Moving on to Cobán

After a breakfast of pancakes (of course) at the Picadilly Café in
Uspantán this morning, I headed on to Coban, from whence I'll head to my
next case study, which I've decided is San Jerónimo, Baja Verapaz.

The day involved another beautiful microbus ride, complete with 22
passengers in a 15 passenger van, through some stunning country, and
past lots of landslides, due to recent rains. A muddy, slippery ride,
too, on a road that is still mostly unpaved.

Coban is an interesting town--it's becoming part of the Gringo Trail,
but it isn't as touristy as I had imagined. Some hostels and touristy
restaurants, but still mostly traditional Guatemalan comedores, and no
place with wireless internet that I've been able to find (I have some
work to do in the web). Also, a beautiful central plaza, though fewer
people here in traditional dress here.

I had a bit of a time finding a place to stay, but a local helped me
out, and I wound up with a pretty nice room, complete with TV, that's a
little ways out of the center, but otherwise a great deal. Q60 a night
(about $8) for a clean room with a balcony, TV, lukewarm shower, and 45
entertaining minutes of the owner trying to find the key to the room.

And I had the best tortillas of my stay down here in a café in town.
The coffee is great here, too. They all seem to be using local beans,
and the coffee here is less acidic than that in the highlands, and way
better than Nescafé, which is what you get at the Picadilly.

Still trying to decide what to do for tomorrow. I want to be in San
Jerónimo on Mon., but I might spend tomorrow here. The fair is here (!)
which would be fun, and I'll be spending plenty of time in San J. and
nearby... Plus, I need to buy a new umbrella, since my old one got bent
on the roof of the micro on the way here. No big loss. It was too big,
anyways. I'll make sure to get a smaller one this time. I could
probably get one in San J., but it'll be more fun to play the market
game in a big place like this.

Plus, there's a Pollo Campero here--and who wouldn't relish the chance
to eat at Campero for their succulent fried chicken, which (according to
another traveler I met) comes in two flavors--salty and saltier.

That's my kind of place.