sometimes I feel like a giant here

Arrived safely in Guatemala City, and made it to Antigua. Unfortunately, the Lonely Planet guidebook I bought is from 2004 - what was I thinking. It's already screwed me a couple times....I walked a while to a bus station that doesn't exist....and am staying at a really crappy place that has changed hands and deteriorated in the last 4 years (was too tired to walk to a different hotel).

Things are amazingly cheap here.

The people here are, for the most part, extremely nice. I was talking to a guy from NY, NY on the bus from the airport about how to get to this other bus station. After a while the guy in front of me asked in English where I needed to go and did his best to give directions...his friend recommended getting a taxi after getting off the bus because it was in a dangerous area...then the guy across the aisle piped in that in the middle of the day it's fine, and also did his part to help. I ended up not taking the taxi and made it just fine. Then the local transit police were super helpful when I was trying to find the bus station to Antigua that doesn't exist anymore. They gave me detailed explanations of the metro bus system that would take me to the buses to Antigua and even radioed ahead on their walkie talkies to tell their colleagues I was coming. One policewoman actually walked with me a few blocks to show me the way. Other people just stop in the street whenever I'm looking lost and ask what I'm looking for.

There were hoards of teenagers in Catholic school uniforms in the streets last night around 7:30. I don't know if schools really get out that late or if something special was going on.

I saw a Hooters on the bus to Antigua. Glad to see that made it down.