Friday, September 19, 2008

Lessons from Guatemala, Part III

Click here for Part I and Part II.

21. Guatemalan falafel tastes better if you pretend it's something -- just about anything -- else.

22. Getting lost is much more fun with a companion, and much more interesting if you have different understandings about where you're trying to end up.

23. Dancing with "the best salsa dancer in Guatemala" is not as fun as dancing with friends.

24. The two basic rules of salsa dancing are:
1. The man's job is to make the woman feel good.
2. The woman's job is to make the man look good.

Unfortunately, most Guatemalan men seem to be unaware of the first rule.

25. If you get pounded by a giant wave in the sea and hit the sand, be thankful that at least you know which way is up and that you have something to push off of to get back to the surface after the wave passes.

26. To avoid #25 in the first place, dive early and dive deep.

27. You know the chicken bus is going around corners too fast when the driver leans into the curves.

28. Lemon-salted peanuts make one of the best hiking snacks ever.

29. When you know you're going to be climbing a volcano starting at midnight on Saturday, it is probably best not to dance for several hours in heels on Friday night and go for a 5-mile hill hike on Saturday morning. Oh, and bring lots of warm clothes -- it's freezing at the top before sunrise!

30. Salsa dancing really is better in heels.

2 comments:

cristie said...

#30 is absolutely true. I think it helps the hips move! Plus, salsa dancing in heels makes walking around in heels at other times in life much easier, if you ever need to. :)

As for #24, I would argue that's true of most salsa dancers (that I've danced with), and isn't limited to Guatemalans...

Lacey said...

Right... like I walk around in heels at other times of my life. :P I have an amazing admiration for the women of Xela, who manage to wear skimpy heels and somehow stay upright on these cobbled, crooked, ankle-thwarting streets. :P