Lounging in my hammock with sandy toes, while watching the waves crash like thunder on the beach, it didn’t take long to realize that the long epic journey to get to my hostel was well worth it. I’m staying at Cocori Lodge, favorite place for surfers, and it’s pretty close to paradise. Sure, it’s a hostel, so there’s always loud party music playing at the bar, and because it’s an undeveloped country, not everything is perfect in El Paredon. But when you put aside your spoiled American attitude and enjoy the pure beauty and rustic charm, it’s precisely what I was hoping for when I left home a week ago.
Relaxing in the hammock and watching the waves and surfers
I flew from Portland International Airport to Guatemala City and had a three-hour layover in Dallas. Because I was arriving at 8:30 at night, I thought I had better spend the night in Guatemala City. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve heard rumors of a lot of crime in Central America, but my taxi driver was friendly. Unfortunately, because I speak very little Spanish, we weren’t able to communicate much. I got checked in just before 9:00 and was starving, so I asked about a place to eat that was close to the hostel. The receptionist told me there was a fine restaurant less than a block away. With stun gun in hand I made my way to the “steakhouse” and was pleasantly surprised. It was fine indeed. For about $15 I had a lovely meal and a mojito to celebrate my first night in Central America.
Early the next morning I asked about a shuttle to Antigua where I would then need to take another shuttle to El Paredon. I was told to wait ten minutes because the shuttle service wasn’t open yet. An hour later the receptionist was able to book my ride. I’ve found that “ten minutes” is kind of the standard answer around here for how long it will take for something. It’s similar to “Peninsula time” where I live on the Washington State coast.
I was the only person in the shuttle and about forty minutes later I was dropped off at a little tourist office with a few women inside. They explained that the next shuttle would be there in about ten minutes. About 45 minutes later a shuttle full of young foreigners from around the globe stopped to pick me up. A tiny Latin man, only standing about 4 ft. 11, impressed me when he took my 50-pound backpack and tossed it up on top of the shuttle bus like it was a beach ball. Then, he climbed up the side of the bus by jumping up and putting his bare feet on the window ledge and then using the luggage rack as a grip to pull himself up to the top. He tied everything down, and away we went.
Pacaya, the volcano near Guatemala City
It took us about two and a half hours to reach El Paredon. Along the way, we made several stops, one for gas, one to use the baño (bathroom), and one more time to drop a couple of people off. We traveled over roads in all kinds of conditions, from nicely paved roads to dirt and sand. We passed vast fields of sugar cane, and the volcano Pacaya loomed high in the distance.
A friendly English speaking man greeted me at the reception area of Cocori Lodge, and I was relieved to find they were expecting me. I was escorted to my dorm, where I chose a bunk and set down my pack. It was only about 4:00 in the afternoon on New Year’s Eve, but I could already hear people partying in the bar. I quickly cleaned myself up, threw on a dress and went to meet my coworkers and hostel guests.
The New Year’s Eve party at Cocori Lodge in El Paredon, Guatemala
The party was CRAZY and got more and more intense as the night went on. I gorged myself with the all-you-could-eat shrimp meal and sangrias. The Guatemalans don’t peel their shrimp. They eat them shells and all and think we are strange for taking the time to peel them. An older dark-skinned man named Walter danced on the bar and was surprisingly agile. Later her poured tequila down people’s throats and led us in some salsa dancing. I had a blast! Right before midnight, I snuck away to watch the party at a distance. As they counted down to the stroke of the New Year, I gave thanks for my life, friends (new and old), and the opportunity to travel the world. I walked back into the bar for a final drink and some New Year’s Eve kisses and hugs before heading to bed. I somehow managed to fall asleep, in spite of the fireworks that went on until the wee hours of the morning. It was the perfect start to my Central America adventure!