We left Panajachel on a shuttle van that took us to Chichicastenango on Sunday. Chichi is one of the largest markets in Guatemala. Twice a week, it becomes a chaotic mix of vendors and shoppers from all over the highlands, and bunches of tourists, with all the accompanying traffic getting in and out of town. I enjoyed the more local, less touristed market in Solola more than Chichi, but it was still an experience. We bought quite a few handicrafts, both to bring home as gifts, and for ouselves.
While we wandered the market, our backpacks were transferred from the van that brought us there from Pana into a Pullman (a nice, Greyhound-style bus) and locked up there until we were ready to move on to a new city, Antigua. When we showed up to get on the Pullman, both of our backbacks weren´t there. PANIC. They didn´t get transferred as promised and had gone back to Pana with the first van we were in. Fortunately, everything runs with cell phones here, so the driver was able to track our packs down, and get them on the next van from Pana to Antigua. By the time we arrived in Antigua and had dinner, our bags had been delivered. One disaster averted.
However, once in Antigua, we had to transfer from the Pullman to a van to deliver us to our hotel. In the confusion of changing vehicles, I forgot that I had stashed the bag of most of our Chichi purchases overhead, and left it there. The shuttle company checked with the driver the next day, and they didn´t find it. Oh well, it´s only stuff. Everyone was a little down about it until they realized they would have to buy them again in Antigua´s market. All´s well, just wasted a few bucks.
