People are strange, when you’re a stranger,
Faces look ugly when you’re alone.
Arrived at the city’s main bus terminal, which reminded me of the Grantville tip, expect muddier. Found two Danish girls to show me the way to my hostel, ½ hour walk, through the dirty city, couple of dead dogs in the streets, litter and heaps of those clapped out buses, the usual Guatemala scene. Found the mythical, hidden hostel, which from the outside shows no sign of being a hostel except for the mars bar sized sign saying “Casa Argentina”. Inside was huge and I was shown too my large dorm room, packed with beds and German, Israeli and French backpackers (basically a bunch of weirdoes). Headed out into town that night and the central park was pumping. Music, bands, food stalls and the like for the coming celebrate of the Virgin. Started having a wonder through the market area. Things started to get a bit crowded, and I got to a T intersection bit, with people trying to go in every direction, there was a bit of pushing and shoving, and sure enough (even though I had been conscious of my wallet the whole time inside my velcro pocket) as soon as I had got out of it I had been pick pocketed. Lost about $50 and my driver’s licence, nothing major, and I was glad to be able to be part of one of the true Central American traditions, which I recommend every traveller should experience.
Next day just had a look around town, and made plans to head for the Mexican coast. Befriended a French guy that afternoon at the hostel, and we headed out that night to join in the celebrations for the festival of the Virgin. Stopped in at a market thing, and the locals started giving us food as part of the festival, they wouldn't let us pay so we helped clean up and move some tables and stuff, hindered by the extremely drunk men trying to help us. Then down to the square, with fire works going off everywhere and heaps of people and a big parade with this huge float thing with angels and Virgin being carried by over 60 people.
Now when I think of the Virgin Mary, I think of fireworks, and thankfully so do the Guatemalans, as the guy leading the parade wasn't a priest or something, but some guy with a heap of fireworks, letting them off every couple of metres. There were also fireworks being let off from the church they were approaching, that make a noise and shoot off sparks as they scream through the sky, then explode and shoot off another one. Sure enough, one was let off and didn't shoot so high and shot across just above the crowd, so when it exploded the second one shot down into the crowd and exploded. This didn't deter anyone and the fireworks continued.
Next day, up early, with a big day of travelling ahead of me, with the aim to make it to the Mexican coast in one day.