Our passage to and stay in Livingston

We arrived Puerto Barrios, Guatemala right on time or perhaps a few minutes later than scheduled. Exited the bus and asked for directions to the lanchas. We found that the landings for the lanchas was about five or six blocks from the terminal of the bus so walked with our stuff in hand and on back. We arrived and were met by the man who would eventually pilot our small wooden craft across the bay. We paid Q35 each for the 45 to 50 minute passage. Little did either of us know what lay ahead. And, since you were not there and are solely dependent upon my narration, I will do my best to describe in a far better fashion than the manner in which most youngsters these days might be able to do. How often have you asked them something when they are only capable of saying "it was cool or awesome"? What exactly does cool or awesome mean? It certainly does not paint a picture for me. So, I shall try to use an amazing set of hues so you can share the beauty and diversity of our experience too.

We purchased our tickets and were told that the launch would be ready to depart in about an hour. The real answer would have been that it will depart when there are sufficient paying passengers to fill each area of the benches such that the journey is worthwhile for the pilot. So, it seemed that we were first in line awaiting our departure. Soon we were joined by a nicely rotund and sufficiently painted lady. Next who appeared on the scene were two dames also who might have fit into half sizes or perhaps one might esoterically say the Classic figures.

In the midst of it all the pilot and his helper carried perhaps a ten gallon plastic container of fuel for his engine. He lifted a hatch and plopped the large container into the bowels of the boat and then I noticed that he securely wrapped a tether to the canister of fuel with the other end to one of the supporting rods on the side of the boat. Should this have been an omen to me and to John? Little did we know that a horrible period of weather had struck this area just hours before. Nor did we compute what affect the wonderful breezes that we felt upon arrival at Puerto Barrios might have also on the open bay opening to Mar Caribe. This stretch of salt water over which we would soon be bumping was our adventure soon to unfold. So, little by little the waiting area for the launch filled until we were thirteen or fourteen waiting together with hand baggage. We noticed that some of the baggage was stowed in the front-most portion of the small boat together with other cargo that the pilot was hauling to Livingston.

John was thirsty and asked me to see if any of the cantinas nearby were selling CocaCola light. I tried at three of them and found none of that variety nor did I locate any diet drink whatsoever so we were stuck with our water that we had purchased before our bus trip and the small glasses that we given to us by the bus personnel. No diet drinks here but lots of natural (organic) in nature...maybe even some fertilized and enriched by night soil.

So, finally the pilot announced that it was time to board. We did but with the direction of the pilot who precisely placed those of substance across from each other. The remaining group were situated in appropriate positions so as to create balance in the little craft.

Situated, we backed away from the dock and smelled the odor of exhaust. But, not for long. As we were beginning to turn to a forward position, word was spread among us that we should position the large sheets of thick, black plastic in such a way as to cover ourselves from our heads to our toes. John was seated on one side of our row and I on the opposite. Between us was a far younger Guatemalan lad who it appeared had had experience in the crossing. He unfolded the black sheet and positioned it over all three of our heads. All the while, he firmly planted his feet on the bottom middle of the sheet to ensure it would not whip in the wind. Our small craft was covered with a canvas that was attached on the sides to metal poles. It provided an adequate covering from rainfall that might fall straight down. But, the craft was absolutely open to the sides and already we could see and feel fairly good sized waves from the wind. It was not five minutes into the nearly 50 minute crossing before both John and I knew that the preferred positions were not on the sides. Water was splashing left and right, up and down and every sideways that it could find. And I am not speaking of sprinkles of water. There were waves the tops of which were sailing against anything within the boat that was on target. Getting somewhat damp is one thing. Getting soaked to the skin is quite another matter. Fifteen minutes into the crossing, even the lad in the midst of our row was wet from his pate to his soles. You can only imagine how we were. But, the water had no favorites nor enemies - it was spread and ended up soaking the entire passenger list. I ended up putting my head into my lap while holding a small flap of the plastic sheet securely over as much as I could. Never mind the sides - it simply did not matter now because all was wet and nothing remained dry. Imagine going from an attempt to secure items and self in a dry condition and seeing everything go out of control. That was us and the entire passenger list. I heard an occasional yelp much like that one sees when the bull-riding machines are televised for the entertainment of those who would not otherwise partake. There were whoops and hollers. We had gone beyond any attempt to maintain order or control and now I was wondering why in the world I had not asked the time of the crossing. At least then I would have known how much longer. It went on for 20, 30, 40 and then 45 minutes before I heard and felt a slowing of the engines. I was glad because, to be honest, I was groaning and moaning very softly and hoping  that it would be soon over.

We approached the pier in Livingston and I just stared up at it. I was unsure that I was steady enough and had the energy to step up a yard to meet the wooden surface there. But, I did as did all of the other dripping passengers. Can you imagine that those who met us would tell us that it was a rough crossing? Did anybody have to tell us what had transpired? How could they know? They had not experienced it first-hand.

I did step up with my plastic bag and stood at the front of the boat to collect my backpack which had suffered  as much water exposure as had I. That was handed to me and immediately two black men who spoke English without a hitch attached themselves to us. John told me that this is the only part of the country of Guatemala with a significant population of black folks. He told me that the blacks migrated first from the islands of the Caribbean. For the most part Spanish is spoken and understood here. But, English is also understood and spoken, especially by the resident blacks. The blacks also speak among themselves in a sort of Creole. There is also one large Mayan tongue used here. But, it is not difficult to be understood nor is it difficult to get around.

Being on the coast, it is very humid and far warmer than what we experience in Antigua. Nights in Antigua are in the 50 degree range and days in the low 70s. Here I would estimate that 80s and 90s are frequent visitors during the days and nights probably get down to what we have as daytime highs. But, there is a breeze and that makes it very nice and comfortable.

Immediately after John and I both collected our personal belongings the two black men who had decided to be our tour guides for the 800 yards to our hotel attached themselves to us. They walked and talked to John. I was in absolutely no mood to have a conversation with anybody. As a matter of fact, I stated upon getting my size twelves on the dock that I would not be taking this method of transport anytime soon again. I was heard by one or both of the black men who would be our "official guides" to the portal of our hotel. They were true to their word and then some. They followed us into the hotel yard, into the lobby and followed the manager who took us to our room. They stood outside of our room telling us that they needed money for their families. John gave one of the two USD5 and we saw them no more.

Now, folks, we were both dripping with sea water. There was not one inch of our clothing that was dry. To add insult to injury, the storm that had hit the area had knocked out all the electricity so there was no hope of getting our clothing either washed or dried. So, Ismael Morales, the resident manager offered the lines outside the office for our drying. And, today they are finally dried despite the continuing rains throughout last night and up until 11 today. We were not the only ones to use the lines!

We were led to a small thatched roofed cabin in which were two neatly made twin beds. Without a doubt, those beds and our dwelling for the night turned out to be one of the most comfortable and quiet respites that we have experienced in Guatemala outside of Antigua. Now, mind you, there had been a storm that I mentioned earlier that had taken down all electrical mains in the city of Livingston so we were without power from the time we checked in until bedtime. But, no matter because here in Guatemala we are used to outages of power and water. There is little or no excitement when this happens and we have been here long enough to not ask how long. It may be minutes, hours or days. One never knows but one is always prepared.

The toilet is down the row of cottages and is shared. There is a shower adjacent to the toilet which is also shared. We put off cleansing the trouble spots because there was no light in the shower room last evening but will probably be able to give you a report on the shower or lack thereof tomorrow. I seriously doubt that there will be cold and hot water. But, here in this heat and humidity, who really cares.

