Philippe Lazaro
OCTOBER 2016

It Wasn't Easy Then, Either

Antigua’s the kind of place where you’ll run into people from all around the world in any number of coffee shops, especially with so many opportune for remote work.

I kept catching glimpses that would take you to Lake Atitlan, Tikal, or even neighboring countries. Tegucigalpa. Belmopan.

It made it easy to start daydreaming of the parallel world where I could turn this weeks-long trip into a months-long string of stays across Central America. I did similar trips throughout my early 20s in different regions and I couldn’t help but be nostalgic for the era when “travel was easy.”

Except… it wasn’t that easy then either. Just hard in different ways. I was completely broke. I deliberately booked flights that allowed me to sleep in an airport, all just to save 18€. The odd jobs I found in between stretches abroad were odd, but they allowed me to see quite a bit.

It was super memorable, but it wasn’t easy. It’s probably even more memorable because it wasn’t easy. But sometimes that detail gets lost in nostalgia.

I try my best, now, not to elevate any other moment over the present, because that’s all I’ve got to work with. It really is special that I get to go places with this family. Seeing my kids discover stuff adds a whole new layer of wonder. It’s something a past me would’ve been so excited to look forward to.

Antigua's Pros & Cons

We decided that our first international adventure as a family of five would be to Antigua, Guatemala… and I’m happy with that choice! It ended up being uniquely well-situated for what we were hoping to do.

Loved how family oriented the culture was, how much there was to do within a walking distance within the city, and how it wasn’t that far from our starting point.

Every place will have a few drawbacks though:

🌞 The sun was pretty intense out there! Altitude plus a tropical latitude means that you shouldn’t underestimate it even on a cloudy day. Get the babies slathered in sunscreen.

🛣 The streets aren’t stroller friendly. That’s because they’re cobblestone and that’s part of the charm, but it also means I didn’t have an on-the-go dock where I could my kids down for a bit. I had them strapped to me for a large portion of the trip.

🌋 So many outdoor adventures! Which… I know. Normally a good thing. But it meant I knew what I had to skip out on since I couldn’t quite make a toddler climb a volcano. I would advise against a destination that is more exclusively built around harder adventures if you don’t want to feel like you’re missing out. Thankfully Antigua had a pretty diverse portfolio of things to do so I’m still glad I chose it.

Bosque

Hidden gem alert. One of my favorite spots in Antigua, Guatemala appeared on ZERO of the lists of must-eat places or must-do things before my trip. So save this if you plan to visit.

This is Bosque and it lives up to its name.

It’s a bar, but a large outdoor one, in the shade of many large trees. There are smaller gardens and pavillions all throughout.

Cocktails, beer, and fresh juices are served by the Antigua Brewing Company.

I got a beer flight and was personally fond of the Don Novio pale ale.

There are also a couple of stands and food carts where you can get pizza, salad, or Argentine street food.

There are outdoor games and they host events often… I came back for trivia night!

Kid Traveler Reviews

One thing I’m loving about my kids’ ages right now is seeing each of their personalities starting to take shape. They’re all so distinct from each other.

Traveling together gave a chance for everyone’s personalities to show up all the more.

And yes… Kai did spit up on that sweet abuela’s arm.

Arrival in Antigua

Antigua 🇬🇹 Day One

I’m a traveler, but since having three kids in the past two years, plus a pandemic… I haven’t gone many places.

I always intended to travel with my kids, so finally I got the chance to bring a two year old and two five month olds to Guatemala.

Not the furthest destination, but this may have been my most ambitious trip.

The part that seemed the most intimidating was the first part… getting there. The flight itself wasn’t so bad, the kids mostly slept and Deanna packed the magic school bus backpack full of goodies. The bigger challenge was getting through the airport.

We landed in Guatemala City and got a ride to Antigua, about 40 minutes. I probably overpaid for the transport but I wanted our first journey to be comfortable.

We got into our homestay which was really nice. Love that it was built around this outdoor courtyard. Explored the balcony too.

For these trips I say not to plan anything for your first 24 hours to let everyone recoup. We got naps, playtime, and by the end Rhys and I even worked up enough energy for a walk in town.

May 2022

#121 Carson Backyard Rhys

01 May 2022 // Carson, California

#122 Rhys in Guatemala

02 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#123 Antigua

03 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#124 Guatemalan Hobbiton

04 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#125 Thirtytwo

05 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#126 Oh the Places You’ll Follow

06 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#127 Guatemalan Flag

07 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#128 Caoba Farms

08 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#129 Francesca & Kai

09 May 2022 // San Miguel Escobar, Guatemala

#130 In Guatemala

10 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#131 Family in Ruins

11 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#132 Mayan Skies

12 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#133 Last Day in Guatemala

