Hiking Half Dome at Yosemite
The thoughts and questions I carried with me
What are you carrying and not using? What are you carrying that you don’t need?
This past week I was hiking Half Dome in Yosemite National Park with my fiancée and three friends. Half Dome is a 17 mile round trip hike on a mix of paved trail, granite steps, sand, rock, and dirt. The trail ascends for 8 - 8.5 miles, gaining 5,500 feet of elevation, until reaching the top of Half Dome, which requires pulling yourself up chains attached to an almost vertical wall for the last few hundred feet of the hike. It then descends 8 - 8.5 miles back to the trailhead. You can count on it taking 10 - 12 hours, depending on fitness level and number of rest stops, to complete.
In addition to Half Dome’s challenging profile, there’s only two places to fill up water, at the trailhead and a few miles in sourced from a river, and nowhere to get food (naturally). Which means if you want to have an enjoyable day you’ll need to carry a couple thousand calories and a few liters of water. It’s also why hiking poles are recommended, and why we we all packed ours, checking a bag for a weekend trip just to do so.
Nevertheless, we all started the day with our hiking poles strapped to our backpacks as we began to climb the first 3 miles and 2,500 feet of the hike. Less than a mile in I thought about using mine, but something in me kept resisting. The trail was steep, and I knew I was in for a long day, but I thought I shouldn’t use them so early on, that it was better to fight through without them, and only use them if I needed them. Maybe just to descend.
But my brain wouldn’t relent. Over and over in my head it went, “Just pull them off your pack. What did you bring them for?” So, at the end of our first break, after gaining close to 1,400 feet, I gave in and pulled them off my bag, snapped them into place, and carried them in my left hand like a grocery bag. I went from carrying them on my back, to in my hand. Progress. Getting closer. But still not using them.
I looked around to my fiancée and my friends, none of whom had pulled off their poles yet, and again it went, “Why did we bring hiking poles if we weren’t going to use them?” It was a very real question I kept wondering about. What was the rationale we were telling ourselves to not use the poles we traveled with to help us hike? I actually paid $40 to check my backpack that I could have otherwise carried on. Said another way, I believed it was worth $40 to have my poles, which, for a frugal man, was not a decision I made lightly, and one that would have went another way in a prior time of my life. I had made an investment in my poles, and now when it was time to cash in I was treating my asset like an insurance policy.
Why were we so unwilling to use them?
There was the idea that using them created an image of weakness. That I couldn’t keep up without them. The belief that if I didn’t use them, I’d be stronger in the end having survived without their help. That I would suffer on the way up, but reap the benefits in the days that followed. There was the group think of, “No one else is using them, so maybe I don’t need them?” That only in the case of an emergency should they be deployed. All of these reasons, and more, swirling around my head, convincing me not to use them, even though they were always part of my plan.
As often happens, I then started to wonder where else in my life this was happening. Where else was I turning down help because I thought it might make me look weak, and because doing it alone would make me stronger? Or because no one else was looking for help, which meant I didn’t need any either. Where else could I be making my life easier, but I’m making the decision not to? What am I carrying around that I’m not utilizing? And, conversely, what am I carrying that I could get rid of?
What’s in my backpack that I didn’t need to bring but packed anyway because it gave me comfort, but no utility? What’s in my backpack that I’ve been procrastinating removing? On a typical hike I pack double the amount of food I need, to make sure that I never get hungry. As if hunger equals death. I pack gear I know I’m not going to use. I offer to carry other peoples comfort items so that they have a good time. Why carry around things I don’t need, when a lighter pack would be easier, allow me to reach the top quicker, with more energy, and have more time with the views?
A backpack on a long hike is the perfect metaphor for visualizing the baggage we carry around in life. Bad relationships. Excess bodyweight. Stress. Unrealistic expectations. Bad habits. Self abuse. Grudges, anger, and hate towards others. Self-limiting beliefs. Everything we emotionally, physically, and spiritually carry around with us, packed into a “backpack” that we lug around. Dragging us down, making life harder, and providing no help in getting to the top.
All around us, and with-in us, we have access to tools, skills, knowledge, and relationships, that we don’t take advantage of. And on our backs is a bag full of people, beliefs, habits, feelings, and emotions, that we never confront despite knowing that they don’t serve us, and carry around anyway. What could you be taking advantage of that you’re not? And what could you unpack for an easier life?
