work all that well and walking on the street is common so drivers grudgingly give a couple inches for pedestrians when they have too.
The houses here all look halfway done. Paint is definitely not required, concrete block colored is just fine. They also have rebar poking out all over for the practical reason of future expansion. Never mind if the expansion never happens or is abandoned in progress. Front yards don’t exist or they are walled in. Flat roofs are standard, for the upward expansion.
I’m hungry, Jill and I are going to go to the mall and eat brunch at the trendy bistro there. Then maybe we will catch a 3D movie, who knows, the world is our oyster. Hopefully I’ll get a picture with one of the shotgun toting security guards.
You paint quite a picture with words, Martin! Be careful of those guards with guns.