We usually prefer to be camped in the mountains, next to a river, or on a beach far from crowds. However, every once in a while we crave a little "civilization". Our new friends Vince and Lucy both live in Quetzaltenango (commonly known as Xela), and said it was worth a visit. Without any real camping options in town we decided to book an apartment on Airbnb. It was a cozy, comfortable spot in a beautiful old building. While it wasn't the first time we'd gotten an apartment on the trip, it was the first time we'd had Dominoes deliver to one. I know, I know, we should be shopping at markets and eating exotic street food, but sometimes you just want a taste of home. And sometimes you just don't want to leave your cozy apartment to have it.
Xela is not known as a typical tourist destination so it has a laid back, down to earth feel with its colorful buildings and round bridges. The historic town square is beautiful, and was a great spot to spend an afternoon people-watching and soaking up some Guatemalan culture.
This guy was amazing.
There are some great bars and restaurants there as well. We met up with Lucy for dinner at Bajo de Luna, and had an incredible beef/pork burger (something we'd been missing from home), and another evening with Lucy, Vince, and Benjy for dinner and drinks.
I discovered one of my new favorite things; Giant Jenga. Supposedly it's been around for a while and I'm just behind the times, but it's completely brilliant. I'm not sure if it gets harder or easier the more you have to drink.
Something else that was completely brilliant was La Cabana, a combination restaurant and carwash. Our rig hadn't had a bath for months, and after our extremely muddy trip down to Laguna Brava, it was time. They spent two intense hours pressure-washing the undercarriage and scrubbing her inside and out. It was the cleanest she'd been since the day we bought her. All that while I ate one of the best Philly cheese steaks I've ever had the pleasure to put in my mouth.
We'd always been worried about housing and parking in urban areas, because camping options are often limited, but now after the fun time and ease of finding an affordable place to stay in Xela, cities are something we want to explore more.