Finally I took one pole in each hand, planted them into the ground, and carried on to the top of Half Dome.
Trips Details:
We flew into Fresno Yosemite International Airport on Tuesday evening, and drove one hour to Oakhurst to spend the night at The Inelle. Fresno Airport is two hours south of Yosemite, and Oakhurst is right in the middle on your way to Yosemite. Making it a good place to spend a night or two if you want.
Wednesday we spent the morning exploring Oakhurst. We had a really nice breakfast at Bees Cafe (I recommend), and coffee at Clouds Rest Coffee (also recommend). Oakhurst has a couple of big grocery stores, and so we shopped for food to have in our cabin the next two nights.
We stayed at The Explorers Cabin, part of the Yosemite cabin rentals. It’s just outside the park, about a 35 minute drive to the parking lot where you’ll park and begin your walk to the trailhead for Half Dome.
Thursday morning we were up at 4 am, out the door by 5:15 am, parked by a quarter to 6, and at the trailhead by 6 am. The walk from the parking lot to the trailhead is about 3/4 of a mile.
With stops every 90 minutes or so, plus a 30 minute lunch at the top of Half Dome, we made it up and back to our car in ~10.5 hours. On the way up we took the Mist Trail which takes you along the side of a couple of beautiful waterfalls where you will get pretty wet (hence the name). On the way back we planned on taking the John Muir Trail, but when we saw that it added 1.5 miles to the journey, everyone in our group voted to go down the same way we came, the Mist Trail.
However, we did take the John Muir trail for about a half mile to a natural pool made by a waterfall. At the pool we took off our shoes, some took off their clothes, and jumped into the cold water. It was a really refreshing way to end a long hot day. Even if you’re going to take the Mist Trail down, I do suggest taking the Muir Trail, definitely stop for the pool.
Main blogs/resources we referenced:
All Trails Map:
Half Dome via The John Muir Trail (this is via John Muir, but you can see the Mist Trail and use it to navigate either way).
Permit:
Note: YOU WILL NEED A PERMIT TO GO TO THE TOP OF HALF DOME. ENTER THE LOTTERY HERE: Half Dome Day Hike
Guatemala: Acatenango and Antigua
A recent trip to Guatemala City, Acatenango, and Antigua
Guatemala
We arrived late to La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City. So rather than making the 90 minute(ish) trip to Antigua, we opted to stay in Guatemala City for the night, and spend the next day exploring the capital.
We stayed at Courtyard Guatemala City because of its proximity to the airport. About a 10 minute Uber ride (as an aside, Uber is an affordable, accessible, and reliable form of transportation in Guatemala). For a night or two in Guatemala City this hotel does the trick.
We didn’t get to the hotel until 9 pm, so we decided to eat at the restaurant there. The food was perfectly fine for a late night, last minute, meal. If we had more time we would’ve walked to Pecorino Italian Restaurant. Although we didn’t get to eat here, the reviews on Google are mostly positive.
The next morning we explored Guatemala City. We took a short walk to Plaza Espana and then took an Uber to the Historic District and walked through the massive underground central market. You can find anything you could ever want or need here. Cooked food, raw meat, produce, textiles, souvenirs, and more. Had we not just eaten breakfast I would have loved to try some of the food here. It all looked and smelled fantastic.
We did some more walking and found Amor Cafe. My fiancé got a smoothie she loved and I had my first real Guatemalan coffee. A delicious americano. I definitely recommend checking them out if you’re looking for a spot for food or coffee.
After our coffee and smoothie we headed back to the hotel. We needed to start our drive to Antigua where we had our pre-hike meeting at Ox Expeditions headquarters that evening (our chosen guide company to take us up Acatenango).
Before leaving Guatemala City we grabbed tacos from this little spot, Café Portalito, which I randomly stumbled upon, right around the corner from our hotel. The couple running the café were extremely kind and accommodating. My fiancé wanted tacos vegetales and they happily made them for her even though they weren’t on the menu. Our tacos were great. Our first authentic meal.
We took an Uber from Guatemala City to Antigua. There was a bit of traffic and the drive took just over 90 minutes. Pretty typical. But not a bad trip at all. There are no restrictions on exhaust in Guatemala, like most South American cities, and this route seems to be the main thoroughfare, so try to keep the windows up and the AC on. Otherwise expect some fumes, and maybe wear a mask. The Uber cost around $40.