We ordered at the front desk and were served our lunch outside under the thatch and overlooking the beautiful bay. There are large white birds here that stand perhaps a meter in height, there are pelicans and all sorts of other mud hen types. Sprinkle in hundreds of seagulls and you get the picture. No, you really do not. We have a wharf jutting out from the office and eating area where there is a thatched structure at its terminus with four hammocks strung for the use of guests. It is also a platform for diving and entering the water for those brave enough to dunk in this polluted filth.

We awakened early this morning and went to the lobby area where we ordered our breakfasts. I had an omelet with cheese, tomatoes and onions, fried potatoes, coconut bread and a large portion of fresh fruit.. John chose coconut bread with a larger portion of fresh fruit. We had coffee and tea.

Our entertainment today was to be picked up by a launch at 9 and go to Rio Dulce but the weather simply did not cooperate. We experienced rains similar to what I remember as a child in southern Alabama. Hard rains that made the tin roofs sing. Here we hear the rains hitting the thatch. It is a comforting sound and nostalgic. We like it enough here to do a repeat when we next find ourselves in Guatemala.

Tomorrow we are going to Belize and today we met our captain or pilot as they call them here of the launch. We are scheduled to board his launch at ten minutes to 7 tomorrow morning and he will come to our very wharf to fetch us. Two other girls from the hotel will be joining us in our journey. Good for us because the waters are far smoother in the mornings than as the day progresses. And, good to know that our journey should take no more than 40 minutes. Interestingly, since we are crossing into another country, we needed to get an exit stamp from Guatemala. Since the office here does not open before 8 in the morning and since our departure time was before 7, we made a trip to the immigration office today and got those stamps at Q80 each. I gave the clerk Q200 and got change.

After we acquired our stamps, I suggested that we go to the finest hotel in town for something to drink. John had a pineapple smoothie without sugar and I had a refrigerated coconut whose top had been cut for me to drink the milk. Yes, it was cold and very good. I only wished that they had cracked it after for me to eat all of the meat inside. Maybe next time!

When I went to pay for our refreshments, I checked my change from the immigration clerk and found that she had shorted us Q10 (about USD1.25). Oh well, too late then. We strolled up the main street of Livingston for about five blocks and then decided we had done the town and favored a return to the hotel. We found our place and quickly occupied two of the four hammocks on the dock. Good for us and a great relaxation. I listened to Mozart's Requiem and a little Scott Joplin through my Bose headsets as I swayed back and forth. It is a good life, let me tell you.

We order dinner by 5 and there are several interesting possibilities. I will report in more detail in the next posting.

Heading to points east in Guatemala and to Belize

John has been busy on the computer planning a short getaway for us. It came to fruition yesterday when we boarded a van which took us from Antigua to the capital city. Our appointed time for departure was 4 but we were told to be at the agency door about 10 minutes prior to that time. We made it around that time and our driver was waiting for us. We climbed into the van and had no other passenger with us to share the 45-50 minute rite into Guatemala City. Our destination for that ride was the bus terminal where on Sunday we were scheduled for our next leg in our journey. 

John had located accommodations for us just a short two and one-half blocks distant from the terminal so we knew there would be no problems in meeting our scheduled departure time of 7:30 a.m. on Sunday. Before we left the terminal we purchased our executive class tickets to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala - a five-hour ride in very comfortable coaches. Having done that, we waddled off with our backpacks and other luggage to our hotel.

We arrived at the locked door of Posada Belen within minutes and rang the bell. The summons at the door was met with a friendly voice on the intercom in Spanish to which we responded that we had reservations for the night. This converted once private dwelling had now separate dwellings spaces within for eleven different accommodations for visitors. Both the terminal as well as the hotel are situated within Zona 1 which happens to be the center of Guatemala City as well as one of the most dangerous areas of the capital city. That being the case, most travelers would feel insecure and unsafe if they were to roam about that area after dark. A good thing that they offer meals at a super-inflated price for the timid and cautious souls. There were no restaurants or shops in the vicinity so it was rather a captive audience. The experts in travel, Fodors has given it very high marks and has proudly included it among available accommodations in that part of the city. We were happy to have tried it one time but will not include it in a repeat visit to the city. It is charming, indeed and is very interesting but, by the time one pays for lodging plus a fee for the use of wireless and the price of two meals (at USD15 each), it became more costly than what we normally pay for such visits when we sojourn. One other small minus is that the meal we contracted for was to include dessert which never appeared on the table. Perhaps the dessert was not having additional carbs with which to deal. Who knows?

We enjoyed chatting with other visitors to the hotel though and that was rewarding. It is always great to share and have others stories shared with us. There was a young lady from the UK who had married herself a North American, a family from Washington, D.C. and Tampa, FL, a gentleman from British Colombia, Canada and another couple of unknown origin. Those from Tampa had been down visiting two orphans they are sponsoring through World Vision. They both have covered much of the world - he mostly from his association with the US Navy and she having been in the family of US Military and US State Department. Yet, despite their good exposure to the differences in parts of the world outside of the USA, they had succumbed to a horrible bug which had dampened their journey to Guatemala. I shared with them the marvels of Cipro and they gladly made note of that elixir and took it under advisement. Sunday was to be their final day in Guatemala and on that day also they were to board a flight home to more familiar digs.

Our room at Posada Belin was the front-most room in the house. It had two twin beds with beautiful blankets and had a bathroom with shower providing hot and cold water. The basin had only cold water piped into it.There was one single light with a huge bulb illuminating the entire room. The beds were less than comfortable but both of us had seen and felt sleeping arrangements with even less comfort. 

For supper we were offered a choice of pork cutlet or chicken breast. John and I both opted for chicken and some of the other diners opted for pork. It was passable food but not either good or great.As our good friend and acquaintance Tom would say "I have tasted worse". Neither of us got sick on it so you can see that it did what it was supposed to do: nourish poor pilgrims on their way!

Before retiring for the night we made arrangements for the payment in full of our bill since we planned to start out before the office would be open on Sunday. We also asked for a knock on the door and if somebody would be up at 7 in order to unlock the front door from within to permit egress for us on our way to the bus terminal the next day. We got assurance that there would be an awakening with notification of a knock at the door and that there would indeed be somebody to let us out.

During the night we were surprised at the amount of street noise that found its way to the four deaf ears that lay there attempting to get a reasonable night’s rest. When we first approached the posada, we were delighted because it was mid-way between two major avenues where an abundance of loud buses were passing. The street seemed very quiet and inviting to us. Little ded we realize that the noise had a way of extending its presence to us in that manner. But, we both reported good sleep to each other on Sunday morning. The worst part of it all is that there were a pair of unused earplugs in my backpack. Shame on me for I have absolutely no reason to complain.

The knock came at a few minutes before six and we were soon up and ready to exit the posada by 7. We walked the short distance and entered the terminal. This time it appeared that there would be other passengers on the executive-class bus. There were a dozen or so chairs set up for waiting passengers as well as four or five tables set up only for patrons of the small café inside the terminal. We qualified for using those as we purchased coffee, tea, bottled water and John a breakfast bread. I went out and purchased a copy of the weekend issue of one of the three or four newspapers in Guatemala, La Prensa Libre. Our bus was announced and we walked over to the stall to board our coach. Our baggage as well as our persons were searched (very superficially) before we boarded. Our tickets were taken and the inspector general told us that our seats were in row one and upstairs.We scampered up and located our seating for the next five hours.

The bus was very scarcely filled so we had our choice of seats. John opted to not take his assigned seat in the front window because he was unable to stretch out sufficiently. It took nearly twenty minutes to get outside of the city. During that time we twisted and turned dozens of times as our driver maneuvered this over-sized  two-tiered vehicle on very small passageways.. The first hour out of Guatemala City went exceedingly slowly and the road, as is the case in most of the parts of Guatemala in which we have traveled, was horribly rough and in desperate need of repair or replacement. Much of the first hour we passed construction or reconstruction on the roadway which should result in a better passage next time.

