Over the weekend, we took our re-scheduled kayak trip to the coast.  An early Sat. morning shuttle to Antigua gave us time for breakfast at the greatest coffee shop in the world.  We then walked down to "the shop" (when you've taken every adventure trip the company offers, you no longer call it "Old Town Outfitters"), we found out our guide was Victor.  Like our last experience with Victor, he was running late, looking for keys, and attempting to get it together.  The owner showed up and was none too pleased that Victor was almost an hour late in loading up the kayaks.  After the dubious start, we hit the road and Victor quickly grew on us.

During the drive south, we learned that his path to becoming an adventure guide was a perfect example of the John Mayer quote currently heading the blog.  He studied business administration in college and worked in marketing for Motorola in the city.  He subsequently discovered that while he had "stayed inside the lines," for him, there was "something better on the other side."  He also told us stories about the people he had met whom had inspired further spiritual awakening.  Recently he led a couple in their 70s up several volcanoes.  The man had spent years in a wheel chair due to back problems before getting up and hopping on a bike only 6 months ago.  They began to travel (including a cross-country US bike trip), and his wife fell in love with a volcano elsewhere.  For a 50th anniversary present, he gave her the volcanoes of Guatemala - all 14 of them.  Climbing the tallest one in the area, Acatenango (I will be attempting to conquer it in 2 weeks), Victor stayed back with the couple, as their pace was much slower than the rest of the tour group.  However, they never rested - eventually catching and passing the group, beating them up to the crater!  Victor watched the giant tears roll down their faces as they celebrated their accomplishment with passionate hugs and kisses.  After camping under the stars, Victor watched in awe as the inspiration continued during the sunrise while the couple held each other like newly weds.  While his friends tell him his "life is over" if he gets married, Victor saw the "other side" and wished for such a moment with his wife of 50 years.

With the story-telling we hadn't noticed the temperature rise as we arrived near the coast out of the mountains.  We arrived at the La Avallana boat launch, geared up, and plunged in with the kayaks.  The path towards the beach town of Monterrico took us through a dense mangrove forest and spacious wetland lakes. 



Because we are in the middle of dry season, some of the normal routes of the trip weren't navigable due to the shallow water.  Consequently, much of our route mirrored the path of the boats and ferries carrying people and cars.  However, it was still an enjoyable, peaceful trip - complete with a little excitement when Victor (our guide, remember) toppled over in his kayak!  He had put his wallet and phone in a plastic bag, but our lunch wasn't as fortunate.  Luckily, he knew a couple young guys driving an empty ferry, and they stopped to help him get back in the saddle.  Certainly an embarrassing moment for him, but in his defense, while we had sea kayaks, his river kayak was much tougher to handle.

After a late Plan B lunch in Monterrico, we walked to the hotel on the beach and had the rest of the afternoon to swim and lazily read on the beach.  During our trip to Monterrico in September, we stayed further west down the beach.  Monterrico is a prime example of how the Guatemalan government continues to squander opportunities to attract more tourists.  Other than the few small hotels lining the shore, the country's most popular beach is far from tourist friendly.  Off the beach, the town is still an eyesore with garbage and mangy dogs lining the streets.  With the number of stunning places Guatemala has to offer, it should be one of the top tourist destinations in all of the Americas.  It's come a long way, of course, but hopefully they can learn from Costa Rica's conservation laws and savvy marketing in order to unleash their potential as a tourism powerhouse.

Nevertheless, the beach is the beach, and we weren't complaining about soaking in the rays.   On Sunday, after a beach smoothie and a quick look at a sea turtle hatchery, it was back in the kayaks for our paddle back.  About 15 minutes into the return trip, Victor's kayak took another spill!  The waist-high water allowed him to empty the water, but climbing back into the kayak was no easy task.  Watching him struggle to keep his balance and stuff his legs inside - while holding onto tree branches breaking off in his hand - I couldn't help but thinking that I was witnessing what my dad would be like if he became an adventure guide.  (Many of you have heard his Chevy Chase stories and know where my dad gets his "Clark Griswold" nickname.)  Also during the return, Sarah suddenly screamed and started to push up out of her kayak, and I thought she was going over as well.  A fish had jumped into her boat!  As her arms held her body up out of her seat, I paddled over and tossed the visitor back into the water.  What are the chances?!  I told her some old man had probably been fishing out there all day long and hadn't caught a thing!

Upon our return to Antigua, we got a taste of the spectacle that will be Holy Week in April.  Every Sunday during Lent they have a big procession through town.  As a huge float turned the corner, we watched the second shift of men take their turn carrying.  It took about 50 men to balance it.



The cool mountain air was welcomed relief as we walked across town to the historic San Francisco Church (built in 1579) for Mass.  Even though we still can't understand much of a Mass in Spanish, it was an opportunity to thank God for another soulful trip.  The mangrove forest spoke as loudly as Victor's story of breakthrough in finding some balance in life - even if he's yet to find it in his kayak.