Short hair Francis

🤣🤣, don't forget I'm not SFO777.
Don't expect my TRs to be "Oven Fresh" 🤪

Next Section should be up tomorrow or Wednesday barring something unforeseen. 👍

Short hair Francis

Part 16 – Highland Relief in the Tropics, Country #113, Guatemala City, Guatemala


After deplaning, it took about 5 mins walking to to get to the Immigration area.

Unfortunately the immigration area was packed with multiple flights coming from the US, therefore I retreated to the Claro counter and picked up a sim card for this Central American trip.

Then back to the immigration line I go, which has subsided a small amount of travelers.

As this was the early part of the pandemic where virus spread was mostly limited to China, Iran, Italy and South Korea; Asian Gringos really stick out like a sore thumb on the road. 😮😮

And as for my own situation, permanently reside in Country A, temporarily reside in Country B, passport from Country C, transiting via Country D?
You get the Guatemalan “SSSS” Super Secret Security Search Treatment, this was despite been outside the Asia Pacific for the last 14 days. 😱😱

Still better than having 8 Burmese Visas within 1 Year on my passport courtesy of the 2012 Myanmar Kyat Deals 😆😆
National Intelligence must have thought I was either a complete wacko or a Golden Triangle Transnational Drug Overlord or both 🤪🤪

By this time, most of the immigration line was gone and I entered into Guatemala without further ado.

4 USD and a 10 mins Uber ride later and I find myself at the Courtyard by Marriott Guatemala City in Zona 10.

Courtyard by Marriott Guatemala City



Elevator Lobby



Room



Bathroom



View from the Room



Hotel Gym


With a 10:30am walking tour scheduled for the next morning, and it roughly being 330pm by the time I got settled into the room; I quickly jumped across the street to Banco Industrial to exchange some Guatemalan Quetzals.

If there is one theory I hold to heart for traveling in 3rd World Countries, “Cash is King”! 🤑🤑

After the money exchange part was completed, I walked around Zona 10 a tiny bit, grabbed a small dinner to head back to the hotel and passed out in the room by 6:30pm. 😴😴
Guess that's what happens when you sleep 1 ¾ hours the night before, and that was despite the all the partying noise on top of the Hyatt Centric Diagonally across from my balcony.

Following an average breakfast at Courtyard the next morning, I walked 3 mins to the Westin Camino Real (Tour Meeting Point) which was also in Zona 10.

Hector, our guide for the next 2.5 hours showed us some major features of Guatemala City

After a 10 min walk to the Transmetro “Urban Bus Transit System” station and a 5 min ride to the boundary of Zona 1 and Zona 4 is when the tour truly began.

The walking tour from this point will proceed in a Northerly direction towards Plaza de La Constitucion

Sure is nice to be outside in Sunny Guatemala City at +22C/72F ☀️ vs. Rain/Overcast Vancouver at +4C/38F 🌧️🌧️

Banco de Guatemala


Guatemala National Mortgage Credit


Guatemala Municipality Office


Supreme Court of Guatemala


La Paz Monument






Rectoral Parish of Our Lady of Remedies (El Calvario)



Part 16 Continues Below

Short hair Francis

Old School
Pedestrian Mall 6A Avenida


Ministry of Interior


Time for a Bite


Iglesia San Francisco




Easter Carpet




Club Guatemala


Arco de Correos



Mercado Central


*Oddly enough this reminds me of some dumpy HK wet market. 😒
And no, not Ladies Market, that's for Tourists 🙄

Do watchout for Pickpockets in there, its a squeeze in there 🙁

By this point, the tour ended at 1:45pm at Restaurant San Martin Centro Historico

A Midday Guatemala Coffee Boaster

*Wasn't very hungry today with a Huge Breakfast at the Courtyard

Then I backtracked to Plaza de La Constitucion for additional photos before catching an Uber back to the Courtyard

National Palace of Culture and Plaza de La Constitucion




Plaza de La Constitucion


Part 16 Continues Below

Short hair Francis

Cathedral of Guatemala City



Guatemala 🇬🇹, Country #113 😍😍😍



I made it back to Courtyard by 2:45pm.
Enough time to pack up, get in an additional Hot shower before proceeding to Antigua, Guatemala (UNESCO World Heritage Site) where my accommodations on this trip is only getting worse from here. 😞


Virus News
Feb 29, 2020 – Italian coronavirus deaths rise to 29, numbers of cases climbs above 1000
Reference - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-c...-idUSKBN20N0VV

Feb 29, 2020 – Schools, Universities to stay shut as Italy coronavirus death toll rises
Reference - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-c...-idUSKBN20N0H8

Feb 29, 2020 – What's next for Canada if the WHO calls COVID-19 a pandemic
Reference - https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cor...ions-1.5480034

Feb 29, 2020 – Trump expands Iran travel ban in wake of first US coronavirus death
Reference - https://www.vox.com/policy-and-polit...ravel-ban-iran

Feb 29, 2020 – Wash. State sees 1st Virus Death in US, Declares Emergency
Reference - https://apnews.com/article/f175d8956...b27725c9e8a0d7

Feb 29, 2020 – Trump says US considering restrictions at Mexican border over coronavirus
Reference - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-c...-idUSKBN20N0H8

Feb 29, 2020 – France bans large indoors gatherings in bid to curb virus
Reference - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51690657

Feb 29, 2020 – Empty streets, economic turmoil as virus alters daily life
Reference - https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireSt...-hoax-69300825


Next Part
Part 17 – Old Guatemala, Antigua, Guatemala

Fredrik74

How does it compare to the wet markets in Wuhan?

