Centro Recreativo Nuevo San Rafael
By Paul Lyons
Our local swimming pool in San Marcos, Agua Tibia, is simply packed in the morning. There are summer swim lessons and the lack of rain and generally sunnier conditions are bringing out the crowds. During the first part of one of our recent visits to Agua Tibia, I decided to not go in the water and simply sit on a bench near the edge of the pool and be a lifeguard. There are simply no lifeguards, non of the usual aluminum poles or floatation devices for saving people and on top of that people were still jumping off the three and five meter platforms into swimming lanes. Seeing as the overall level of swimming is pretty low here, it amazing no one gets hurt.
But while Agua Tibia is still our favorite pool, since arriving here we have heard of a fine pool in San Rafael. Along the main highway towards the coast, a few kilometers south of San Rafael is Centro Recreativo Nuevo San Rafael, which features at least three pools and water slides. It is situated right along a large river and across a wire bridge there is a zoo that has monkeys, a bobcat, various tropical birds, a coyote and various other animals. The place is about as humane as Folsom Prison in 1954 so one can get a good look at all the inmates. On the zoo side of the river is a large oval pool that seems to be a sort of overflow pool for the weekends when the place is said to get pretty full. Through reliable sources, I have heard that Centro Recreativo Nuevo San Rafael has marimba bands playing on the weekends. So if one is looking for a place to swim, eat a decent meal and experience some traditional Guatemalan music, Centro Recreativo Nuevo San Rafael, not in any guidebooks that I know of, is a fun and interesting place.
Gallery:
larger pool in back
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By Paul Lyons
April - 2006
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4/15/2006 10:07:38 AM
The Rooster
4/17/2006 3:56:27 PM
Agua Tibia
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Climbing Tajumulco
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May - 2006
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5/15/2006 9:40:27 AM
Pelican Café Spanish Institute
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June - 2006
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How My Son Was
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The Rainy Season
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World Cup Report – Part 2
6/20/2006 11:46:47 AM
July - 2006
The Hungry Cyclist
7/3/2006 9:47:58 AM
World Cup Report – Part 3
7/10/2006 8:22:28 AM
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August - 2006
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September - 2006
Intervida
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Bookish
9/14/2006 6:31:45 AM
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October - 2006
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November - 2006
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December - 2006
» Centro Recreativo Nuevo San Rafael
12/2/2006 10:24:46 AM
Climbing Tajumulco – Part 2
12/3/2006 9:56:17 AM
The Music Police
12/5/2006 7:01:57 AM
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Climbing Tajumulco – Part 3
12/24/2006 8:39:21 AM
January - 2007
Semuc Champey
1/3/2007 3:09:16 PM
Leaving Guatemala
1/3/2007 3:09:51 PM
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