For our one night before the hike we stayed at Casa Santa Rosa Boutique Hotel. We had a beautiful, spacious, historic room, with a short balcony that opened up to the courtyard (room number 1). We moved hotels after our hike, but in hindsight we could have easily stayed here for the remainder of our trip. The hotel is beautiful and is in one of the quieter corners of the city. Our two friends we were traveling with stayed here for a few nights and enjoyed their stay.
That evening we went to our pre-hike meeting (more about the hike below). After the meeting we ate dinner at Laurel Bistro. It wasn’t my favorite meal. In fact it was tied for my least favorite of our trip. The food was just pretty bland and unimaginative. Especially when compared to the food options available in Antigua. I wouldn’t recommend going.
After dinner we went back to our hotel to pack our gear for our hike of Acatenango the next morning, and went to bed early.
Hiking Acatenango
All of the pictures make it look like the trail is overcrowded. It gave me hesitation when booking it. I couldn’t imagine how it could be enjoyable with so many people hiking at once. Turns out, it was better than expected, and well worth it. It’s like that Yogi Berra saying, “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”
But it’s not overcrowded. We started as a group of 30, and there were a lot of other groups going up. But it seemed like there were a number of different paths and stopping points on the way up, so it never felt too packed.
We chose Ox Expeditions because all the travel blogs we read listed them as being in the top 3 of guide groups. Also, they showed availability when we first looked online, while other companies looked to be fully booked (turns out that might not have been true). Regardless, we are so happy we went with them. We had an awesome trip. There’s nothing more I could have asked for from them.
How it Works
After going through all of the necessary online booking and signing of waivers, it is recommended that you show up to the pre-hike meeting the day before the hike begins. And I would agree. The meeting takes place at the Ox Expeditions headquarters which is within walking distance of any accommodation within Antigua. The meeting is at 4:45 pm, and runs about 1 hour.
During the meeting Ox will collect the remaining amount due for the tour in cash, as well as collect an ID from each person in the group to be held as collateral for returning any rental gear (rental gear is free, and even if you don’t think you’re going to rent anything they still require an ID, so bring one to the meeting). After that the lead guide, in our case Miguel, will go through a power point presentation that gives all the participants all the required information about the hike and what to expect.
Things like what size backpack to bring. They recommend a 50L backpack, which at first I thought was unnecessary, but quickly realized why it was needed (especially if you’re not using a porter and carrying all of your own stuff). You will need 4 - 5 L of water (there is no water sources on the mountain). You will want to bring some of your favorite snacks. Things like trail mix, protein/energy bars (I love RX Bars), maybe a piece of fruit or two. You will also need to pack warm weather clothes. We hiked in March and it was warm and sunny, but at night it gets cold, and you’re going to want layers.
Lastly, you’ll need to pack your lunch and dinner (provided by Ox Expeditions but you must carry it), as well as community food (something that I hadn’t realize beforehand). Lunch was a stromboli like sandwich. Dinner was a Tupperware of pasta that they mixed with what tasted like homemade sauce with vegetables. For the community food I had a bottle of wine in my bag. Some people had bagels or banana bread. Others had a jar of peanut butter, nutella, or jam for breakfast.
Additionally, only about a mile into day one of the hike 7 people dropped out of the trip and turned back. But we still had to carry up their community food. I ended up adding cheese and coffee to my pack to help out. My bag at this point was by no means full, but I’m glad I had the extra space.
During the meeting they will also go over what clothes to pack (see below), conditions on the trail, how long you’ll be hiking for, what time to meet in the morning and where, details on hiking to Fuego, details on the sunrise summit, how often you’ll break, and a lot more information. Definitely attend this meeting if you’re able to. A few people in our group got in too late to attend and did just fine. So don’t fret if you can’t make it.
Clothes and layers
I hiked up in Danner trail boots. Knee high, thin smart wool socks. Prana hiking pants. A dri-fit t-shirt. A long sleeve base layer. Hat, light buff (for nose and mouth coverage from the dust) and sunglasses. Some people were in shorts and t-shirts which was perfectly doable given our weather conditions, but I always prefer long sleeves and pants on sunny days to protect against the sun.
In my pack I had base layer pants, fleece, puffy jacket, rain jacket, warm hat, warm gloves, and an extra pair of socks that I changed into for the night and to sleep. And I’m happy I had all of it. Once the sun went down it got quite chilly. Even with the fire we had going I still had on all of my layers minus the rain jacket and gloves. Luckily we didn’t end up needing our rain jacket. I did wear my gloves for some of the early morning summit to Acatenango. But once the sun came up it was plenty warm and I didn’t need them.
