The French guy doesn't wake us up and we're an hour late. So after a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs we make a dash for the bus and arrive just in time. Reberta is pissed, and I don't exactly have enough to get me to the Guatemalan border. Luckily the hostel forgot to charge me for the previous night or I wouldn't have even had that.
At the border they almost don't let me through because I don't have my visa.
"It got stolen!" I plead.
"Bad luck"
The guard isn't the least bit concerned.
I tell him my mother is Mexican and show him a dirty copy of my birth certificate. He smiles and lets me through without charge. I sigh with relief. Roberta has to pay 210 pesos for being a foreigner and now she's doubly pissed. I change my pesos at the slowest bank on earth and get back to the bus depot just in time to leave. There is a host of buses and vans to catch in order to reach San Pedro, first from Huehuetenango to San Pablo, then at San Pablo we ride on a wagon with a german family who don't speak much spanish. They speak english however and I help translate between Roberta and them, she tells them where to go, what to do, how to get there, etc. With them are two blonde children who are having the time of their life. I decide that if I have kids, they too will travel with me.
Roberta is giddy with happiness, she had originally lived in San Pedro and was only visiting Mexico for a while so she feels like she's going back home. She points to all the places of interest, where she worked, ate, etc.
The road to San Pedro is on a descent by the side of a mountain and the view is spectacular, a giant lake flanked by volcanoes and small pueblos creating a dramatic ambience. The clouds which caress the volcanoes peaks and mountains are a rosey orange and add to the surreal beauty of the impressive and majestic scenery. It is 6 o'clock.
We finally reach San Pedro, the driver wants 5 Quetzales, The Guatemala currency,
"5 Quetzales!? Sheesh!" I grudgingly hand over the money.
We walk down the steep cobblestone mainstreet to reach the Freedom bar where Omar (my contact from Oaxaca) works. He's sitting on the bar, we walk up and say hi, but he seems nonplussed, not to worry, Roberta and I get a big 'Gallo' beer to celebrate our arrival. I only have 40 Quetzales left on me but it's beer..
"How much?"
"30 quetzales."
"Take my money!"
Omar hands us a J and we go to the couches to smoke. He allows us to stay over his house but tells us there is only floor. "Floor is great!" I happily reply. Sinuhe and his wife and daughter come into the bar, they're surprised to see me and glad. They are going to the house and we follow, it's a long trek through the labyrinthine allyways of San Pedro, I wonder how I'll ever get back! I'm tired and my backpack is getting heavier with every step but we get there just before I collapse.
We sleep on a wooden platform/balcony after meeting the gang. Julio, from Guate, Maceo from France, Marissa from Spain, and Gabriel from Veracruz. It's a good sleep.
We made it!
San Pedro Mountains
