The town of Flores is a small island in the middle of a lake in northeastern Guatemala, reached by either boat or a man-made strip of land. On one side of this made-made bridge, local women wash their clothes on the rocks. On the other, local men fisk off the rocks.
Flores reminds me of some parts of Spain, with its narrow cobblestoned streets, colourfully painted houses and exotically beautiful local women. However it is not the natural beauty of the pueblo and its surrounding lake that I like most about Flores. What I really like is that my hotel room costs the equivalent of GBP 5 per night, and still comes with a TV, private bathroom and a fan. What I also like about Flores is that my traditional Guatemalan chicken dinner tonight cost me the equivalent of GBP 7, and that included three Gallo beers and an 80 pence tip on top.
To celebrate the low cost of living in Flores, I bought a four pound t-shirt to wear in Tikal tomorrow, because all my other clothes are currently at the lavanderia for a Sunday wash.
Flores reminds me of some parts of Spain, with its narrow cobblestoned streets, colourfully painted houses and exotically beautiful local women. However it is not the natural beauty of the pueblo and its surrounding lake that I like most about Flores. What I really like is that my hotel room costs the equivalent of GBP 5 per night, and still comes with a TV, private bathroom and a fan. What I also like about Flores is that my traditional Guatemalan chicken dinner tonight cost me the equivalent of GBP 7, and that included three Gallo beers and an 80 pence tip on top.
To celebrate the low cost of living in Flores, I bought a four pound t-shirt to wear in Tikal tomorrow, because all my other clothes are currently at the lavanderia for a Sunday wash.
CHEAP HOTEL FOOTNOTES
(1) This morning, a cockroach tried to join me whilst I was having a shower.
(2) This evening, a cockroach walked along my bedroom wall whilst I was deciding what to wear tomorrow.
(3) Tomorrow, I will find out where Guatemala's Ritz-Carlton's are located, and reorganise my travel plans accordingly.