Here’s a good site for very accurate weather information: https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Acatenango/forecasts/3976
Food and Water
I mentioned some of the food I brought above. But I ended up bringing too much. The sandwich they gave us was dense and filling, and there was a lot of pasta for dinner. They also put out banana bread and hot chocolate before dinner. I brought 2 apples, 2 bananas, ~6 protein/energy bars, trail mix, and 2 bags of plantain chips. I could have done with half of it and been fine.
Breakfast was a beautiful assortment of bagels, English muffins, avocado, peanut butter, Nutella, jams, coffee. I was happy I had the banana for my breakfast.
I brought up 5 L of water and I drank all of it. One piece of advice: make sure you hydrate the morning of your hike before you begin. My water bottle was in my bag which went on top of the bus that takes you to the trailhead. So from about 7 am, when we left Ox Expeditions offices, to around 9:30 am, when we got to the trailhead, I barely drank anything other than coffee at Rainbow Cafe (where Ox Expeditions had arranged for free breakfast for everyone before the restaurant opened). Eggs, beans, tortillas, and plantains. It was quite good, but I didn’t have any water.
So I killed 1 liter of water immediately at the beginning of the hike. Electrolyte packets are also a nice thing to have.
The Hike
Day 1 was challenging. I didn’t use a porter, but a lot of people did (it cost Q200 for one way). But if you’re not using one, expect to carry 30 - 40 lbs. Day 1 took around 5 hours to go just under 5 miles, gaining close to 4,000 ft. Not an easy feet. But it is totally DOABLE. Our guides gave us breaks for water, a snack, and to re-group every 30 minutes or so. Don’t give up. Keep going.
And if you want to use a porter, do it. Not only will it help you get to the top, but it also helps the local economy by giving someone a job for the day. You pay the porters directly, and if no one uses them, they don’t have work. Don’t be ashamed to use one.
The trail is dusty, loose, and tricky at parts, but nothing too technical. While we did have some people in our group turn back early on, we also had a couple of people who were older, ~60s, and without hiking experience, who made it up.
Sunset Hike to Fuego
A little less than half of our group did the additional sunset hike to Fuego. At the time it was not erupting and so I think many people decided it wasn’t worth it. But the people who went anyway were happy they did. The people who decided to stay back, myself included, and hang out at camp and shoot the shit around the fire, were equally as happy with their decision. The campsite overlooking Fuego is a beautiful place to spend the evening after a long day of hiking. I don’t think you can go wrong either way.
Having said that, if you think hiking to Fuego is going to impact your ability to summit the next morning, then I would say skip Fuego and do the sunrise summit of Acatenango.
Where We Slept
Ox Expeditions has 5 person cabins for anyone who books ahead of time. For people who show up the day before or day of to book sleep in tents. We got lucky and only had 4 people in our cabin. There’s sleeping bags and really cushiony sleeping pads with a small built on pillow. One thing we forgot was a sleeping bag liner. It is mandatory to sleep in one presumably to help keep the sleeping bags clean. If you have your own you can bring it, and if not they can let you borrow one.
Acatenango Sunrise Summit
We woke up at 4 am, and we were hiking by 4:30 am. There is no time for breakfast, coffee, or really a proper bathroom break. So plan accordingly. It’s just about getting up and going. But it is totally worth it, and not nearly as difficult as I had anticipated. I went up with 1 L of water and barely drank any of it. I also didn’t eat anything until I got back down. But some people did. Maybe bring a light snack.
Most of the trail on the way up is very loose sediment. I’m talking sinking a few inches in with each step (a little like snow shoeing). Especially on the way down. Expect to be “skiing” through the dirt.
The summit is about 1 mile each way (depending where you camp is on the mountain). In total the summit was about a 3 hour event. 90 minutes up, hanging out for 30 minutes or so, and around 60 minutes or less on the way down. Once you get back to camp it’s time to back up your cabin (or tent) and eat some breakfast before heading back down.
The Way Down
Getting down Acatenango was challenging at times. There are some very steep and slippery spots. But if you have hiking poles, which I definitely recommend having (you can rent them from Ox), you will be ok. The way down took under 3 hours. We ran the last mile or so because it was easier than sliding through the dirt.
Once you’re back down you’ll wait for the bus to take you back to Antigua.
