Around and Around: Birthday Fiestas

Friends. Friends from afar with birthdays. What better reason to get together and celebrate? Monique Laracy turned 24 this weekend. I'm going to say this weekend because she is from Australia and on Sunday here was her birthday at home (it was Monday there). Then Monday was actually her birthday here. And since it's a weekend kind of celebration, why not make Saturday a day of parties too?

Sarah and I headed toward San Pedro from Antigua and Monique, Robbie and Nick from Xela. A reunion of sorts.

To start the preparations, we needed to purchase a pinata. What a selection!

The market in Antigua has stall after stall of pinatas and birthday paraphernalia. Since we needed to transport this bad boy from Antigua to San Marcos, then on the boat to San Pedro, then hide it from Monique until Sunday eve. After shopping isle after isle of pinatas and passing the bears or dogs or cats with ballerina outfits on, eggs with little chicks popping out, and other weird creatures of the Guatemala pinata stands, we both fell in love with Senor Duck-he was cute, little, and cheery, just like Monique

Arriving in San Marcos as dark fell upon us, we had Senor Duck to keep us company as we made our way in the jungly paths. After a creepy, crawly night, where I purposely left out the fact that I saw three large spiders hanging out in our bungalow to Sarah, we headed to San Pedro to meet up with our friends and start the celebrating. One sad note: I left my quick dry towel in San Marcos. I'm now using a shirt as a towel. It does the job. Here are some shots from the weekend:

Stalls, stalls and more stalls with nothing but pinatas and candy.

If we felt confident it wasn't going to rain and that we would have room on the bus and boat, we totally would have lugged this one to the party.

Alas, Senor Duck was found! Sarah and THE MAN!

He was stuffed with World Cup chocolate "futbols" and fruit candies...all gluten free, of course! Clair, I'm practicing for the wedding.

We took Senor Duck out for coffee...

... for a sleep over (he protected us from the large spiders I saw lurking in the corners of the bungalow)...

... and then he waited while we greeted, partook in fiestas and enjoyed Lago Atitlan. This was our most visited restaurant...3 tacos for 10 Quetzales ($1.25).

Me and the birthday girl at Shanti Shanti. We managed to get sun kissed (aka badly burnt on my legs) while kayaking, eat some curry-soup concoction, and well, we might have had a drink or two.

But, then the fateful time came for Senor Duck...