We descended from the capital city where the outside temperatures at our departure might have been in the high sixties. There was a certain dampness in the air but no drops of moisture in the city.

After approximately three hours of driving, much of it on two-lane roads, we came to a rest stop and were told that we would be there for twenty minutes. Most of the passengers left the bus to use restrooms and to get nourishment and treats. Soon it was time to start our journey once again. 

At shortly after 12:30 we arrived in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala and gathered our belongings and stepped into the port city. We would have about a five block walk to the area where the lanchas were situated for our ride over the Bahia de Amatique (an inlet of ocean and salt water) to Livingston.

The next post will detail our passage on the Bahia de Amatique. 

Three weeks under our belts and lots more

By this time three weeks ago we were on our way to our separate niditos (nests) here in Antigua. The adjustment time was instant as it seems like our second home here. In our little town of Prescott in Arizona, we eat out the majority of times and wait folks come to know what we want. Well, this morning at breakfast in the patio of Doña Luisa we seated ourselves and within minutes our orders were under our noses without having uttered one word. I told the wait person that she knew. We all smiled now knowing full well that the preliminaries are under our belts and we are well on our way to becoming known guests.

And, we have befriended a couple of indigenous vendors from whom John has made a purchase and may make another. She and another friend come by bus each morning and set up in the entrance way of La Aurora Hotel just a handful of blocks distant from where we stay. Each time that they are there we get a knowing nod and greeting.

That goes for our daily trek too. We have a routine as do others and we can calculate easily when one of us is not on task or simply has bypassed the exercise routine for the day. Everybody here greets while passing on the sidewalks or hiking trails. And, most folks smile and tell us to enjoy ourselves and our food while eating out. It would be difficult to be a stranger here or certainly to maintain that label. One would have to try diligently.

The newest tenants in the compound are settling in and we finally got their Internet going full and strong. This at the expense of pulling my plug entirely - at lest for the moment. No more outages we hope. Paul’s friend and in-house expert at Internet and networking was over here yesterday and assisted with the rewiring of much of the network. There were four wireless routers installed within the network with all of them dynamically assigning Internet addresses which has continued to cause consternation to us all with the web going up and down like a yo-yo. Hopefully there will be consistency and continuity of service now that we have eliminated all but one router. I have ordered a switch which will act as sort of an extension cord for additional devices that need to have access. That piece of the puzzle sits in the home of Paul's daughter Becky in Florida. And, this Sunday, Paul will be flying to be with family there for over one week. It is a plug in “out of the box” so it should cause no conflict and hopefully then I too will enjoy being reconnected without interruptions. It is a “dumb” switch which cares not other than to pass along the signal to each additional device. It assigns no Internet address and lets the one router take care of that task. Good for us. The downside of it all is that I am without Internet until the switch arrives. In the interim, I go to Paul's office or outside near enough to the one wireless router and connect or I waddle up to John‘s apartment and help myself there. Wireless routers have far less reach here though as there are thick walls (some over one yard in width) which cut their signal almost down to zero. So, I sit in the yard just outside of the one emitting signals and do my thing.

A few more words about the new tenants might be in order. Dick, the husband is very restricted in his diet which makes eating out almost impossible for them. He and Jenny both take their turn at preparation of their food and, as far as I have seen, they do eat healthfully. I have been offered tastes but I have refused each offer. Until I am so restricted, I see absolutely no reason to eat food that to me has no interesting odor and is most likely tasteless. Dick has also many additional physical challenges including asthma. He has had some severe attacks and has found it difficult to maintain good breathing. Instead of joining Jenny in bed some nights, he has resorted to propping pillows under his body on a non-flexible chair. Of late covering their pillows in their bedroom with plastic has seemed to help.

They have had a passel of other challenges including inability to adjust the shower for hot and cold water, stoppage of their commode and kitchen sink and just yesterday both of them ended up at the dentist. It seemed that Dick’s false choppers just did not fit properly. Strange since they were new to him six months ago and prepared by a fine dentist in the USA. Not to be outdone, Jenny complained of a discomforting tooth or jaw. Neither of them is conversant in Spanish so Paul took them both to the dentist where he dropped them off for a check-up. After a reasonable amount of time, Paul received a call from the dentist in which the dentist told Paul what he had found in the mouths of each of Dick and Jenny. Then the dentist handed the phone to Dick and Jenny and Paul switched to English to give them the good news. It seems that the dentist here found that Dick’s plate was hanging on by two hooks and he found that the plate was ancient and did not fit properly. He suggested that he would be happy to exchange a new plate for USD600. As for Jenny, he suggested a root canal and a new crown on her troubled tooth. He told Paul that although there was absolutely no evidence of decay or abscess under her existing crown, it would be like putting a band aide on a cancer if he were to put a new crown on her existing one without a root canal. After consultation, Dick decided to call his dentist back home and I have not heard what that outcome was. Jenny ended up with having her current crown ground down a tad and she reports a much better feeling immediately.

I told Paul that I felt he was going to hear a continuous stream of challenges and I was amazed that he had the patience to contend with them. I suspect that the USD850/mo prompts him to have a smile in his heart and face when high-maintenance folks like these appear on the scene. Of the four or five years that we have lived here, we have experienced none others who have been so trouble-prone. No strangers to suffering - you know!

I could not understand from day one why a couple with those challenges would opt to come down here. I found out that they are attempting to avoid the wiles of the winter season in South Carolina. Strange to select a place where tripping on cobblestones in the streets and sidewalks is a guarantee. Where also one can count on having several cases of the trots. As sister Grace used to ask, “why pay money for discomfort?” They cannot take the most common and cheapest mode of transport either as the tuk-tuk passages have been too severely rough for them. So they are dependent upon the rides they can muster from Paul and Ruth. Else they do have taxis available. Of course once they are out of the hen house, they are dependent upon others to translate for them as they know no Spanish - ni una palabra (not one word).  Dick does have one or more modules of the Rosetta Stone Latin American Spanish loaded into his trusty laptop but he admitted to me that he is dyslexic and cannot distinguish the differences between and among the words and sounds. I suspect that might be a severe limitation. So, Spanish is out for Dick and the only interaction that I see Jenny doing with the Worldwide Web is playing rounds of Scrabble.

Dick and Jenny have found our evenings and nights a bit cold too so Paul and Dick ventured out into the community to purchase an opaque plastic covering which they have installed over all of the windows in their dwelling. At best, those with very ripe and thick cataracts would have the same vision in peering out of doors  without obstruction as I have now from inside looking out after the installation. It is not a pretty sight either from within or from without. Now, I suspect that some would say it is cold but neither John nor I feel that is an accurate rendering of fact. It does fall to the mid-fifties at night but daytimes can push up to the high seventies. Almost all days the sun shines unimpeded by clouds and there is rarely sufficient movement of the air to cause the wind-chimes to jingle. When I have gone into their dwelling to assist in restarting and restoring their Internet, I have sensed a dank, moist and heavy warmness that would not be my companion should it be my dwelling. We are in the dry season so those who might complain about the cold and moist combination would not be correct. I do know that when my 90-something friend Chuck from Arizona entered that decade that he felt a need for more heat but Dick and Jenny are just a few years my senior so they have quite a wait. I don’t know and I have neither been asked for an answer nor a comment. So, why the commentary? What’s my point? Guess I just needed to vent. I have been independent way too long.

