Guatemala 6/23/2024 |
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Sunday June 23, 2024 - Piscinas El Manantial, Meeting Aracely's Fiance Joel, Ian Ivan's Belated BirthdayToday we went to the pools at Manantial for a swim. We woke up at 7 a.m. and left the house at 8:45. Manuel drove. Paulina, Humberto, Yoselin, Ian Ivan, Paola, and Paola's little dog Octavio accompanied us. We stopped at the scenic overlook in Godinez. It had a beautiful view of Lago Atitlan and its surrounding volcanoes. We took some photos here.Then we stopped at the Cony Restaurant for breakfast. The dining room had stunning views of the lake. We had coffee and an oatmeal drink with cinnamon. I had pancakes with fruit (they were some of the best pancakes I've ever had: a crispy outside, a bit vanilla-y and cakey, served with honey and chocolate). Craig got a ham and cheese omelette. Then we drove the rest of the way to Piscinas El Manantial. As soon as we arrived there (around 11:15 a.m.), Paola got word that she was needed at work at the hospital, so Manuel turned right around and drove her and Octavio back to Panajachel. He would then return to pick us up later. We walked down some steep stairways flanked with gorgeous tropical vegetation to get to the pools. There are six different pools here, all filled by a spring-fed river. One of the larger pools had been emptied. The water is incredibly clear and clean, and each pool is a different depth. The pools are separated from one another by plants and pavilions. We enjoyed a refreshing swim in the clear water. Ian Ivan is like a fish, and swims very well. He loves the water. There was a group of teenagers at the pool who were doing a lot of flirting with one another, throwing one another into the pool and rough housing. We had to beware of them as we old folks made our way around the pools. Paulina asked me if we wanted a piña loca. I wasn't quite sure what one was, but why not? It turned out to be a hollowed-out pineapple filled with pineapple rings and spicy cylindrical chips. The whole thing was doused in blood-red sweet syrup and liberally sprinkled with tajin spice. It was a sweet and spicy treat that was very sticky. We got back into the water afterwards. They started to fill the empty pool with water. Yoselin and Ian Ivan stood in it as it quickly filled with river water. It was unbelievable how rapidly it filled up. The sky started to darken. We got out of the pool and went into the changing rooms to get into some dry clothes just as thunder rolled in. We climbed up the steep path to the parking lot where we met Manuel, who drove us back home. On the ride home, Ian felt a pinch and realized that he had been bitten by a caterpillar. It stung a bit and Humberto took a photo of the caterpillar in case it became problematic later, they would know exactly what bit him. We were all tired after being in the sun at the pools, and Ian took a nap. Craig and I joked that it might not be such a good idea after the bite. But luckily, he was fine. We arrived at 3:30 and had some coffee to liven ourselves up after an early morning and a day at the pools. We chatted with Aracely. It rained so heavily that the sound on the metal roof made it hard to hear one another. Aracely told us that we would get a chance to meet her fiance Joel tonight. Joel and his parents arrived bearing gifts: Aracely's wedding dress, a veil, fabric bouquet, and shoes. They formally presented these to Aracely in wrapped gift boxes. Joel's sisters and their husbands came too, along with Joel's two young nephews. One of the nephews was so enamored with Octavio the dog that he was giggling hysterically and couldn't stop. Luckily, the patio outside has a roof over it now, so there was plenty of room for us all to sit outside together without getting wet from the rain. We ate pizza and had rosa jamaica (hibiscus) tea to drink. It was a nice visit, and we were really happy to get a chance to meet Joel and his family prior to the wedding. After dinner, they departed. They live in Panajachel, but on the other side of the river. Then we had a birthday cake for Ian Ivan's 9th birthday. His birthday was actually yesterday, and the family had had the cake all along. They had just forgotten to eat it when we got home from eating out last night at Taqueria El Charro. We sang happy birthday to Ian, and they did the obligatory smash-his-face-into-the-cake ritual. We wished Ian a happy birthday and enjoyed his cake before going to bed. I would have to work early in the morning, since Guatemala is two hours behind of our time zone at home during the summer. Paola was working an overnight shift, so we didn't see her once we got home from the pools. Godinez Lookout Cony's Restaurant Piscinas El Manantial |
 Paulina, Ian, Paola, Octavio, Steph, Craig, Yoselin, Humberto at Godinez Lookout  Breakfast at Cony Restaurant  Yoselin, Ian, Paulina, and Humberto at the pools  Yoselin at the pools  Joel, Aracely, and Joel's parents  Happy 9th birthday to Ian Ivan Photo Gallery June 23 |
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