13 May 2022 // Antigua, Guatemala

#134 Teeter Toddler

14 May 2022 // Oceanside, California

#135 Daniel & Joy & Our Kids

15 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#136 Bubs Pickup

16 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#137 Solana Shore Pickup

17 May 2022 // Solana Beach, California

#138 Working with Josh & Corey

18 May 2022 // Encinitas, California

#139 Crown Point Staff Picnic

19 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#140 Pier Cafe

20 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#141 A Puff for Kai

21 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#142 Tattoo Art Crew

22 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#143 Kai Liking Solids

23 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#144 Zoom Participant

24 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#145 Miramar Walk

25 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#146 Lola’s Birthday Cake

26 May 2022 // San Diego, California

#147 Welcome to Toronto

27 May 2022 // Toronto, Ontario

#148 Kim’s Convenience

28 May 2022 // Toronto, Ontario

#149 Toronto

29 May 2022 // Toronto, Ontario

#150 Plant With Purpose Canada

30 May 2022 // Toronto, Ontario

#151 Toronto Terminal

31 May 2022 // Toronto, Ontario

Travel w/ 3 Under 3

People often default to thinking about kids and travel as mutually exclusive… but both have always been part of the life I wanted. The optimist in me has always thought, just bring the kids! They probably have kids wherever you’re planning to go.

The strategist in me, though, knows there’s a little more to it than that. But you’ll never really know until you go.

I kept calling our trip to Guatemala with three kids under three a big experiment. Meaning there was permission for things to go wrong, to be imperfect, etc.

The results of the experiment? Traveling with kids is totally possible, and worth it for all the memories. But of course, it’s a totally different animal and there’s a lot more to think about.

The biggest variables?

Age - Traveling with a newborn is so different than a one year old, which is different than a two year old.

Place - Each place has its pros and cons… so choose the right destination for the right time.

Place - You will be spending a lot more time inside, so accommodations matter a bit more.

Number - It gets a LOT harder when you’re outnumbered. Thankfully my mom joined us on this trip, and she already looks after Rhys on some weekdays.

If you couldn’t tell, I am super glad we made it to Guatemala. And we’ll never have the excuse of ‘we’ve never done this before’ to hold us back from future excursions. Not that I ever let that one hold me back…

Antigua Family Trip

This isn’t the furthest I’ve ever traveled, but it might have been my most ambitious trip.

Deanna and I took our crew of three-under-three to Guatemala!

🌋🇬🇹🍫☕️

Our time has been…

…refreshing. After six months of barely leaving our neighborhood, let alone the country, being able to step foot somewhere new is so reenergizing.

…truly memorable. Getting to see my kids in new settings and to explore as a family is some high level wish fulfillment.

…a real adventure. While this trip was both, I don’t think that world should be conflated with ‘vacation.’ It’s all about exploring and stretching your own limits and discovering what you’re actually capable of. New discoveries were made in that area for sure!

Banana Republics

Do you know where the term Banana Republic comes from?

It’s what happened a bunch of times in the 1940s-80s as the US overthrew governments in Central America to install ones favorable to their interests.

One example:

Jacobo Arbenz was president of Guatemala in the 1950s. He was popular and democratically elected. Despite Guatemala’s fertile soil, 80% of the population struggled to survive, so he launched a land redistribution program to the peasants.

This upset the United Fruit Company, who controlled a lot of the land. They called the CIA, who convinced the US President to authorize a coup.

They installed Carlos Castillo Armas as President.
Castillo gave United Fruit 1.5 million acres, placed harsh restrictions on the Indigenous populations, and terrorized opponents.

Peace accords were finally signed in 1996, but the United Fruit Company lives on. You may recognize their new name. Chiquita.

You Really Can't Control It

I hate it when I see all these news stories about stuff like Ukraine or Anti-Asian violence or mass shootings and there’s nothing I can really do to make it stop.

It’s like the weather. You’re affected by it but you can’t really control it.

But then, there’s climate. Which we can’t really control, exactly, but we can affect it.

In fact, pretty much everything we do affects it for better or worse.

Of course some things we do have more influence, especially if it moves the policy needle or shifts the culture- and none of this is the work of one single person but enough of us working together

These Two Mothers

Got a couple of cool moms here!

The biggest Happy Mothers Day to these moms in my life. My kids are so lucky to have them shaping their lives.

Anyone who’s known @deanna.suzanna ever should be completely unsurprised that she’s a terrific mom but it’s still incredible to see it in action. All the little daily decisions that go into raising kids are made with the sharpest insight and wisdom. Becoming a parent of three in a two year window is a lot less intimidating with her as a partner.

I’m also thankful that this season of babies galore has brought my own mom into the mix much more. That’s made the life we have right now possible. Looking after this 3-under
-3 crew is a tall order at any age, but my mom has stepped up so enthusiastically.

Mothers have such a big impact, whether they’re biological, adoptive, foster, or moms in the more spiritual sense and no matter how many holidays they make, our world doesn’t do enough to recognize that. Don’t waste a chance to make a mom know what you appreciate.

The LiNK Shirt

Shout out to this shirt.

I got it back when I joined the @libertyinnorthkorea team as an intern in 2012.

I traveled the US, living in a van, and giving presentations at schools and churches about North Korea.

It was kind of my first formal act of storytelling for a cause.