As for Jenny, the reason for their being here at Casa Philippi and not somewhere else in Antigua is simple: she tripped and injured her ankle or foot while maneuvering about a cavernous home they were renting elsewhere in the city. There were bedrooms sufficient to accommodate a small army and their living quarters included hopping up and down a long set of stairs without railing. Well, you can easily see that being deliberate and unsteady as she is, she quickly fell prey. Well, when Dick and Jenny realized that their former casona (large house) would not do, they broadcast through a network of ex-pats the need for different digs. Paul responded so here we are. It is not my problem and for that I am thankful because I would not smile as does Paul.

A few general challenges of Casa Philippi might be worth noting here. Our landlady Ruth has been tormented by the three or four pip-squeak dogs resident just over the wall. They do bark without ceasing and it is just over the wall from her open kitchen window. Windows and doors here within the compound are almost always open providing easy access at all hours together with the lack of containment of outside sounds. I have no lock on my door and the only reasons I would close my windows at night would be to eliminate the smoke from the refuse burning which can occur at any hour of the night and the noise originating from the reception or group hall of Casa Santo Domingo, the walls of which we share. Closing the windows helps to eliminate most of the sounds. But, back to the dogs: Paul did go over and talked with the owner of the dogs. He plead with him about the noise and told him that when we leaves for the day that the dogs complain without ceasing. The owner was unconvinced to take any action whatsoever so Paul has ordered a battery-operated device which emits a very loud and high-pitched frequency in response to any bark. Fortunately for humans, we are unequipped to register the sound so the machine can continue until the sheep come home as far as we are concerned. Good too for the neighbor who has proud, vested title in the curs because he will be oblivious to the distressing alarms. Paul intends to place the emitting machine on the common fence and point it towards the culprits. You can imagine that Ruth was immediately concerned because she felt her non-barking curs would also be affected, unduly punished and react unfavorably. Paul assured him that the machine would be pointed towards the offenders and that the need for such would or should soon disappear. She was and is not totally content with this idea but is far less amused by the continuance of the noisome pestilence. Perhaps she can install earplugs in the four orifices of Chico and Sandy. We shall see and I will be happy to report the outcome of this scheme to quiet the neighbor curs. Paul returns from the USA on 8 February and will be aptly armed to control the problem.

As for upcoming activity, John and I are planning to take a week’s trek in the direction of Belize. Life is very slow here and it does take time to pull oneself together for such trekking. Neither of us is a beach person nor do we occupy ourselves in the diversion of skin-diving so we will have to see what that new-to-us-country has to offer. We plan to take a first-class express bus for about five hours from the capital city. It will involve the taking of some ferries over to Belize. For those of you unaware of that country’s position, it is just south of Mexico and eastward from Guatemala. Nothing is distant here in Central America and there are always some types of transportation between and among the several countries. We are looking at leaving Antigua either on the upcoming Saturday or Sunday. I shall have reports for you on our journey and perchance may include some images from our journey.

Una erupción se produjo antes de la comida

Volcán de Fuego erupting
  La Reunión Golf Course
and Residences
La Antigua, Guatemala

Volcán Fuego, one of Central America's most active volcanoes, is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala's former capital, Antigua. The scarp of an older edifice, Meseta, lies between Fuego at 3,763 meters above sea level (12,346 feet) and its twin volcano to the north, Acatenango. Those twins stand together to the west of the city of Antigua while the third prominent volcano, Agua, looms high at an elevation above sea level of 3,760 meters (12,336 feet). For centuries dormant, she lies sleeping to the south of the city center. These days only Fuego is active.

Six of us were just about ready to be seated for lunch at La Reunión Golf Resort and Residences thirteen kilometers distant from Antigua when we felt, heard and saw this activity. While I can share the visual sense with you, I apologize that you could neither feel nor hear this eruption. It was not impotent!

On Wednesday of this past week Paul invited us to join him, his wife, daughter Judy and their friend Lida at the La Reunión for birthday celebrations for his wife Ruth. Both Ruth and Lida will have birthdays up-coming in the next days or weeks. Ruth will be celebrating her 80th. 

Lida is a long-time friend of the Philippis who was born and lived in Antigua. But, for the past several decades has been working as an educator in Auckland, New Zealand. She takes the time to come home for school holidays so we manage to see her almost every year that we return to Guatemala.

We drove from Antigua to this lovely spot, arriving before the skies began to cloud over. When we entered the resort area, there were no visible clouds and the twin volcanoes were crystal-clear in the distance. Both were sleeping lazily and there was no promise that we would see anything unusual. We strolled about the lovely grounds for a while and took some pictures. Some of our party managed to peek through a telescope at the fissures atop the Fire Volcano. That gifted those who looked with a close-up of the mouth of the smoldering inferno within. 

Little did any of us know that we would within minutes enjoy the sight, sound and sensation of activity as we felt the earth rumble with the eruption shoot high in the Heavens. I wandered out to the front of the resort minutes before we were going to be seated for lunch. It was then that this show was displayed. I was not disappointed. I share it with you except for the sound and feel!

Dancing shade pulls and roller-coaster floors

The seismic folks knew it around the same time as we did but those monitoring it in California could neither feel its effects nor could they see what the quake caused. That was yesterday at around 1 p.m. Guatemala time (also Central Standard Time in the USA). Here folks are prone to call it tremors. I am not proud and assign it the title earthquake even if it is short-lived and causes no damage to physical things. I cannot be so sure that psychological damage is not done by such Acts of God. One may be thinking if this is the "big one". After all, this city has been subjected to devastating earthquakes that have been recorded since 1524. The last major one in 1777 destroyed over 3,000 buildings and many perished.   

Our neighbor's Internet is still cranky and it seems that I can at least get him going once again until a permanent fix is found. My tasks for yesterday at my neighbor's house were to fix his connection to the Worldwide Web and to play a round of Scrabble with his wife. Dick is no game player though he once was a Poker ace while in the Navy. I was standing near his computer table talking with his wife and ready to seat myself at the keyboard when I felt the floor roll and shake. Looking towards the window I saw the pulls to the shades swinging to and fro. The disturbance lasted only for about 15 seconds but it was real and not a figment of my imagination because the look of wonder was also in Ginny's eyes. Nothing shook from the shelves and there were no damages visible in the structure of the homes in this area.

The earthquake was assigned a magnitude of 6.2 and its epicenter was offshore from Chiapas state in Mexico. Measuring in miles, the distance from our city to the epicenter was approximately 119.

We fairly often feel tremors here in Guatemala but none since we have visited here over the past six or seven years has been of any consequence with respect to property damage. Often a tremor will awaken me during the night and unless somebody else mentions it the next day, I will not recall the event. However, at the moment, I do awaken and wonder who is in my room shaking my bed. The first experience, much like the onset of one's first gall stone attack, was the most disquieting. Everything after that just adds to the experience. One learns to include experiences such as that. They become the norm.

This morning John and I broke fast at Casa Santo Domingo, the five-star restaurant and hotel at our back portal. We were seated outdoors so dined al fresco. John had an omelet of mushrooms and leeks and I opted for crepes. Of course I had a pot of black tea to wash the cakes down the gullet. Fresh strawberries and plump blackberries were served to me without the necessity of sweeteners. We spent a very leisurely hour plus in the courtyard of that ancient ruin. Then it was time to return to the compound just steps away. Instead of immediately going home, we roamed about the ruins a bit and passed through a part of the former convent where mass was being conducted.

Paul, Ruth, Dick and Ginny are in the city at Union Church today. I had planned to accompany them but found that in addition to the regular services, there was a church meeting scheduled after the service. Since I am not a member, I figured it unnecessary to subject myself to the additional wait before we would be ready to return the 40 kilometers to the compound here in Antigua. So, I am spending the time here in quiet meditation today. Nice for the spirit and mind. 

