Welcome to the McWallmart thorn tree

this a board devoted to travel in Central America, not some kinda sicko McDonald's/Wallmart corporate buttlick. Anyone out there actually want to see anything of the region today, or is lure of the mcmunchin and not moving from the cybercaff too strong?

stingrayj, i'm not sure how to respond to your anger. oh yeah, now i remember.....bite me.

i'll travel my way and you travel yours. i'll not be arrogant enough to criticise your choices and i damn sure expect you to respect mine. why do think you have the right to dictate how others enjoy their leisure time? if i choose to go to el tejar and spend a day sitting on the square watching people and talking to the locals what business is it of yours? if i choose to take a break in antigua and get a big mac what business is it of yours?

if you think you have the only 'right' way to travel and experience another culture or the only 'right' way to use a public forum you are sadder than i thought. concentrate on living your own life and leave me alone to live mine.

don

I blame it on ticotim, and the fact he has turned this branch into the Costa Rica on a high budget show...

I Blame JackIrons , and the fact he has turned a blind eye to the budget traveller in CA, and expects people to sleep all night in brothels..

I guess I had better stop recommending McDonalds as a good way to meet local people and fellow travelers. Thanks for the helpful feedback.

you're welcome to your choice of culinary experiences matey. Nothing like keeping it familiar eh? Donald in McDonald's. Suppose it comes in handy when you have to collect your mcorder.

Pollo Campero a Guatemalan born chicken chain is in Honduras, Mexico, China, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Spain and THE GOOD OL' UNITED STATES!! "Pollo Campero was founded in 1971. Under the leadership of Dionisio Gutiérrez, a group of businessmen from Guatemala joined their efforts and shared the vision to create the Campero concept.

In 1994, a new period began for Pollo Campero as it launched its franchise program that would take the Campero concept around the world

Today, Campero is a leading restaurant chain from Latin America, operating successfully for over 30 years.

During the last 10 years, Campero has achieved many successes such as doubling our transactions and serving more than 75 million customers a year. Our growth is the direct result of the commitment that we have to our customers by offering an excellent product and service, backed by the work of an outstanding team whose strength is based on the values and principles of our company.
Welcome to Campero!"

Last count 6,602,224,175 people on the planet. The Romantic world is dead, dead, dead. Get over it!! A Guatemalan experience includes highlands adventures and a McDonald's BigMac afterwords, weaving courses and papas fritas at Pollo Campero, a street food snack and a shuttle ride in a Toyota minivan, a LonelyPlanet(Big Ass Corporation!!!!) Thorntree encounter made in the flesh over a date in Antigua's Parque Central. What brand of computer are you using? What corporate airline did you use to get to the places you filled as red spaces on your map?

PS Hurrah for DonaldoT!!!!!!!!!

A second to that statement.

I fly from Guate to Houston. The plane always has the aroma of Pollo Campero because of the many passengers bringing back boxes of fried chicken. But since Houston opened up a bunch of outlets not near as many bring it on the plane.

JackIrons-wow thats a blast from the past.

How arrogant to judge the way others travel. I, personally, do not visit McDonald's even in the States, but if that's what you or any one else chooses to do, that's up to you.
If you're not interested in the posting, skip it - just don't judge it!

I tell ya what...
I had been in mexico for well over a month, shoestring, the last week of it in boca del ciela, in a hammock on the beach at a palapa that only served rice, beans, fish and beer. And i dont eat seafood.
After a long day of travel we ended up in mazatenego Guate.
There was a mcdonalds there, and me and the swiss girl i was traveling with went there for dinner.

It was one of the best meals of my trip... It was awesome.
The quarter pounder with cheese was grilled perfect, the bun was toasted just right. No pickles, just like i orderd. The fries were golden, and i drenched them in hienz ketchup. The coke tasted exactly like mcdonalds coke should, the straw was even nice and wide. It was perfect. We even had soft serve ice cream.

Till this day it was the best mcdonalds i have ever had. And i often tell the fuctards at the one next to me...

'Ive had better mcdonalds in mazatenego!!!!!!!!!!11!'

as the screw up my order, again.

jackirons,

Bless you and your thorntree profile. Bless you and your sense of humor. May our paths cross some day somewhere. Laugh and the world laughs with you! Beautiful poetry.

i occasionally take people from the villages into guatemala city to a doctor or to the hospital (in the rented car i get so much grief about). i usually buy them lunch while in town. they are ALWAYS excited to go to pollo campero. the food is good, the place is clean, service is excellent and they are treated with respect. many u.s. franchises could learn from them.

Jack-

Maybe the company of the Swiss girl made it taste better?

tim - she sure made the room seem like less of a dump...