Panajachel, Saturday

1210 At Comedor Gretchel (sp) for old times sake.  Left bag at new hostel but couldn't check in before 2; hope bag is OK. Seems OKish, had a quick look up on terrace, no one else up there and no shade. Happy hour 5-7, may go sit at bar or on terrace with a beer in that window and see if any conversational opportunities present themselves, if not will probably try some local bars later.

Woke up a bit in night but not too bad. Checked out a hair after deadline of 10 but (I asked jic) had a shower and cleaned teeth after and so didn't leave hostel til 1045ish. Was dithering a bit.

Got boat to Pana almost immediately (Q25; think that's normalish); to be honest I was a bit edgy as we stopped a few seconds after leaving dock to (presumably) rebalance bags on roof (I, for whatever reason, had my bag on my knee, they didn't take it off me to put on roof) and I couldn't help thinking about the accident (our boat seemed full but not actually overcrowded). We also stopped briefly once we got nearish to Pana for no really obvious reason. But of course all fine.

Bit of a trek over here to Comedor Gretchel from hostel but wanted to come and it's all exercise and nice to be off tourist drag. Should be more convenient being on main tourist strip tonight I guess.

1319 Lingered after food. Quite good. Bill 24, made it 30. Slow walk, ice cream then back to hostel to check in. Was feeling quite hot earlier but think sitting still helped. Will go sit by lake this afternoon (eg place had cheap coffee last time, or maybe can get a cheapish michelada) after checking in before happy hour.

It's Comedor *Grethel* actually; you can't see name inside so can never remember.

1359 Checked in, bottom bunk (yay) and so far no one else in here. Trying to top up phone; it's charging v slow but I suspect that's my usual hallucination; I'm sure Android is carefully managing everything for me in a magic way.

1445 Phone nearly full, boring sitting in here reading, let's go see if I can find somewhere cheap to sit by the lake.

1501 Wandered down to edge of lake. Little coffee place went to before hard to find, and it may be its lake view is now interrupted by tat stalls. Have found little enclosed cevicheria stand which offers Gallo michelada for Q20; photo looks like it has a shrimp on but WTF, let's have a go. Only Q15 for a michelada with Dorado Ice but I'm pushing boat out. Feel a smidge cold actually (just wearing T-shirt), and it's hazy so hard to see across lake.

No fear, it's a proper michelada. Drinking it with provided straw - edge of plastic glass not salted - and it looks a bit weirdly frothy and foul but it tastes fine.

One of the tour agencies been considering for Acatenango actually has an ad on back of bathroom door in this hostel and says you can book through them. Not sure if this would be helpful or cheaper or what.

1519 Finished it; bit quick maybe, but was nice. Decidedly chilly. I think I'll pop back to hostel and get fleece; seems a faff, but not like I'm doing anything special. Place is Cevicheria La Sirenita for when I want to come back (today or more likely tomorrow)

1559 Sun either came out as I left or it was just cold right down by ferry dock. Walked, not been back to hostel. Declined to pay Q10 for cinta negra crispy and found somewhere selling them for Q6 down the street. At some small place (no lake view due to tat shops) for Q5 coffee; I asked for cafe negro and he said they only have traditional, but at Q5 I don't care. I suspect traditional is what I want anyway; been inconclusive but I suspect cafe negro implies something fancy sometimes.

Street dog just stole a chunk of (probably human leftover; it looked a bit ragged) chicken from a bowl on next table.

1620 Just finished Agatha Christie's "Dumb Witness". Coffee OK if a bit cold, and exactly what I would have expected to count as cafe negro. Will probably get another. Not rushing back to happy hour, bit dubious about the whole thing but probably aim to get there about 6ish for a beer or two then maybe dinner out after.

1645 Was going to stick on here for a bit but decided closing vibes, chairs being stacked. Seems a bit odd, not sure if they are closing but wonder. Started Agatha Christie's "Curtain" .

1719 At hostel, got Q15 modelo (prob should have gone for Q10 brahva) - happy hour is only mixed drinks for Q10. Few people around downstairs but not loads, I came up to terrace, no one here. Put this on room tab after hesitating a bit.

Asked coffee/fried chickeny place if they were closing; they didn't understand me but when I tried to ask again I got something I didn't understand but decided it had closey vibes so paid (Q10, made it Q12) and left, thought might as well come here. Put fleece on, still no one else in my dorm.

Might ask about the Acatenango price at reception here tomorrow. Toying with just staying at the hostel which does the tour, perhaps even dorm esp if I end up with effectively private room here again. Also suspecting I may not do GC; I think it might suck a bit to be there and feeling time pressure, even the last few days it has been feeling a little rushed (rationally or not). Also it might be nicer/feel safer on a future trip to eg come to Antigua, arrange to leave my main bag (for free) at a hostel I have been at and will return to and do a few nights in GC with just my daypack, which would (rationally or not) make me less edgy about having to transfer between shuttles/pullman buses (or even public "chicken" buses) and taxis on the periphery or GC to get to/from ho(s)tel.