Casting one's eyes about from no-name

This morning after our hike John and I went to Doña Lusia's for breakfast. I had an unusually tasty and fresh coffee cake with my tea. The cake was nearly a duplicate of one that my sister used to make for us with cinnamon and nuts. Brought a real smile to my eye, heart and spirit. I still prefer my sister's rendition! John had huevos rancheros which he seemed to enjoy. Instead of tortillas, he was served an English muffin. We both departed very satisfied.

We have stayed around the compound all day and I have been helping the neighbor with his Internet connection challenges. We have managed to get him back on-line each time he has reached out for help. I do think that there are problems here though due to the fact that there are four wireless routers installed in the system with each of them assigning IP addresses. Simply put, any computer or other device connected to the Internet is assigned a tracking address or identifying number. That is all well and good when you have one master and not four. The problem is that none of the devices knows which master to serve so there a conflict is created. Paul's good friend Ken and I will work on consolidating the address assignment task to one of the four routers. That should pretty much take care of our problems - I hope! Sounds far more complicated than it really is. Really, if I can figure it out, it is more than simple.

John waddled back to my dwelling place around 3 and we both figured it was time to go out for another bite. This afternoon we opted for a no-name restaurant. Those who refer to it by moniker call it Hector's after the owner and chef. It is ranked by trip advisor as the top restaurant here in town. There are six tables in the entire restaurant plus a bar with high stools. We decided that to avoid disappointment and crowding, we would go early. We were the only diners when we entered and we both ordered starters and mains. I had figured that I would wait until I knew what the fare consisted of before I would decide on something sweet to end the meal. I ordered a green salad with cherry tomatoes and a honey mustard dressing and John ordered roasted tomato slices placed on an oblong platter with alternating slices of Mozzarella cheese. For mains, John ordered Beef Bourguignon and I ordered a beef loin sandwich with french fries with chef-fashioned ketchup (catsup for those of you who want generic).

The first item brought to our table was a large bottle of purified water and two glasses. This was followed by a small plate of both green and ripe olives in seasoned olive oil. Soon our starters were on the table along with a plate of freshly cut warm bread. We sat facing each other next to an open, unscreened window. Bars were over the window but it was easy and interesting to peek outside to see passersby, a young man juggling in the churchyard of La Merced and to hear the bells of the church tower tolling. The window was situated low enough so that even toddlers able to peek at us and onto our table. The bells of La Merced church continued to toll in cadence marking a number. We though little of it until we saw a coffin emerge from the front door of the church which was carried on the shoulders of six gentlemen. The procession continued for about fifty meters until they were in the city street at which time the coffin was transferred to the hearse which was ready at hand. The sound of the tolling bell brought back memories to me of the same sounds that I heard as a child in the early 50s at the Silverhill, Alabama Lutheran church when they too were memorializing the departure of somebody in such a fashion.

So, as we enjoyed our salads, we were also attentive to what was happening just outside the open window. No matter the solemnness of the situation, as do the hands of time, the juggler continued as did the vendors of hand-fashioned wares. And, a wee lad just tall enough for his dark brown eyes to be seen looked longingly at what was before us. It was not long before our food was set before us. Both plates had more than ample portions and neither of us fully finished our meals. The food was good, maybe even better than good. I asked for the bill and for una caja para llevar (doggie bag) to bring home the left-overs. And, we did in fact find a doggie that was more than happy to eat the scraps.

Well sated, I figured it was time to summon the sedan chairs for our passage home. It took me a moment to grasp reality and understand that my legs and feet would be my mode of transport. We thanked for a great meal and walked the three or four blocks back to the compound for the night. No-name restaurant will get our repeat business.

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No light there and prime labels

Imagine a village with the population of 35,000 souls and not a single stoplight. Antigua is such a village and vehicular traffic always has the right-of-way. It matters not that you are a pedestrian nor that you ambulate slowly or not at all. You do not have priority here, regardless. Don't plan on it - the vehicle will not stop for you. There are many one-way streets and crossing avenues or streets often have stop signs. Traffic policemen do direct traffic on special occasions such as fines de semana (weekends) as well as during Semana Santa (Holy Week), Pascuas (Easter) and the weeks leading up thereto. They also do assist greatly in the mighty influx of visitors entering this village from Guatemala City on weekends. Residents get a decal which is displayed on their vehicular windscreens (okay, windshields) which identifies them as residents and therefore eliminates the need to pay a Q10/day (USD1.20) parking permit. Travelers through the city who do not park may pass without the payment of the fee. The city has an ordinance against the use of horns or klaxons so rarely do we hear their sounds. We do hear the wail of the ambulances from time to time and the sirens of the patrol cars, the sounds of which are reminiscent of certain scenes in the movie Anne Frank's Diary. But, other than that, the only disturbing and startling sounds coming to our eardrums would be the roar of the chicken buses, the yaps of curs and the tumult as a result of the thunderous voices of the fireworks.

Prime European, Japanese and North American labels can be spotted being worn by countless residents of this wee village. One would think at times that one were strolling Fifth Avenue. Before we discovered the source of such apparent excess in this Third World country, we were puzzled. Since there are not Salvation Army or other thrift stores or rag shops that we have located here, we could only make assumptions as to the clothing's origin. But, upon further study, we discovered that a phenomenon known as the opening of the paca is done not only in this village but in many areas of Guatemala. The Spanish term paca can be translated to English as "bale" (as in bale of hay or of cotton). It appears that items no longer considered salable in the USA, or, perhaps excess amounts of certain types of superfluous clothing received at donation centers are combined in large bales and shipped by ocean to other places. One of the recipient locales would be Guatemala. Now, mind you, when the opening of the bales takes place here, there is great excitement. This excitement begins when notice of a time and place is given to the locals days before the bale arrives. Let me tell you, things fly high into the air on that day causing virtual windmills to appear above the paca. There is pawing, grabbing, sorting and just about anything else connected with the discovery of coveted items, especially those with a marca (distinguishing mark or brand) to enhance and to augment one's life. What is even better here in Antigua, we have discovered that instead of and in addition to the opening of the paca, there is an entire section of the metropolitan market set aside for clothing from rag shops in the USA. The metropolitan market is spread out over an area perhaps three city blocks square.The clothing section comprises a space that would easily fill to the gills any rag shop you have ever visited. And that would be inclusive of the Salvation Army thrift stores. One can easily depend solely upon this area to dress oneself. Not only do local residents of Antigua shop here. We regularly see ex-pats roam the aisles seeking new rags. And, I have asked Daysi, the maid on the compound who makes her rounds on Thursdays in this part of the market to be on the lookout for a pair of gym shorts for me (with elastic waist, thank-you). It pays to be picky when one has a choice! Of course, I asked for the no-brand variety. Brands for me are "so yesterday".

Fēowertyne niht - fourteen nights

Two weeks under our belts and good reports on both the exercise routines and diet. We both have adhered to reduced intake and have been faithful in taking our morning walks. So much so that we have identified frequent walkers and miss them when they are not on task in the mornings. We also make two or three forays out of the compound daily down to the center of our village. Round trip (de ida y vuelta) can add approximately two or three miles to our trekking. So, on an average day, it is safe to say that we hie from three to five miles. I trust that the one pair of Keen San Antonio sandals that I have here will last for another five fortnights. Of course there are options available to us such as taxi, chicken bus and tuk-tuk. Chicken bus is the least expensive followed by tuk-tuk and then taxi. The going rate for tuk-tuks here is Q10 (USD1.20) for up to three persons anywhere in the central 15-square blocks of the city. If one desires to wander out a bit from the city center, an additional Q5 is added. Most drivers of the tuk-tuks are honest but some are in cahoots with robbers and one can be ripped off. Each tuk-tuk bears a registration number, clearly visible on the front as well as the back of the vehicle. There are lists containing registration numbers of the dishonest or those not to be trusted. So far, we have not used the tuk-tuks to transport our bodies or purchases on journeys about town.