The people of North Korea remain close to my heart, and so I’m happy to continue to rep.

This shirt has held up extremely well! I mean the neck may have seen better days, but after ten years I can’t complain. I’ve worn this thing all over the world, and the gray color is forgiving.

Lots of cool stuff is being done to make clothing more sustainable but it doesn’t get much more sustainable than caring for the stuff you have and making it last as long as you can.

Thirtytwo

I’m 32 today.

What a year. What a life.

I hope this comes across as grateful rather than boastful, but…

Of all the stories I could possibly be living, I can’t think of one I’d rather be in than the one I’ve been given.

The people I get to be around.
The kiddos I get to raise.
The places I get to visit.
The projects I get to work on.
The things I get to fight for.

There’s a lot going on in the world and there’s no shortage of reminders that everybody is going through something, but I can’t help but think that a real deep gratitude for life and the deliberate decision to live makes it a little better for everyone.

Domestic Adventurers

Domestic adventurers baby.

I think few photos will sum up this moment in our lives any better than this one: stopping in the middle of a hike through desert slot canyons to pull out some bottles to feed the babies.

I loved every time another hiker came around the corner and the backdrop of their desert adventure was suddenly disrupted by a nursery scene.

The two modes that make me happiest are when I’m out exploring and immersed in a new place and when I’m holding one of my kiddos. It’s not so easy to put them together most of the time, but every now and then the magic happens!

Six Americas of Global Warming

I wish more people knew about the study by Yale: Six Americas of Global Warming.

I think it’s easy to think of climate is this polarizing thing where half of people see it one way and half of people are totally opposed.

In reality, about a third of Americans are alarmed about it and another quarter are concerned. These segments are kind of losing sleep over the topic.

Another quarter are a little more disengaged or apathetic. 10% have their doubts but only 9% are the outright dismissive sorts who will shout hoax at anything presented at them.

I really appreciate that one time John Oliver tried to have a climate debate with a more representative sample of panelists.

In order to get meaningful climate action, we don’t need to convince that really small segment, as much as we need to equip the rest of the spectrum.

When we confuse how loud some of these voices are for how few of them there actually are, the climate conversation gets hung up on the question of: is it real? Rather than the more interesting and important: what should we do?

Someone Else's Turf

Getting ready to travel soon, for the first time with my 3-under-3 crew. And here’s a big perspective on travel I’m hoping to pass on.

I think travel is good for people, generally speaking, and I don’t like to gatekeep what travel should look like. If you like cities, cool. Lots of human culture and story there. If nature’s more your thing, I feel that too.

I used to be all about the budget solo backpacking, but now that kids have entered the picture, I’m seeing all the times paying for a few more conveniences is worth it in the long haul.

But there is at least one mindset that I am absolutely opposed to, and it’s the one that completely looks past local communities, cultures, and environments and only sees a personal playground. One where a place’s worth is only defined by how much it’ll cater to a visitor’s comfort or interests or Instagram feed.

I’m all about having a good time when traveling, but I actually believe I’ve found travel so enriching because of this perspective.

When you travel, you are not setting foot on your personal playground.

You are on someone else’s soil.

You are in someone else’s home.

Have fun.

But go with appreciation and respect.

Clear's Law of Recurrence

I wish this was more common knowledge…

It’s called Clear’s Law of Recurrence because of the author James Clear.

It goes, an idea that gets repeated more, gets believed more. It doesn’t matter how good the idea is or if it makes sense.

In a lot of ways this seems like such an obvious, common sense thing. It’s kind of the reason people who think they uniquely see the truth all kind of use the same talking points. And yet we do stuff all the time like quote tweeting really bad takes just to argue with them.

First off, algorithms don’t really care that you’re dunking on the original post, they just see that it’s getting a lot of buzz and so maybe more people want to see it.

There’s a reason I follow you, and not that media personality or congressperson with the bad takes. I don’t want that on my feed.

To be nuanced, there’s a time and place to stand up to harmful rhetoric, but be careful that your instinct to react doesn’t play somebody else’s game for them.

Spend more of your energy getting the better idea out there, and figure out how to amplify it.

Strong Vulnerable Earth

There are so many examples of how nature is just plain powerful.

Gigantic redwoods, ocean currents, strong mammals.

This is what I love about spending time outside- you’re forced to humble yourself when confronted with nature’s wild strength.

But if you’re observant enough, you’ll note that nature is also really vulnerable.

Introduce a species to the wrong ecosystem, disregard soil biology when farming, be too zealous or too reckless with fire control, or simply consume way too much and you’ll see how fragile these places we love really are.

It almost seems like a paradox. Nature is strong. Nature is vulnerable. It’s a contradiction, right?

Maybe it’s not. Maybe these things never were opposites to begin with.

The strongest people I know are also some of the most vulnerable, open hearted people, who aren’t afraid to show their scars.

They don’t sweep their fears under the rug, or dismiss them for good vibes only. They know how grieve and mourn with those who mourn. They own their mistakes and their humanness.

Strength and vulnerability. Hand in hand.