Overall Thoughts on Acatenango
It was an amazing experience that far surpassed my expectations. I’ve been to different places around the world to hike and summit mountains, and this experience was up there with the best of them. It is challenging, but I think if you have some experience, and a real desire to get to the top, you can make it. And I can say that Ox was very accommodating and supportive in trying to get everyone to the top.
Antigua
Our two friends we were traveling with stayed in Antigua for a couple of nights after the hike before going to Lake Atitlan. If you’ve been researching things to do in Guatemala, surely Lake Atitlan has shown up. It is the one place that every local we met said we should visit. Still, my fiancé and I chose not to.
Depending on where you’re staying around the lake (there are a number of different small towns to choose from), it’s a 2.5 - 3 hour trip there from Antigua (drive + boat ride). My fiancé and I just didn’t feel like making that journey. We wanted to relax and explore every corner, café, restaurant, and ruin we possibly could in Antigua. Our friend’s pictures from Lake Atitlan looked amazing. But still, we’re happy we spent 5 nights after the hike in Antigua. We got to really know the city and try a lot of local places. We’ll visit Lake Atitlan on our next trip.
For our time after the hike we stayed at El Convento. A small boutique hotel in the northeast corner of the city. As the name suggests it’s an old convent, like a lot of hotels in Antigua are, that was converted into a hotel. Our room, room 13, was a beautiful king suite. We booked this room for the outdoor soaking tub, but never actually got to use it. For one, we were out too much (we walked ~10 miles per day). Two, we couldn’t figure out how to fill it. Three, the one time we did ask the hotel to come and prepare it, as a sign posted above the tub suggests you do, they never showed up. Luckily the bathroom has a beautiful bath tub and so we just used that. It worked out just fine. Point is: maybe you don’t need the room with the soaking tub. All the rooms were beautiful.
We loved this hotel. My fiancé didn’t want to leave. We’re planning on getting married in Antigua next year and she wants to stay there again. It’s just a beautiful, comfortable, well decorated, and historic place to spend your nights. The breakfast wasn’t great, but with so many places to eat breakfast in Antigua I didn’t quite care. Even if it was good, I would’ve still wanted to go out and explore. And explore the food and coffee scene we did!
Restaurants/Cafés
It seems like there is a cool or historic restaurant or café around every corner of Antigua. We spent 5 nights in Antigua and every day we found a new place we wanted to go to. We left Antigua with over 40 places saved on our maps. We did our best to get to as many of them as possible, but we still missed some. But we’re planning on getting to them when we get married there next year.
Thursday - Day 1
Breakfast - Courtyard Guatemala City - Buffet style. Typical hotel breakfast.
Coffee Break - Amor Cafe: We loved it here. Located near the historic district we enjoyed talking to the owner, as well as an Americano and a delicious green smoothie.
Lunch - Café Portalito: A great little spot around the corner from the Courtyard Guatemala City. The food was great, the owners were friendly and accommodating.
Dinner - Laurel Bistro: Not my favorite meal. It was just very basic in a city filled with flavors. Skip it.
Friday - Day 2
Pre-hike breakfast at Rainbow Café
Breakfast - Rainbow Cafe (with Ox Expeditions): Solid spot. Good coffee, and desayunos tipicos.
Lunch - Hiking
Dinner - Hiking
Jalapeño and Banana Chicken at Sobremesa
Saturday - Day 3
Breakfast - Hiking
Lunch - Café Boheme: We can hear straight from Ox Expeditions offices after returning from the hike. We all go something different, and everyone enjoys their meals. We would have come back if there weren’t so many good options in this city.
Coffee Break - Bru’d: Ok coffee. I got a cortado and was pretty underwhelmed by it. I never came back despite passing it multiple times during my stay. Skip it.
Dinner - Sobremesa: Good food. Kind of an Italian and Guatemalan fusion. I had an interesting dish called Jalapeño Chicken. If you want something that’s not exactly Guatemalan, give this place a try.
Sunday - Day 4
Empanadas at Chermol
Breakfast - El Covento Hotel Breakfast: Breakfast at our hotel was completely mediocre. We ate here twice (first morning, last morning) because it was convenient and included, but it was pretty disappointing. They do give you a choice of oatmeal or yogurt, a choice of an egg dish, and a choice of a juice, plus coffee. A good amount of food/drink for breakfast, it just wasn’t very good.
