I love Antigua. It also has a lot to say about colonization. Right outside the old-style central area is a restaurant and artist's retreat that is testament to the bubbles you can create. It's a completely different world encompassing only a handful of acres.
I haven't climbed that volcano but I've done the largest one in El Salvador. I want to take that hike. Honestly, having grown up 6000ft in the air that thinner air sounds amazing. Living at sea level is like breathing thru a blanket for me.
That makes sense--we definitely ran into a lot of “digital nomad” types there, and it’s a bubble for sure...Lake Atitlán also has a bunch of highly specific bubbles along the spectrum of tourists/travelers/nomads/un-self aware colonizers.
That’s so interesting that sea-level air feels stifling to you! It makes sense, it just never occurred to me that it would go both ways. (Did you grow up in Denver, by any chance?)
:) Thanks so much, Vicki! Haha, I am really glad I knew nothing about the wild animals until it was basically too late...it probably would have been enough to put me off. Hope you are well!!
Incredible writing and story, Sam! My head started to ache in sympathy with you and your husband as it read it. The pictures and that video of the volcanic lightning were just amazing. I'd like to go, but probably won't, so thanks for taking me with you! By the way, altitude sickness is no joke. My husband had it in Park City once and couldn't move from his bed or lift his head for more than a day because he was so ill. So you showed good sense in stopping when you did!
Thank you, Ruth!! :) Altitude sickness really is no joke, and there seems to be an element of randomness to it...it can strike even the fittest hikers. There were two very young Dutch girls in our group who were doing amazing on the ascent, and ended up having to hike back down before dark because they were too sick to spend the night at altitude. I'm glad your husband ended up ok!
Incredible! Plus, this "The setting sun was even with the rising moon, as though it were neither day nor night but a liminal time that predated time itself. " !!
🤣 that guy was hilarious. I let slip that I speak French when we were in his shop and then I switched to English and he made me switch back to French to order, lol
This post brought back a lot of happy memories. I recognized all your pics from Antigua. :) Your photos from Acatenango are stunning -- my favorite is the last one, with the happy, rainbow-colored sky in the background. Your photos show the variety of faces that nature can present to us. The lightning storm video is super cool!
:) it would have been so fun if we could have all gone together! Isn’t Antigua the coolest city? Maybe one day we’ll meet up there and have a Childress extravaganza!
I could already see the epitaph on my Darwin Award: AMERICAN WOMAN, 31, LOSES REAL-LIFE GAME OF “THE FLOOR IS LAVA.” Good one! XD (luckily it didn't come true!)
Stunning photos! I think the struggle to understand and accept one’s limits is universal, though I imagine it gets worse with age. All this is to say you shouldn’t feel bad for not getting to the top, but instead celebrate they fact that you did your best: that you made the journey at all, and got some beautiful memories out of it.
Thank you, Andrei! Totally agree. Accepting and sticking to your limits is something to celebrate! We have those instincts for a reason...they are what keep us alive.
🤗 thanks, Kimia! This is a great question...why do we so often go against our better judgment or totally ignore our instincts? I think you probably need a PhD in psych to answer that, lol
I love Antigua. It also has a lot to say about colonization. Right outside the old-style central area is a restaurant and artist's retreat that is testament to the bubbles you can create. It's a completely different world encompassing only a handful of acres.
I haven't climbed that volcano but I've done the largest one in El Salvador. I want to take that hike. Honestly, having grown up 6000ft in the air that thinner air sounds amazing. Living at sea level is like breathing thru a blanket for me.
That makes sense--we definitely ran into a lot of “digital nomad” types there, and it’s a bubble for sure...Lake Atitlán also has a bunch of highly specific bubbles along the spectrum of tourists/travelers/nomads/un-self aware colonizers.
That’s so interesting that sea-level air feels stifling to you! It makes sense, it just never occurred to me that it would go both ways. (Did you grow up in Denver, by any chance?)
You are a brave woman Sam! The mention of the wild animals would have been enough to scare me off. Beautiful photos, as always.
:) Thanks so much, Vicki! Haha, I am really glad I knew nothing about the wild animals until it was basically too late...it probably would have been enough to put me off. Hope you are well!!
Incredible writing and story, Sam! My head started to ache in sympathy with you and your husband as it read it. The pictures and that video of the volcanic lightning were just amazing. I'd like to go, but probably won't, so thanks for taking me with you! By the way, altitude sickness is no joke. My husband had it in Park City once and couldn't move from his bed or lift his head for more than a day because he was so ill. So you showed good sense in stopping when you did!
Thank you, Ruth!! :) Altitude sickness really is no joke, and there seems to be an element of randomness to it...it can strike even the fittest hikers. There were two very young Dutch girls in our group who were doing amazing on the ascent, and ended up having to hike back down before dark because they were too sick to spend the night at altitude. I'm glad your husband ended up ok!
Thanks, Sam! I don’t think he knew what hit him—nor did I. But we’re wiser now.🤗
Some absolutely incredible photos in this Sam!
Thank you, Tom!! It was such a different landscape from any other I’ve seen!
Incredible! Plus, this "The setting sun was even with the rising moon, as though it were neither day nor night but a liminal time that predated time itself. " !!
It was absolutely hypnotic!!
Oh, I forgot to mention. . . one time Philippa and I walked past that basketball court, and we saw the French chocolatier skateboarding.
🤣 that guy was hilarious. I let slip that I speak French when we were in his shop and then I switched to English and he made me switch back to French to order, lol
Haha! Authentic French 🤣
This post brought back a lot of happy memories. I recognized all your pics from Antigua. :) Your photos from Acatenango are stunning -- my favorite is the last one, with the happy, rainbow-colored sky in the background. Your photos show the variety of faces that nature can present to us. The lightning storm video is super cool!
:) it would have been so fun if we could have all gone together! Isn’t Antigua the coolest city? Maybe one day we’ll meet up there and have a Childress extravaganza!
That would be amazing!!
I could already see the epitaph on my Darwin Award: AMERICAN WOMAN, 31, LOSES REAL-LIFE GAME OF “THE FLOOR IS LAVA.” Good one! XD (luckily it didn't come true!)
Story and photos and the lightening! WowWowWow!
Thanks, Jolene! It was surreal!
Great Photos, my favourite one is the evening sky with the trees. The clouds make the picture ten times better.
Thanks, Fahim! It was so crazy to be IN the clouds and looking at the sun/moon at eye level! Hope all is well with you :)
Stunning photos! I think the struggle to understand and accept one’s limits is universal, though I imagine it gets worse with age. All this is to say you shouldn’t feel bad for not getting to the top, but instead celebrate they fact that you did your best: that you made the journey at all, and got some beautiful memories out of it.
Thank you, Andrei! Totally agree. Accepting and sticking to your limits is something to celebrate! We have those instincts for a reason...they are what keep us alive.
🤗 thanks, Kimia! This is a great question...why do we so often go against our better judgment or totally ignore our instincts? I think you probably need a PhD in psych to answer that, lol