FWIW they said when I checked in the hostel bar is only open til 2230. Gut feeling is tonight just gonna have a few here up on terrace, then go out for food and try the local nightlife, Panarock sounds interesting especially if they do have any live music. Tomorrow night I might just stick round hostel.

1742 Nearly finished this beer. Getting grey, very overcast but not unpleasant, evocatively misty round hils, you can only see a tiny sliver of the lake itself from the terrace. Don't see tonight here at hostel being my finest social hour but it's OK, will go down and get another beer and come drink it up here shortly and then maybe go top phone up for half hour before going out for dinner and beers.

1824 Someone doing live version of Lamento Boliviano in distance and people singing along. It's not here - group of maybe 4-5 people in lower bar, most listening to stuff on headphones and that's all. Topping phone up from battery pack, will go out in maybe 30-60 mins and leave battery pack on charge in dorm.

1842 Wifi here seems v slow. But checked Panarock on web and their Facebook page had stuff about their 20th birthday on 8th Dec. I only just twigged *today* is 8th Dec - doesn't quite feel so late in the year.

For all it's unhealthy and - the biggest objection - probably requires stuffing myself in street, tempted to go to Pollo Granjero opposite Gretel (sp) to eat. But I may well stop in somewhere else on tourist drag instead.

1919 Shaved, cleaned teeth, topping phone up further in dorm. Some kind of possibly street party or nearby bar v loud. TBH kind of regret burning 3 small beers here at hostel where it seems deadish, but will be OK. Don't feel too pissed and probably won't have another drink til got 8. Need to check about late access before I leave, it's buzz to get in.

1931 Phone at 99%. Fuck it, let's check entry policy and leave.

2012 Pana Rock. No litres, Gallo is Q20 which is pricey but tolerable but getting Michelada at Q25. Voy A Pasarmelo Bien on! Got 3 bikts chicken anf chips earlier, a circus playing announcement opposite as ate in stret, evberyone pays Q10, your passport to adventuyre! But decided to come here. Not drunk, just typing quickish. Quite busy, told to move up bar just now which is mildly annoying nbut OK. Looks like be live music on. Given prices maybe good I already had a few. ;-)

2122 OK. It's very slick, not the dive bar I'd hoped. OTOH 75-90% of clientele seem Guatemalan. At first I thought the band were miming as could heard singing but no one seemed to be singing, but I think it was a singing drummer holding things together semi-invisibly from rear. After a few covers of I think classic Spanish rock songs we seem to have veered into cumbia, which is OK but a bit disappointing. Not going to fuck off too soon but probably not stopping out all night if it carries on like this.

Two young women to my right at bar have massive uneaten plates of fancy looking club sandwich which at the prices this place probably charges pain me. I couldn't eat them - bit stuffed and they're probably chocka with mayonnaise etc - but seems such a waste of money. They're probably loaded but still.

Anyway, back to paying attention instead of writing this shit.

2129 "Hace dias perdi" (wrong tit) by Quinta Estacion. ;-) [Of course it is "El Sol No Regresa"]

2216 Band finally finished after what felt like a long string of encores. Given place nominally shuts 0050 vaguely hope they or another band will be back on later but we'll see. Quite good all the same.

2226 Think another band is setting up. Did enjoy a certain leather-faced indifference of bass player in first band; only saw him smile briefly during the cumbia phase.

0032 Think second band has finished. Bit Cumbia-ish but generally good nay great natured atmosphere more than compensated. One oldish guy shook my hand as he left which offsets a youngish twat in a white shirt who persistently barged in behind me in my fixed-to-floor barstool. Loved the fact one of the band had a Beegees-ish hairstyle. And that one guy in audience - whiteish but am assuming Guatemalatan - had a Reservoir Dogs-ish lounge suit and black tie. Music still on and people dancing but will prob go when beer finished - not rushing. All night entry, bar guy said his regular "go wild" catch phrase when I asked.

0040 Band obviously not coming back on. Notwithstanding a "5am" comment earlier from first band, AIUI law here mandates 1am closing and while there may be after hours bars I haven't met anyone to go with, may not even exist and while I'm not pissed I'm not super up for it. So when have finished few mouthfuls of michelada will go home. Grates a bit but had 5 beers at 25 each so will leave 20 tip.

I may be foolish but do sort of feel if I were staying longer and had more chance to connect with people and felt less harried I might feel different about possibility of after hours bar.

0052 Back at hostel. Someone else in dorm! Grabbed bag fortuitously left on bed, let's clean teeth and sleep. Will write dregs of night up tomorrow.