A day without an avocado is a day without sunshine. And guacamole is a food group for me. So naturally, I’m excited to be going up to Earth Lodge, which functions both as a guest lodge and working avocado farm.
The lodge is about a twenty or thirty minute drive northeast of Antigua, near the little town of Aldea de Hato, up in the hills. I’d seen it recommended in a guidebook, and as soon as I saw online pictures of the place I knew it would be a good place for me.
The driver of the minibus lets another man and I off at the end of the road. From here, its a 300 meter walk down a two-track to the lodge. I like this very much: approaching my destination on foot. Birds flit back and forth over the walkway, making me wince at the loss of my binoculars. At least I have a telephoto lens on my camera, so I can photograph the ones I see.
After I check in, I am directed up a stone path to my cabin. As it comes into view, I see that it is even better than the pictures portrayed: it isn’t just a cabin, it’s a treehouse! Even with my backpack on, I trot up the steps to the porch and check out my new digs. It’s not especially big, but has two beds and a small desk. But the real bonus is the porch: it doesn’t have a great view down the valley, but it is right in the trees. It is a great vantage point from which to look for birds. In fact, I hear some Acorn Woodpeckers calling from down the hill, so I grab my camera and go looking for them.
After chasing birds, I set out to explore the grounds. Several people and two German Shepherds are milling around the main lodge, which has a spectacular view down the valley towards Antigua and the volcanoes. Avocado trees are above and below the lodge on the south side.
Down a stone stairway is a playing field, with a volleyball net, a kids’ play area, and a shaded platform for hammocks. I see a sign for the nature trail, so I head that way.
Most of the bird calls I hear are unfamiliar, though I’ve never been good at recognizing them anyway. I try to snap photos of every bird I see, but the different fields of view make focusing on them difficult. I dearly miss my binos, and hope whomever has them now is putting them to good use.
But the camera is helping, and once I return to my cabin and consult my bird book, I find that I have seen three new birds: a Squirrel Cuckoo, a Bushy-crested Jay, and a White-eared Ground-Sparrow.
Supper this evening is a communal affair, and I sit at the young-person’s table. I am thrilled that they have a veggie option for me, which is a kind of Greek Lasagna. It has some cheese, which I eat anyway, and a ton of delicious veggies.
Dining with me are a pair of women from Switzerland, and an American couple. Vanessa and Eric have been traveling the world for nine months now, so I am instantly drawn to them. I enjoy hearing their stories of doing Crossfit in Bali and their recommendations for traveling in Mexico (Oaxaca is the best place to go).
Just as interesting is how they are funding their adventure: Vanessa is doing web design, which she can do from anywhere. Eric is a photographer, and gets them free lodging at places that want high quality photos taken of their facilities. It’s a clever way to travel, and gets me to thinking as to how I can sustain such a long trip. (You can check out there website here)
After visiting for much of the evening, I retreat to my cabin. Since I haven’t showered since I got here, I take advantage of the communal shower, which is wonderfully hot. By 9:30, I am whooped.
Faint lights from the valley shine through the glass door as I lay down to sleep. I hear some dogs barking, but am soon out.
The next morning I awake around 6:30. I want to lay in bed, but the songs of the birds outside get me moving. I take my camera out and start the day’s birding. Everything is still in shade, so it’s hard to get good photos. Still, the sun is shining on the volcanoes in the distance, and I seem to have the grounds to myself this morning.
I return to my cabin for morning meditation before venturing out again. The lodge opens at 8, so I walk over there about fifteen after to get a cup of coffee. The sun has finally peeked over the mountain, so I stand outside the lodge feeling serenely happy to be in this place at this moment. I walk over and pet one of the German Shepherds, which has found a nice play to lounge in the sun. He barely lifts his head as I pet him.
I decide to take another bird walk, as the sunlight has ignited a whole new wave of bird activity. After that, it’s time for breakfast. I order a bowl of fruit, which has the lovely combination of watermelon, papaya, and pineapple (kind of like yesterday’s breakfast). I also get an order of avocado toast, which has at least two avocados with it. I try my best to get through it all, but run out of room. Though I normally don’t drink coffee, I’m feeling so good I have another, then catch a shuttle to town for some sightseeing.
