Quetzaltenango, Saturday

1917 Woke up about 1pm and didn't get up til gone 2. It was a late night last night and I've been having to get up early all week so not too big a deal. Apart from going out to supermarket haven't done anything. Need to head out to meet that chap from last night at Salon Tecun shortly. Feel slightly apprehensive and I'm also a bit bloated after 5 ham sandwiches but should be fine. I don't intend to be out super late but we'll see how it goes. Since I've written so little (and I believe GMail app on phone saves drafts on server anyway) I won't send this before I go out, I'll just have one entry for the whole day.

Oh - I also went into a chemist to buy suncream, as the tiny bottle I brought with me has nearly run out. They wanted Q178 for the not-gigantic bottle! I was on the verge of purchasing when the numbers clicked into place. It may be it's a super niche product here (though at least the bottle I was offered *was* factor 50) and I will have to pay a price like that, but I will at least try shopping around first. That will probably be tomorrow's mission - I just hope I have enough left in the bottle to wear tomorrow in order to go out, otherwise I'll end up having to wear my headscarf (since I lost my cap) and looking like a fool.

(I am 95% sure I got the price right. It was absolutely definitely over Q100, I checked.)

1944 Let's head out then. Sort of rather just stay home but this is me being inconsistent when I normally whinge about having no social engagements...

1958 Here. Bumped into lead singer of band from last night, looking unusually smart in a tie, when I came in. Slightly stilted conversation (in English) but meh. Couldn't quite believe it was him with the tie on.

2017 No sign of the guy yet. Of course my mobile internet isn't working for some unknown reason so I can't e-mail him, nor see if he has e-mailed me. Not too worried if he's late but just a bit awkward - he had e-mailed me not long after midday and I only saw it and replied saying I'd be here just after 7.

2051 Got bar wifi password and managed to send the guy an e-mail saying I'm sitting at the bar. No e-mails from him. Not seriously annoyed - I would ideally have replied promptly to his e-mail earlier, I just genuinely didn't see it - but at least the ball is in his court now.

2054 "Lobo Hombre en Paris" playing, can't help smiling.

2149 Guy is on playing a guitar, he's sat so far back on stage I can't see him from my seat at bar so reading book on phone. Bit antisocial maybe but feel OK about it. No sign of this chap but not particularly bothered. Just got second litre of Gallo, may go home earlyish when finish this (11ish?).

2154 Doing cover of "De musica ligera" .

2231 Cover of "Wonderwall" . Need a piss (and a phone that doesn't auto insert random spaces despite every "I know better than you what you intended to type" feature  being turned off) but there's a queue for gents, which is a single cubicle (tho IIRC it oddly contains a long urinal, though no one ever seems to go in a communal manner). Do feel I can trust this place and woman next to me not to spike my beer.

2235 Billy Joel's "We didn't start the fire" in German, for some reason. :-) I don't speak the language but the guy seems to be doing a creditable job.

2237 Cover of that Four Non Blondes hit, whose name escapes me. Think this is last song, at least for now, and will probably go in the break. Bit tired, bit drunk, has been fun but not feeling overly sociable and the chap ain't turning up so... "What's going on?"?

2243 Not last song. Queued for piss. Cover of " The Joker" and "Hang on Sloopy"  and now we seem to be on "Wild Thing".

Bit edgy about walking home but hey, probably be OK. Do still plan to leave soon-ish, when beer and music run out, even if both are theoretically renewable.

Woman who obviously knows the guy singing has been sat next to me at bar most of last hour or so, I have been rather antisocial with phone but not ultimately that keen on socialising tonight.

Music continues, not a problem, I am quietly enjoying the beer and music and book, just also sort of want to go home.

2301 Down to last full (US pint??) glass of this second litre. Torn about staying out vs going home. I'm not having a bad time, despite/because of not feeling social and not speaking to anyone. But I'd also quite like to go home, and I may well be out drinking some night this week (a try at the quiz, a second attempt with chap supposedlty meeting tonight, attending live music here on Wed) and it seems prudent to avoid even-more-excessive consumption of beer when I can. Bit edgy about walking home but *probably* better now than 1am, and also not that worried about it - just a nagging thing at back of consciousness.

I note the tissue dispenser advertises Spaghetti Alfredo with tomato soup for Q80. Not that I planned to eat here, but not a cheap place. The beer isn't as cheap as elsewhere but isn't insanely pricey.

2310 While I'm waffling, might as well note that the chap I met here last night had travelled a lot in Mexico and California and he knew El Parian en Tlaquepaque. On a totally unrelated note, unless he's faking it to earn my sympathy, my new teacher apparently shares my intense dislike of mayonnaise. The way he sounds when he talks about people slathering it all over sandwiches etc does me good.

Teacher had me reading a local "for people not very literate, many photos" tabloid in class on Friday. Delightfully many incidents of murder, a chap running around with a machete for no declared reason and a guy shot six times resisting a mugging (although my teacher felt this was deliberate murder as otherwise guy would have handed over his wallet and been fine). Meh.

Nearly finished beer. Music still on, I think another guy took over briefly a while back to give this guy a break without stopping music. Sticks in my throat a bit but on balance think I will go despite the music still going on and it being way off closing. Will shove a Q5 note under empty glass when leave by way of tip.

2319 Beer finished. Grates while music still on but gonna leave. If chap was supposed to meet tonight comes back to me might suggest we meet for the pub quiz at Shamrock Thursday. :-)

2332 Home. No problems. Slightly tempted when walked through square in front of theatre where Bari is, especially when heard Voy A Pasarmelo Bien from (nightclub?) Saharas, but reminded myself I had left a perfectly decent place and was a bit tired and drunk etc. I should go to Saharas one night just for shits and giggles despite not being a nightclub person even when was younger.

0009 Bed. Not really tired but after gorging on another ham sandwich and a largish packet of Tortrix limón (=lime?) tortilla chips, seems I might as well go to bed. I can read here just as well as sitting at kitchen table. Need to be awake for 11 but not going to be too demanding tomorrow; main job will be quest for cheap sunblock and I may also get a pizza - there's a local-looking place I've passed a few times which might be cheap and an opportunity to practice language. My diet has been shit (junk and too much of it lately) but I am thinking as things hopefully settle into a routine I will be able to go back to London-style "sensible during week, indulge at weekend"-ish strategy.