There are vendors in Antigua, many of them using more than acceptable English, attempting to catch the eyes of tourists. Flutes, woven materials, jewelry and other hand fashioned items are offered on the streets and sidewalks as well as in the central plaza from early in the day until late at night. Most vendors have come to recognize us and ignore us as we do them. However, once one eyes an object and shows even the slightest interest, one can expect a gathering of vendors. Many are indigenous and are adorned with the specific clothing which identifies their village of origin and, in some cases, their marital status. Most male indigenous who come to Antigua are indistinguishable from any other male in the city but the females are almost all adorned such that they are set apart. However, indigenous males in areas distant from Antigua have specific styles of dress which are unique to their villages or areas of residence.

The female indigenous often tote large objects such as baskets laden with produce or other items atop their head. They arrange a cloth which is placed first on their pate and then lift the basket which is well balanced before they walk. Men, instead of toting on their heads, manage to lift their burdens onto their shoulders and press forward. John and I saw a man yesterday carrying a wooden wardrobe on his shoulders taller than he by several feet feet. He looked stressed but was able and willing to respond with a smile and a greeting of Good Morning in Spanish.

Delivery of fresh fish and other seafood to the front door of the house is available in Antigua. So, interestingly, is fresh goat milk. Except here it is done somewhat differently. To wit: we have witnessed a youngish lad with stick in hand leading a herd of four or five goats down the streets here. At least one of the nannies has a bell about her neck giving testimony to her whereabouts and to her availability.  We have also seen the lad and herd draw to a stop, the lad knock on a door, a matron appearing at the door and the next thing that happens is the lad milking the goat or goats before our eyes. Yes, that yellowy-white mixture is still warm when it is vended - squirted into the little can and given to the lady. Manual labor, indeed with no fine milking machines present. Fresh, yes. Pasteurized, no! I did not even see the teats being washed before the milking. La leche fresca y natural y sin afectación. For those of you given to organic, you've got it baby.

  

Second Monday in Antigua

We had a wonderful weekend. Normally the weather here is suitable for t-shirts, jeans and flip-flops but the last couple of days there has been an overcast together with a bit of humidity and a slight breeze. That combination with a temperature at its peak of less than 70 degrees has caused even the most thick-blooded of us to don an extra covering on the upper body. But, today the weather has returned to what we can usually expect here in Antigua. Neither John nor I even thought of another covering than t-shirts for our 7 a.m. trek up to the cross.

On our way over the cobble-stone roadways, we saw youngsters scampering along to their schools, others going to their workplaces and lots of folks on their bikes. Yes, the chicken buses were loaded to the gills with passengers who were arriving here from Guatemala City and other stops along the way. There are some stops for the bus that are set but, more frequently would-be riders will simply signal the bus driver to stop. While the bus is still moving, the helper leaps out, the passenger jumps followed by the helper and the bus is on the way again. There are no cords to signal a stop along the way so it is the responsibility of the rider who desires to cease his ride to wiggle up to the front and tell the driver or helper the words in Spanish that would translate to English such as: down, here or stop. Exits can be done via the front door or from the rear door. Of course there is quite a jump for the tenderfoot should one opt for the rear. Most often the buses are full and one really has to seek a place to settle his derriere. In previous posts I have explained that where perhaps three small North American children would be sitting in each of the seats, here one can expect four with the middle two passengers on two seats across from each other sitting only one-half on each of the two seats with portions of their behind hanging over the aisle. Of course the two middle folks create barriers for other passengers and especially for the one collecting the fares. It is tight my friends and there is lots of rubbing. But, the good part of it all is that you usually get to your destination. But, not without hanging on tightly to the stainless steel tubing at the top of the seat ahead. Good that the center of gravity is low because the operators of the buses run as speedily around curves as is absolutely possible. Now, there is no virtue in arriving first at one's destination but there must be some real reason for speeding. I simply have no answer.

We had thought of going out for breakfast this morning but both decided to do a bit of house cleaning in our separate digs and to wash clothing. Adjacent to my dwelling are two driers and one washer sitting in an open-to-the-elements position. While they are covered to eliminate rainfall, one side is open and easily accessible to all tenants. My first load of whites is in the drier and I have colored t-shirts and my bed linens in the second wash. A final wash of darkly colored clothing will be my final input for this week. I will add one note I may have mentioned before about washing clothing. Before water was made available to the homes in this town, washing was often done at the communal pilas or wash areas. Interestingly, the Spanish term pila is applied to the washing area here as well as to batteries. They still do exist in many homes and there are a couple dozen of them in an area not far from where we live where we still see folks wash their clothing, dishes and anything else that may need cleansing. When we have observed them being used in this way, it appears it is also a great social gathering place because mothers, fathers and perhaps grandparents are there together with their children. 

While taking our morning trek, John and I were talking during a small moment of rest on the mountain this morning and I decided that one of the topics we spent a bit of time on would be worthy of sharing with you. Both of us have read The Help and at least I have seen the movie on the Silver Screen. One of the items that was highlighted in that book and movie was the fact that the bathroom facilities for the owners of the plantations were never, never to be used by the help. Well, interestingly, within the compound there are two such privies set up for the hired folks. And, yes, I use one of those - with enjoyment and pleasure! The one I use is perhaps twenty steps removed from my apartment. It has a fine commode, a wash basin with cold water only and a commodious shower stall with what we call here a "widow maker". It is a contraption that has a shower head with electrical wires leading to the heating unit on the very spot where the water falls from the unit. I have never been shocked by the unit but it does take some manipulation in order to get the warm or hot water adjusted. It does work and that is the important thing. Of course I do most of my showering in John's apartment where there is pressurized hot water with two knobs. The widow-maker has only one knob - cold!

The public water piped to most of the dwellings in Antigua is unacceptable for drinking, at least for most North Americans. I do know some who brush their teeth with the water and have not suffered ill. But, most of us from countries outside of Central America do not use the water in that way. We drink purified water which we in the compound get from a process that seems to remove the microbes and has given us no intestinal problems to date. Water is available for purchase also in large five- and ten-gallon plastic bottles.

Our landlord is in the city today. He offered to take us along but we decided that clean clothing was also a necessity so we will postpone a trip to the city. There are a couple of stores similar to Costco and Sam's there which have their roots and headquarters in San Diego, California. The chain of stores is called Pricesmart and there are such stores spread in most of the Central American countries as well as some Caribbean islands. We find nearly anything there that we could ever think of needing. Very near that store is a store called Hiper Paiz. Or, at least it was so named until last year sometime when the moniker displayed on the storefront was changed to the familiar Wal-Mart logo. Yes, even here in Guatemala! For us it is wonderful as it is a full-service store with groceries and just about everything that we in the USA find in our Wal-Mart stores. 

On this coming Wednesday we have been invited to join the daughter of Paul and Ruth and another friend of theirs from New Zealand to help Ruth celebrate her 80th birthday. We are going to a country club not far from Antigua for our midday meal. We will spend time also looking about the property. I may be convinced to take out my camera to record some of the events. If I do that, I will share with you. Their friend from New Zealand is over here on semester break and will soon be heading back to begin another year of classroom education in Auckland.