Lunch - Chermol Empanadas: One of the best Jason y queso empanadas I’ve ever had. Our friends ended up eating 6 empanadas here. I would have had more if we weren’t planning on going to get street food after.
Lunch - Parque La Merced Street Food: In Parque La Merced is a food and shopping market. During the week there are not many vendors, but on the weekend it is filled. I highly recommend getting some food here. We go tacos and tostadas, and came back here a few times to eat.
Dinner - 27 Adentro: This restaurant is rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google. A friend we were with was skeptical about the rating until we actually ate there. We shared an avocado salad, shrimp ceviche, and their shredded beef tostadas. I had the Chicken Pepian. The best chicken dish I’ve ever had in my life.
Monday - Day 5
Tacos from a vendor at Parque La Merced
Breakfast - Café Sol: The service here was rather slow, but the food was extremely delicious. I wanted to come back here but we just ran out of time. My fiance and I split oat pancakes which were insane. And we each got a smoothie. Our friends had egg dishes that they really enjoyed. Just be patient with the service.
Lunch - Y Tu Piña Tambien: This was one of our favorite meals. The food was awesome, I got the typical egg, plantain, beans, and tortilla dish. But the restaurant itself is worth going into because everything from the seats, tables, doors, and door frames, are all antiques and just gorgeous. We also experienced great service.
Coffee break - Del Otro Lado: This was a random stop for a coffee and I really enjoyed my Americano (cafe negro) from here. They also sell packaged foods, chocolates, and other things of that nature. They try to promote local. Definitely stop in here.
Dinner - Ta’Cool Taco Shop: We ended up at Tacool after not being able to get into Por Que No (see below). We were really hungry and just settled on this restaurant that we had seen busy ever since arriving in Antigua. We split 8 tacos (you have to order 4 of the same type) and nachos. The food really wasn’t bad, neither was the price. It just didn’t feel like the authentic taco experience we were looking for. Good spot if you’re in a pinch.
Tuesday - Day 6
Cocoa Bowl at Amanecer Juice Bar
Breakfast - Amanecer Juice Bar: Unbelievably delicious smoothies and smoothie bowls. The presentation of the smoothie bowls is also remarkable. We ended up coming back here the next day for lunch, and I got the same thing. It was that good. A small little spot. Totally worth the bit of wait for them to freshly prepare your food.
Lunch - Parque La Merced Street Food
Coffee Break - A Ver Quien Soy Cafe: A nice cafe negro doble. Cool little spot a little bit off the beaten path. I really enjoyed my coffee here.
Dinner - ¿Por Que No?: One of our favorite meals. Not just because of the food but also because of the decoration and ambience of the restaurant itself. It’s a very small place (probably less than 10 tables) and fills up quickly. The dishes are unique, the kitchen is small, and everything feels like it’s cooked with love. Definitely go here. The suggest making a reservation which you can do from their social media page.
Wednesday - Day 7
The Duck Muffin from Caoba Farms
Breakfast - Caoba Farms: A small organic farm just outside of the city. From El Convento Hotel where we stayed it was an easy 20 minute walk. They have a farm, a full restaurant, and a great little store with a lot of unique and local products. I bought coffee and freshly made chocolate they were making in the back room. At the restaurant I had duck muffin. A duck sausage patty with an over easy egg, cheese, pickles, on a homemade brioche bun. My fiance had eggs Benedict and said it was the best hollandaise sauce she’s ever tasted. It comes with a bright side salad fresh from their garden.
Lunch - Amanecer Juice Bar
Lunch - Cactus Antigua: After the juice bar we were still a little peckish so we split 4 tacos here. I don’t recommend. They were fine, but they were just very cheesy and very saucy, and therefore very heavy.
Coffee Break - Café Condensa: Decent cafe negro double in the main square.
Dinner - 27 Adentro: The food here was so good that we had to come back for our last dinner. I got the beef stew the second time, but I wish I got the chicken pepian again, because as good as the beef stew was, the chicken was just next level.
Other places of note:
Fat Cat Coffee: Really good coffee. A very familiar cafe experience.
Fernando’s Kaffee: A great little spot off the beaten path.
Café La Parada: Cheaper coffee right near the food market. I really liked my cafe negro here and brought my fiance and friends later in the day. They didn’t like it as much as me. 🤷‍♀️
Overall Opinion of Guatemala
We loved our time in Guatemala, and specifically in Antigua. We found the food and coffee to be delicious, the people to be insanely friendly and helpful, the prices perfectly reasonable, and the whole city to just be magical. So much so that we will be back next year to get married. Don’t miss the chance to experience this historic and majestic city surrounded by volcanos, and filled with culture.
