Saturday Night in Todos Santos Guatemala
There is singing coming from the valley below, everything has a great echo in this town so everybody seems to hear everything. The sinign is cute, not professional, but heartfelt and endearing, sounds religious. Every few hours for some insane reason there is an xplosive sound from across the valley. The first time I heard it I jumped up to see where the propane tank exploded. I looked all around and everyone seemed uphased.
It literally sounds like a bom went off, like a cannonball was fired. If you were deaf you would feel it even from miles away. It happened as late as 2 am last night. Perhaps it's a custom or perhaps it's some wing nut up on the other side of the mountain declaring his autonomy to the world. Everyone here wears similar clothing, which is endearing in the right context and adorable. In another context, as a Gringo I definite feel like an a outsider everywhere I go, but here just a little more so. No complaints, and normally it wouldn't bother me except that about 20 years ago it is told that a mob of 500 villagers stoned a Japanese tourist to death and lit the tourism driver on fire after someone declared that the tourists was trying to steal their babies. The tourist was just taking photos of some kids in the market square as I understand it. I keep looking at everyone above 35 years of age and thinking, you might have been in that mob. That said, I am not taking too many photos around here. The feeling from the locals is hot and cold, mostly warm. I get a lot of smiles and I give them too. The town is said to be dry by many accounts, but there is actually booze to be found easily, and especially on market day there are plenty of drunks stammering around in the street. I don't think the locals here can handle their alcohol as good other places. It is also amazing to pass by a bar filled with men all dressed in he same red and white striped pants with blue and purple button ups. It's as close as I will ever get to seeing a bar filled with drunken sailors all in the same uniform.
Honestly I'm in love with this place. The geography is lovely. Homes stacked upon homes, foot trails cutting in between. The terrain is so steep that the views are compact and the town feels like a maze to be lost within. I've never experienced anything like it in a Latino country. It reminds me more of Romania, or Turkey.
There is also nearby El Torre, the highest non-volcanic peak in Guatemala. I hiked it and the trail definitely wanders off a few times. Some helpful lad painted yellow and turquoise markers everywhere to get you back on the trail, but the markers often take you to some damn near suicidal trails. I am pretty wild with my hiking but some of the dropoffs I could not attempt and feel safe about.
Really I'm just passing through on my way tomorrow to Nentón.....