The Americans, Vanessa and Eric, had recommended touring several cathedrals, and because I value word of mouth more than guidebooks in such matters, I follow their recommendations. The shuttle driver drops me off right next to the cathedral next to Parque Central, so I pay the fee (more for tourists than locals) and wander inside.
Selfie sticks are a big thing here, and a man is selling them inside the mighty ruins. Small groups of teenagers take an endless amount of photos of themselves, as I wander to the quieter parts of the cathedral. Huge chunks of the roof have all been pushed to one side, leaving most of the floor clear for walking. What a mighty racket that must have caused! It must have taken half the town to move each one.
The most meaningful of all the museums is the one at the Cathedral San Francisco. Much of the museum is dedicated to the life and works of Brother Pedro, who was anointed a saint fifteen years ago. He was purported to have healing powers, and the display full of discarded crutches, prosthetics, and other accoutrements is a moving testimony to the power of belief. I reach out to touch one of the crutches, but a staff member gives me a stern look that causes me to put my hand down.
Once I’m done playing tourist, I get a ride back up to Earth Lodge. On the way, I see the man who was sitting next to me on the ride back from Pacaya. He might have my binoculars! I have the taxi driver circle the park, back around to him. But when I ask he says he didn’t see them. Too bad for me. I should have been more careful.
The rest of the day I relax. I have a couple of hours until supper, so I do more research on how to get a new pair of binoculars. One of the sticking points is getting an address—I don’t know where I’ll be in the 7-14 days it will take them to arrive from the US. Perhaps I can have my wife send her pair—the same as I had—via UPS, which only takes a few days.
Supper is delicious this evening, and I’m glad Eric and Vanessa are still here to talk to. I quite enjoy the family-style dinners, as I get to know some of my fellow guests. We linger for an hour after we finish eating, then head to our respective cabins. I look through my photos and try to ID some more birds that I photographed during the day, until I decide to call it a night at ten.
The next morning I again awake to the sound of birds. I’ve grown accustomed to the persistent calls of the Acorn Woodpeckers, but the others instantly make me curious. I do a lap around the property, then return to the lodge for breakfast. This time I opt for just the fruit bowl and coffee, which sits nicely in my belly.
Back at my cabin I pull the desk out on the porch and set up my computer to catch up on writing. Beside me I have my camera and bird book, in case anything new shows up. And they do: I snap photos of several new birds, which I look up later. Just glancing up at the scenery is distraction enough.
I take plenty of walk breaks to keep my mind limber, and even spend part of the afternoon lazing and reading in one of the hammocks. It’s a Sunday, so there’s quite a crowd there to hear the live music on the lodge patio.
Since yesterday morning I’ve been fighting off a cold, probably the one I caught from talking to the CNN producer. I feel a bit better today, but figure the Mayan Sauna would make me feel even better. I get a fire started about 4:30, while kids gather round to watch me and play in the sauna. They leave the door open, which lets all the heat out, defeating the purpose.
Fortunately, by the time I’ve gone to change and returned, the kids have finally left the sauna alone. I open the door and instantly feel like what it must be to be a pizza. The air is scorching. I splash some water on the stove and feel the steam fill the sauna. If this doesn’t get rid of my cold, nothing will.
One of the staff joins me after a few minutes. Mariel is from France, and is volunteering here in exchange for free lodging. She had brought my breakfast that morning, and I loved the way she pronounced my last name “Dune”. She also teaches yoga for money, and I ask her about her training. I am thrilled to hear that she, too, has been to Nepal and that it changed her life.
After more than twenty minutes, I begin to feel woozy, so I leave the sauna and head into the nearby shower house for a cold rinse. Refreshed, I head back into the sauna. Mariel leaves for a while, so I stretch my tight legs until I need another break. Mariel throws some tea tree oil into the stove water, which really opens up my lungs.
I spend more than an hour total in the sauna, and feel incredibly refreshed afterwards. I down a liter of water on the way back to my cabin, where I sit on the porch and enjoy the late afternoon scenery. After one last communal supper, I’m off to my cabin for an hour of reading and then bed.
It’s difficult to imagine a more peaceful place. Earth Lodge has really set the bar high on this trip. But, I do have something in mind.
Tomorrow I’m heading west to Quetzaltenango, to hike Central America’s highest peak.
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