I have mentioned the cobblestone streets here in town and I must say that somewhere in town there is repair and reconstruction on one or more stretches of street at any one time. And rightly so because they are rough and provide a very bumpy ride despite the sort of vehicle one opts for passage. Just a couple of days ago John and I were walking on a sidewalk while a vehicle passed by us. The wheel caught a boulder the size of a large grapefruit and spat it just ahead of where we were walking. Fortunate for us its target was the sidewalk and not our limbs. Speed bumps have been installed in several critical places and locations since we were last here. Good for all of us since it does a wonderful job of slowing at least the chauffeurs of the sedans as well as the chicken buses. There is only one speed for the bus drivers and it is floored. They go careening about corners in such a manner that I am puzzled and amazed that the large loads atop the bus simply do not shoot out in orbit. I suspect they are secured since I never see anything hurl.

The day after Inauguration Day here was another day of celebration. I did not catch which one but it really does not matter since fireworks are common place here. It is the rare day or night when one does not hear the boom and crackle of the fireworks. At around 5:45 a.m. I was awakened not by the loud blast of the fireworks but by the sound of my door bursting open. Needless to say, I was startled. I sat up in bed and saw two hairy creatures trying to enter the room. The duet of resident curs in the compound, Chico and Sandy were beside themselves with the continual booming of the fireworks and, as usually is the case, they sought  shelter in the ground floor of where the English patient resides. I was puzzled because when I tried to shoo them away, they returned and scratched on the door. Even with pressure on my door, Sandy poked her osico (snout) into my dwelling such that I was unable to close the door. I have marks on my door as well as on my ankle to prove my point should anybody ask about how earnest the puppies were! I went out into the yard and found that the shop door had blown shut and they had no other refuge. I found the key and made sure they saw that their shelter was available. The shop is large and provides entrance to yet another storage area and the curs retreat to the farthest reach of the area when there is thunder, gunshots or fireworks.

The omnipresent odor of burning of refuse is less apparent to us now than what it was when we first came to Guatemala. However, this is Antigua and this city is different from any other area of the country. There are still some open fires within as well as outside of the city and it is easy to locate the plumes of smoke when we go hiking in the mornings. But, I feel there is far less burning here now than in the past. In other parts of the country burning goes on freely and unabated. When I return to the USA after a stint here in Central America, I stow my luggage in my storeroom. When I go to retrieve it the next year, I can still detect the distinct odor or smoke from the fires. There are roosters here in town the crowing of which we do hear from time to time and dogs roam about freely without fear of the clutches of the pet-collector. Sadly, the streets and sidewalks here are reminiscent of those we observe in Paris - littered with the digested excrement of the pets and strays which roam about. Sad, but true. It behooves one to be watchful.

There are no fewer than 70 Spanish language schools here in town. I do not expect that all of them are full but there is no lack of educational opportunities for those seeking such. So far John has decided to limit his studies to the textbook he purchased a couple weeks ago. And, I have been faithful with Rosetta Stone. For those of you struggling with languages other than English, I would strongly recommend a look at that method. If I were to do it all over again, I would pursue that way without a doubt. It is easy and does not use translation. You think and work in the new idiom instead of going back and forth between English and your new language. A great idea that would have worked well for me had it been available and had I known.

Speaking of noises, we have a duet of pip-squeak, shivering puppies resident just next door. They seem to have found comfort in finding in their vocabulary a high-pitched yap for the majority of the day. It is not nice and I must either find a way to make peace or to work on a scheme to promote their early demise. Seriously, I have my Bose noise-cancelling headphones and a very full iPod which works wonders. Also, I do have several sets of earplugs to ward off the unwanted and noisome sounds. Weekends are especially difficult for those who suffer from wakefulness due to outside interference. The hotel Casa Santo Domingo and we share a common wall and their hospitality hall happens to be on the obverse side of the wall. Well, one can only imagine what one hears. Lots of thumping from all of those pechangas!!! Being sordo (deaf) has its benefits,  does help and I would highly recommend that malady to anybody who comes here to stay for a spell or for just a visit. Earplugs shield one and are highly recommended for those who have acute hearing. If that is not bad enough, when the party is all over at between 4 and 5 a.m., all of the leased party items are loaded loudly into the backs of vans and trucks situated just outside our back portal. So, one can finally expect peace at half past six in the morning.

Well, it is about noon here so I think that I will wrap this portion up for now. Time for lunch at the table of Ruth. We are having a green salad with chicken today.

Inauguration Day in Guatemala

This country's president will be inaugurated today and already helicopters are circling El Tenedor, the restaurant connected with Casa Santo Domingo but located in a remote hillside nearby the city of Antigua. I suspect that somebody of importance is breaking bread up thataway this morning. Contrasting that, John and I decided after our walk to continue an additional four blocks to the Sky Cafe near the San Francisco church and ruins. We entered the empty restaurant and found one wait person. I asked if the rooftop was open and we were given the affirmative so climbed the circular stairway and overlooked the city of Antigua. John ordered a cheddar/ham omelet and requested salsa ranchera on the side. Buttermilk is unavailable in this town so the pancakes which I ordered were some sort of sweet milk thick pads. My first bite was surprising but I began to take a liking to the quarter-inch thick pads lying on the plate before me. I had a pat of butter from New Zealand and a packet of syrup with a picture of a maple leaf on its top. It was not maple syrup by any stretch but filled the void and made the combination of pancake, butter and syrup more than acceptable. I had a side of fresh fruit (watermelon and cantaloupe). Finish that up with a cup of crimson hibiscus (jamaica) herbal tea and you know what I stowed away in my gut this morning. John would be able to give good reports on his omelet, potatoes and toast with the salsa ranchera. Oh, and add a cup of Guatemalan coffee...make that two.

We are now back at the compound where Rumaldo has been trimming the ivies and vines on the side of the large apartment which was fashioned from the ruins of the Santo Domingo convent. Paul and Ruth purchased this property (a part of the ruins) before the central government of Guatemala had protections in place against the sale or purchase of the antiquities. Such a sale could never happen these days. As I have mentioned in other blogs regarding the ruin, the outer walls are about one meter in width. That provides great protection from either the warmth in midday or the coolness at night. As I have also mentioned before, the English patient (Jane) resides and rules from a throne in that apartment. She is a British ex-pat who is now a resident of Guatemala and enjoys her station here. She volunteers at various venues and seems to be connected with some of the folks who prefer to tilt their heads such that their noses point towards the sun. She has 24/7 help in her apartment lest she stumble or fall. I have received reports that not all help is happy to be working for her. Putting it bluntly, she is a difficult employer. Of course, for the money she might have expended in her adopted city of Dallas, she would now be penniless. Here it is a different story as her resources stretch like the widow's mite. Widow she is not. She has been married at least once and has a family and an ex in the USA. When they have visited, they feel that she is getting good bang for her bucks...oh, make that her Quetzales! Her ex, though unfaithful in their marriage and now married to a far younger lass, has been more than generous in matters financial for Jane. 

The reason Jane is down here is that she heard of a marvelous cure for MS. There is a man in Guatemala City who was hired by one of the dog food companies like Purina to experiment with a formula for animals. In so doing, he claims that he discovered a magic elixir that would cure MS. Of course gullible folks like Jane jump to anything that might seem promising so she entered this man's experimental program. After a lengthy course, she discontinued treatments from that charlaton and sought stem-cell therapy in the country of Panama. She and her acrophobic maid flew from Guatemala to Panama for that treatment. Imagine the terror of the maid on her initiating voyage in the silver bird. She is neither doing any better nor any worse than she was when she first came down here some three or four years ago. She is a pill and I opt not to associate closely with her.

John plans to bake cinnamon swirl bread today. He has all the ingredients and now it is just to combine and do the time with the dough. I will waddle up to his apartment when the smell of the bread comes from the oven. Nothing better than freshly baked bread with butter. Does that sound like the story of the Little Red Hen who had no friends until the finished product. Of course she did not share:

["Very well," said the little red hen. "I shall make the bread myself." She went into her neat little kitchen. She mixed the flour into dough. She kneaded the dough and put it into the oven to bake.