Italy - Florence to Venice
In 2022 my girlfriend and I traveled to Italy to watch the MotoGP San Marino race. We planned a two week vacation around that event that started in Florence and ended in Venice. In between we stopped in San Marino, Rimini, Medona, and Ortisei in the Dolomites.
Below is part of an email I shared with my brother-in-law about our trip.
Here's some things we did, where we stayed, and ate.
Hotel Genziana in Ortisei - It's honestly one of my favorite hotels I've ever stayed at. The room was exceptional, as was the huge breakfast buffet, and 4 - 5 course dinner tasting menu each night. You might have to elect to include the meals but they are definitely worth it. There's also a spa in the basement with steam, sauna, pool, and hot tubs. They also have underground parking if you have a car.
I don't know what your itinerary looks like but in the event your driving from Florence like we did then here are three great restaurants to stop at on the way.
Florence heading towards San Marino: Il Capanno - we randomly stumbled upon this place and it was one of our favorite meals of the whole trip. It was absolutely, positively, 100% authentic Italian in the middle of nowhere. The place was packed with locals, everyone knew each other, and then there was Jen and I. An awesome experience.
Leaving San Marino heading north: Ristorante Cavallino - former Ferrari employee cafeteria turned fine dining restaurant, managed by Massimo Bottura, owner of Osteria Francescana (one of the best restaurants in the world, located nearby in Modena). We had a fine dining tasting menu lunch here. The restaurant is filled with Ferrari memorabilia and the Ferrari museum is the next building over. A fun stop on the way north.
Entering the Dolomites in a town called Trento: Al Gusto la cucina di Corrado - I said that Il Capanno was one of our favorite meals, well we had many favorites, and this was right up there. Another place we randomly stumbled upon as it was getting late and we needed dinner. A small restaurant with maybe 8 - 10 tables. Corrado is the owner/chef who you'll watch whipping up all the dishes, and when we were there his daughter was the only waitress. It's about as close as you can come to sitting down in a locals house for dinner. It was excellent.
More food, but in the Dolomites -
Pfoshof - A family owned and operated farm for close to 200 years (if my memory is correct). They recently opened a restaurant on the property where they only serve the food they grow and raise. We had insane homemade salami, jam, and bread, as well as awesome pasta dishes. It's also a beautiful setting looking out over the mountains. Here too it was mom, dad, daughters doing everything. Highly recommend it.
Ristorante LaurinhĂĽtte - If you stay at Hotel Genziana then you can walk to the cable car that will take you up to Alpe di Siusi, which is this amazing high altitude plateau and alpine meadow where you can hike in the warm months (like we did) or ski in the cold months. There are a number of hikes and beautiful paths to get lost on. While you're walking you're just surrounded by the most insane beauty and the sound of dairy cow bells. We did a hike that took us to Ristortante LaurinhĂĽtte for lunch. The food was homemade and exceptional and the views were even better. Such an ideal and picturesque way to have a meal.
I know I just mentioned Alpe di Siusi but I just wanted to emphasize that it's not something to be missed. It was a major highlight in an amazing trip.
PisciadĂą HĂĽtte - We did a via ferrata that took us to this refugio for lunch before descending the opposite side of the mountain on foot. Again, homemade delicious food in the most beautiful setting on top of a mountain. The via ferrata was called Furcela de Saslonch and we did the Tridentia route (a longer one), but for some reason I can't find it on Google map. Ferrata Pisciadu Klettersteig is what comes up when I search. But you can email info@catores.com to find out more. Our guide, Enrico, was superb, and their office is a 5 minute walk from Hotel Genziana in Ortisei. He picked us up and drove us to and from. Jen's favorite day of the trip.
Sightseeing -
Lago di Carezza Karersee - A really beautiful lake that requires a beautiful drive through the winding roads of the mountains to get to. If you're in the area or want to go for a nice drive, this is a nice spot to stop at and walk around. Gorgeous.
I think that's all of the highlights I can remember and have saved. I have other places saved in my maps that looked cool but that we just didn't have time to do. Whatever you choose you won't go wrong. It was an exceptional 4 days in the mountains.
Let me know if you have any questions.