1920 In Txirrinta. Went to that London bar in 6a Norte. Got charged 27 for a draught gallo (speaking English; seems to be that sort of place) which apart from being pricey didn't agree with any of the prices shown on the big price list (it was more). Live music was on but I didn't feel comfortable sitting there at the bar listening on my own. Dug phone out, as I obviously am here, old habits die hard.
Eavesdropped on conversation of possibly Canadian guy up the bar who had lived here 1.5 years if I got it right - he started in English and switched to Spanish - telling how he had been robbed at gunpoint by three guys who pulled up in a car when he was 50 yards from his front gate. TBH not sure if this was here in Antigua or GC. It wasn't clear. Maybe I should have used this as an excuse to horn in on the conversation but I wasn't sure if that would be appropriate.
Apparently they had robbed three or so other foreigners but he was the only one willing to press charges.
Anyway, just charged 15 for a draught Moza here. Possibly smaller but still better.
Oh, it's pissing it down. I came out *anyway* because I have to get out a bit or I'll go nuts. Thunder, lightning.
Might try some other bars another night. Obviously Thursday may not be a great night - this place is empty except for group of women and the London place was mostly a few people who all seemed to know each other sitting at the bar. Meh. I'll crack it eventually.
Place next door had quite lively live music but I was reluctant to dive in through the door out of the rain when I have no idea what sort of place it is. In my head it feels like midnight, but of course it's still very early. Women just left, think it's just me and barmaid for the moment.
I thought I had a glasses cleaning cloth in my pocket but I can't find it. May have left it in room when I swapped trousers for laundry. They're not expensive, but it always annoys me how quickly they get lost out of my pocket, and I only brought one.
It wasn't lost on me when I decided to abandon the London bar that this place is en route to the hostel. Not saying I won't go back to that bar, but I'd prefer not to be paying near London prices and I'll try some other places first. I did actually see two other people who might be guests at my hostel this afternoon - shock! - but I don't hold out much hope of getting into a chat there.
Ah, cheery. Just noticed a photo on the wall with a banner above it saying: "How to smash neoliberalism: A photo exploration of life in Guatemala". I don't know if I'm actually a neoliberal - frankly the 'neo' prefix seems more pejorative than anything anyone would actually describe themself as - but this plus the anarchofeminism poster gives me a sort of feeling this isn't quite my kind of place. OTOH except for being deserted it seems quite a nice place, and while I have a low tolerance for being harangued by ideologues I'm not really all that political a person.
It's vaguely tempting to try some other bar but I don't fancy wandering round in the pouring rain chancing my arm. I had these two bars half scoped out from previous wanderings during the day. I think I might have one more here then call it a night. I have no super pressing plans for my remaining time here - I am meeting my Spanish teacher tomorrow afternoon, I would like to walk up Cerro de la Cruz if it's safe (will see what she says; also may go Sat afternoon when I'd hope it will be super busy) and I need to book a hostel and transport to my next place - probably Pana, for maybe 3 nights to start with and then I can see if I want to move on or extend my stay - but given I am booked here til Monday morning this is hardly an overly full schedule, so I can afford to spend an hour or so seeking out other bars tomorrow afternoon.
Maybe I'm wrong - I can't quite call it bravado - but I can't help feeling if I were mugged at gunpoint (or, I suppose, with no gun) I'd regret the loss of my phone more than the incident itself. But on the other hand I'm glad I didn't succumb to my inclination to leave it back at the hostel tonight. Yeah, playing with it is bad for being open to meeting people, but tonight hasn't felt like there was much chance of that anyway and I'd have been sat around like a chump without it. Then again, maybe I should do that, just for the hell of it, and not worry about looking like a chump. On the third hand, there have to be other people around before you can meet them, a criteria this bar singularly fails to meet and I'm a bit dubious there was much potential in the London place. In hindsight I should probably have butted in on armed robbery guy; if he'd told me to fuck off not the end of the world. OT4H, I sort of didn't want someone filling my head with more disturbing shit.
Oh, I did stumble across a library earlier which seemed to have some exhibition of - and I appreciate this undermines my declaration of interest - neotextiles or neoceramics or something like that from today for n weeks. I should try to check that out while I'm here.
You know, I'm going to leave here after this beer. I'll try to us their bogs, then if I spot anything even remotely promising on the way home I'll dive in and chance it - I can't be ripped off too heavily for one beer, I guess. And if I don't see anywhere it's more I can drink another night anyway.
2015 Back at hostel. Saw one place that looked mildly lively but while I was dithering trying to decide if it was a restaurant or a bar I collided with some people on the pavement and decided to give it a miss. Saw quite a few other places which looked empty and can hardly believe they were open. Meh. If it's not happening it's not happening, cut my losses and save myself for another night. I may steel myself to check out some of the places recommended in the guidebook tomorrow night. I half wonder if it's a bit 'low season' now and while there's no shortage of tourists exactly, maybe the numbers are low enough that they're spread thinly over the bars.
Guidebook implies locals from GC visit here at the weekend, which might be good for liveliness but probably isn't helpful for prospects of a chat as I'm sure they come in groups. But hey, at least I made an effort tonight and it was good to have a couple of beers.
Oh, there were 'goodnight white pride' and 'antifascista' stickers on the mirror in the bogs in Txiwhatsit. Again, not really my cup of tea. (It's not so much that I'm in favour of what these things nominally oppose, as that a certain arsey opposition to these things rubs me up the wrong way in itself.) Also, unless I have vastly misperceived the demographics, I find it hard to believe 'white pride' is a serious issue in Guatemala - maybe it is, but this feels like a tedious importing of US-ish social concerns because they go with a certain political frame of mind. Meh.
I probably exaggerate when I say pissing it down. It's raining and moderately heavily but I'm not soaked to the skin or anything. Can hear it on roof of my room but not unpleasantly so.
It's too damn early really but given the early start I may just go clean my teeth and go to bed, or at least bed-ish.
I have frequently considered and dismissed the idea of bringing a second semi-disposable smartphone with me. TBH it has renewed appeal thinking about the mugging thing. I wouldn't need to have a SIM in it, so I could leave my valuable UK SIM in the main phone back at hostel - I could still call 999 equiv from semi-disposable and read offline books etc. It's not like the weight would kill me either. TBH the biggest objection right now seems to be the potential for shit with customs on arrival; I didn't pay that much attention, having only one phone, but ISTR something about one phone per person on the Guatemalan customs form, for example.
I remembered in the minibus today that on the way over from airport to Antigua, as I struggled to dislodge the seatbelt from the back of the seat, the metal buckle thwacked rather violently against the window. Luckily it didn't shatter but I spent a fair few minutes during the journey thinking how fucking awkward it would have been if it had.
It's 2052 but WTF, let's sort of go to bed. Fingers crossed I can be up for breakfast tomorrow.
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