My friends Ruben and Aurora introduced me to their friends Carlos and Doris in San Cristobal. By another chance of fate, just as I arrived in San Cristobal I met up with Carlos–and he brought me back to their house for la comida, the afternoon meal.

Doris, bless her, fed me some more chicken soup, and my three days without food (as prescribed by the doctor) were up. Yeah! First real food.

Doris and I hit it off, yakked for hours in her kitchen, and I helped her bake Christmas cookies. She had to make 10 KILOS (which is 22 POUNDS!!!) She bakes artisanal cookies and sells huge decorated plates of them at Christmastime.

Carlos suggested that they ride with me to the Guatemalan border…only this was, their daughter was coming home from college the next day, and so they could take me on Saturday. In the meantime would I like to check out of the hostal and stay with them? Heck Yeah!