28/2/10 - day 81.

up at half 7 and walked to the where the bus goes from for the 3 hour trip to Antigua. i didnt want to go to antigua however. id bought a ticket the day before to monterrico which is a little beach town down on the pacific coast, but the guy came to find me the night before to tell me that the bus couldnt take me directly and that id have to stop over in antigua for the night then leave for monterrico the following morning. rather than rearrange the whole thing i agreed to this.

we left san pedro about 9 and got to antigua around midday. there was a massive american guy id met on the bus called joey. he was a mountaineer and probably one of the biggest, tallest, broadest people ive ever met. seriously, he was huuuuuuuge. he'd been in guatemale a while and knew antigua well so as i was just there for a night asked him where the cheapest place was. he did. it was called posada ruiz. at less than 2 pound 50, it was up there with the cheapest accomm of my trip, if not THE cheapest, and i have to say... i should stop being sucha a tight arse, spend the extra pound or 2 and stay somewhere that doesnt have mould on the walls by the head of the bed.

after making a phone to 'pedro', the guy who was sorting my bus to the beach, to let him know where i needed picking up, i went for a walk. walked around a couple of very large indoor markets, packed with people, as was the rest of antigua. probably because it was a sunday. there was a lot going on in and around the parque central, which is the focal point of antigua and is surrounded on all sides by big, important looking, historic buildings. heaps of tourists and heaps locals. there were street performers and clowns attracting big crowds, dancing going on by a bunch of girls wearing what looked to me like little-bo-peep outfits, and various other bits and piece like this.

later there was colourful, musical procession that went through the town. i later found out this was as a prelude to semana santa (holy week) which is a week of partying and celebration in pretty much the whole of latin america that happens at easter. it was good to see.

as the night drew in and it started to get cold i headed back to my cell where my opinion of it somehow lowered upon finding that the toilets not only lacked a toilet seat but also toilet paper, (fortunately, travelling teaches you to always prepare for such possibilities and i am NEVER without tissues these days!) but at least the one i went in had a massive cockroach and no light.. i sound like im having a right old rant now i know, but one more thing - the woman that lets you in the main door which they keep locked was so miserable, making it seem like such a chore. well, sorry love, if you dont like answering the door to people, just maybe the accomodation business isnt for you!!

stomach still wasnt feeling proper, so had a couple of tentative tacos for dinner and went to bed about 9pm.