Short hair Francis

Fredrik74, you didn't end up on one of the sanctions list this week by any chance did you? 🤣

Oh I wouldn't know about Wuhan 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
Never been to WUH, not sure why I would go there now? ⛔

Heck can't remember the last time I was in a Mainland Wet Markets 🤷‍♂️

If you're talking about Huanan Seafood Market
*Remember Chinese culture is anything with 4 legs, backs facing the skies is permissible to eat 😉

Don't forget, you are talking about a culture that practices Cannibalisms not too long ago, during the "Glorious Leader's" Cultural Revolution 🤦‍♂️
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/chi...013104349.html
*Because the leader ordered you can only eat at the canteens inside the People's Commune 🥢🥢

And to today, still somewhat condones their kids to take a #2 in Public 😱

Hopefully the virus will change the fantasies Caucasians view Chinese culture as awhole, are there certain aspects worth learning?
Absolutely 🙂
Just mainly not in the Mainland though, I say 95-97 % was burned/destroyed by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution 🔥🔥🔥

Isn't that why we read Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Animal Farm in Secondary School? 🙄🙄🙄
Hello, Book Burning anyone? 😣

Back to the TR, inside the Guatemala City Mercado Central
The insides is like your stereotypical Wet Markets, 1 section is dedicated to Souvenirs, another to clothes.
Bottom level is more of the food variety.
1/2 was your Meats and Vegetables, another side was like a Cafeteria Style Cantina.

At least the floor wasn't full of mysterious liquids 🤦‍♂️

Apologies for no photos inside, didn't feel comfortable to wheel the camera in there 😟

wakesetter93

Really enjoying the TR ShF! I see you spotted my home lake (Lewisville) taking off from DFW

roadwarrier

This sort of thing knocked me sideways when I first encountered an incident like this.............

Short hair Francis

Thanks wakesetter93, still trying to pump out a section per week 🙂
Come to think of it, I wish I had the Snow Covered DFW takeoff photos, now that would be rare 😁


roadwarrier, Personally I've never seen this myself face-to-face.
Not sure what my reaction be, take photo/video, tell them to GTFO and go back to where they came from, or just start yelling other profanities... 🤦‍♂️

Short hair Francis

Quick Note, there's been a swap of Virus News for Part 16 and Part 17.

I completely forgot 2020 was a Leap Year 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️
Henceforth, Part 16 should've had Virus News for Feb 29, 2020, this has now been updated

And Part 17 will have Virus News for Mar 1, 2020 🙂

Part 17 should be up sometime later today 👍

wakesetter93

It was very odd when I flew out and there was more snow on the ground in Dallas than when I landed in Denver!

Short hair Francis

Well hopefully you snagged plenty of those photos 😂😂

wakesetter93

I'll have to go back to the TR and check what pictures I have!

Short hair Francis

Part 17 – Old Guatemala, Antigua, Guatemala


Around 3:45pm, I checked out of the Courtyard and got an Uber to take me for the 1 Hour Ride over the mountains to Antigua

Since it was a saturday afternoon, and Antigua was known as the local party town; the roads were packed to get over the mountain passes to Antigua.
The traffic jam finally cleared up at the junction point of San Lucas Sacatepequez.

At 5:10pm, the car finally descended into the Cobbled Streets of Antigua, Guatemala (1533m/5029ft), an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Guatemala Jeepney Bus


I was dropped off at the hotel around 5:15pm


For Antigua, I delegated 36 hrs for this portion of the trip.
Obviously that wasn't my preference, since I only had 36 hrs combined for Antigua and Volcán Pacaya.
Meanwhile, Copán Ruinas will be taking up 48 hrs even though that was overall a smaller attraction. 😔
Sadly a part of needing to work around the Shuttle Schedules between Antigua and Copán ☹

For the 2 nights stay, I picked the Chez Juanca, 5 min walk away from Catalina Arch.
A Room for 40 USD a night, my expectation were low. 🙏
I was mainly looking for a Private Room, with a Private Shower, Wifi and a Fan for the room and please no bug bites.
And this hotel did the trick since I had limited time inside the room physically otherwise. 🙂

Chez Juanca Hotel


Lobby


Hotel




My Room was on the 2nd Level


Bedroom



Hotel Courtyard


Suite Bathroom



View of Volcán Agua from the Hotel Courtyard


For Photo Consistency purposes, I've grouped this chapter by attraction.

I quickly speed walked to OX Expedition to book my Volcán Pacaya hike for the next day, their office was closing at 6pm and it was on the other side of town. 🥵

Then I slowly made my way back to the center of town at Plaza Mayor for a light bite and evening coffee.

Catalina Arch in the Evening


Someone's illegal Wedding Celebration Fireworks 🎆

*It's apparently quite the local tradition 😮

With my limited allocated time for Antigua, 5:30pm > 1pm Next Day, how do you see try to see everything in town?
Try getting out at sunrise at 630am, yep 630am on a vacation day 😱
Even the owner lady thought this Gringo was “El Loco” 😵

Plus how do you get the Signature Catalina Arch photo with no crowds?
Try 7am on a Sunday LOL 😵😵

Catalina Arch in the Morning





Part 17 Continues Below

Short hair Francis

From the Other Side




Volcán Agua (3760m/12340ft)


Iglesia de la Merced


Cobbled Streets of Antigua




Palacio del Ayuntamiento


Plaza Mayor



Antigua Guatemala Cathedral








Part 17 Continues Below