Soon there was a lovely smell of hot fresh bread. It filled all the corners of the house and wafted out into the garden. The pig came into the kitchen from his muddy patch in the garden, the duck came in from the pond and the cat left his place in the sun. When the little red hen opened the oven door the dough had risen up and had turned into the nicest, most delicious looking loaf of bread any of them had seen.

"Who is going to eat this bread?" asked the little red hen.

"I will," grunted the pig.

"I will," quacked the duck.

"I will," purred the cat.

"Oh no, you won't," said the little red hen. "I planted the seed, I cut the corn, I took it to the mill to be made into flour, and I made the bread, all by myself. I shall now eat the loaf all by myself."

The pig, the duck and the cat all stood and watched as the little red hen ate the loaf all by herself. It was delicious and she enjoyed it, right to the very last crumb.]

Two days ago we met one of our friends from Guatemala City and one of her friends here in Antigua for lunch. They are two ex-pats who now live in Guatemala. One is fifty-seven years of age and the other has been on Earth for eighty-two years. Both are vibrant and in complete control of their senses and neither falters at speedy ambulation. The younger lives with her husband on the top floor of an apartment building (they have the entire top floor) and they have a weekend home here in Antigua. Sadly, the alcoholic and drug-riddled son of the husband lives in the weekend home with his dogs. It is a gorgeous Spanish-style home with all of the modern conveniences. It is ample in every aspect and would make any Texan drool and drivel. Sadly, it seems the lad has no direction other than to sit and ponder while he intoxicates himself with the deadly brews and powders.

The elder lady, Audrey, caters to this day and has done so for years here in Central America. She is the author of a cookbook and enjoys all aspects of preparation of comestibles and the serving of such. Just this past week she catered a sit-down dinner of 15. A truly amazing individual. I can only hope that things work as well for me should I live to be 82 as I observed them function for her.

The younger lady, Juliana, was our acquaintance from a year or two ago. An interesting lady in her own respect, she has an equally interesting husband Gerry. He worked for years for the employer General Mills from Minneapolis. He was involved in global operations through the years and, as I recall, was a sort of trouble shooter when products and product lines were introduced to foreign lands. Among his responsibilities were those of Central and South America. Long story but the short of it was that he bought out a portion of the interests of his employer in Central America. He did amazingly well and they live well and enjoy all of the better things. We are possibly going to accompany Juliana on one or more trips during our stay here. We are interested in returning to El Salvador and going for our first time to Belize. She is also interested in joining us during a portion of the time we may be out at Lake Atitlán in February.

We have now climbed the Cerro de la Cruz (Mount Cross) for over one week and it seems to be getting a bit easier. Not each day but overall. We still work up a healthy sweat (or glow for you who are proper). And, we have both been very careful to not consume between meals. There have been minor exceptions but nothing habitual.

I mentioned earlier that John had purchased a textbook of Spanish that was used at the school he last attended here. He has begun individual studies in that text and I have done so with Rosetta Stone. I keep plugging along and I really do enjoy the course as it helps me fill in the gaps that I have missed along the way in my pursuit of the beautiful Spanish language. But, between the two of us, we do manage to communicate our every needs and even more. We have not been caught in any jam for years. But, there is always something to learn because neither of us is at all fluent. Just say that we do get along and are unafraid to try.

There is a large black walnut tree just above the roof of where I am staying. Being deciduous, it lost its leaves about three months ago and dropped almost three barrels of delicious black walnuts. As we have observed in years past, the leaves just now are beginning to sprout out on the limbs. The tree provides an absolutely wonderful umbrella for my dwelling and every day I do see changes in its beauty.

Cracking of the black walnuts is the job of Rumaldo. It is his chore when the days are rainy or the weather inclement. He has been instructed to not work in the rain so he sits in the shop and cracks each walnut individually in Paul's wonderful nut cracker. Still the meat is difficult to extract in the black walnut and it is a true labor of love (though Rumaldo receives a generous salary for his five and one-half days of toil on the compound). Never mind that he does take naps from time to time when out of ear- and eye-shot. One cannot beat a good horse to death!

Daysi, the maid in the compound who has enjoyed over a half century of cumpleaños (birthdays), has been struggling with the additional challenges of a kitchen remodel at her own home. Suffice it to say that it is not being done quickly and there have been unexpected delays as well as set-backs because of past mistakes, lack of funds and poor judgment in the initial construction of her home. Forget about either standardization or code! But, other than a day here or there, she is a regular on the compound. Unlike Rumaldo, she works only four days weekly. She is originally from Nicaragua and her divorced husband still resides there as do some of her family. She lives here with an amante (lover) who is far her junior. All that having been said, she is a faithful and dependable employee though she is not always too careful whilst dusting and fails to get the dirt in the corners. To overcome this minor fault, Ruth has employed the good sight and ingenuity of Paul to restore and reconstruct cups, vases, small statues, etc. in the home that have been whisked off the tables or shelves. Sad but true. One does what one has to do. We persevere. 

Perhaps later I shall have a good report on the bread and the balance of the day. Until that time, rest your eyes!

Wednesday, one week behind us!

One week ago today we were preparing for our trek in Arizona. In fact, by this time we were already at the airport awaiting word on our delayed flight. Now we are back in our routine here in Antigua.

Today we began our day early with an hour's hike up the Hill of the Cross. Then we walked to the Central Park and entered the Condessa Restaurant on its western perimeter for breakfast. I had the Spanish omelet and John enjoyed huevos rancheros. He ended up with a cinnamon roll which he said got moderate marks for taste, texture and freshness. They would not fall into the category of "world famous" by any stretch.

Now we are both back at our separate digs and will catch up on items at home. Our landlords are gone for the day and this is also Daysi's (the maid) day off so it is quiet here.Ruth has an eye appointment and later she and Paul have been invited for lunch at the home of a son and daughter-in-law of a former president of Guatemala in the capital city. I have not even heard the rumblings of the yard equipment or the sound of water from the hoses so I expect Rumaldo (the yard man) is taking it easy when the two sets of eyes and ears are 30 kilometers distant. He naps on occasion on the concrete stoop behind one of the apartments.

As we walked down to and across the Central Park, we noticed that a certain bench in Parque Central has become a gathering point for gringos. At least one fine sot who was pontificating on the bench we know about and have seen on several of the years past. He is a representative of the American Legion here and carries a ponderous load in the region of his body where he digests comestibles. He is known by almost all long-time ex-pats here. He even drives or rides in a vehicle which sports the name "American Legion" on the sideboards. Nice to be important...indeed it is!

We have been enjoying an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits such as papaya, pineapple, apples, grapes, tangerines and bananas. Market days here are on Thursday and on Monday. Ruth and Daysi go on Thursday as Monday's wares are generally picked over on the weekends with much fresher produce being available on Thursday. They chug to market in one of the two undependable and malfunctioning tanks (SUVs) from the compound with three or four baskets the size of the old washtubs we used years ago in the USA for washing clothing. Always they are overflowing upon their return to the property. Then the washing, cleansing and disinfecting takes place. This process takes the better portion of a day before the produce is good to go. At that time, some of it is squeezed for fresh fruit and vegetable juices, some is cut up to eat fresh and other is retained for use throughout the week for eating fresh or to be used in cooking.

Paul and Ruth normally consume two meals daily but when we join them for evening times during which we generally play table games, they snack on a mix of salty and sweet items such as pretzels and fresh fruit. Since arriving here John and I have settled into a two-meal-a-day routine as well. We do our morning exercise and hiking followed by a light breakfast. Then, around 4 in the afternoon we go out for our second meal. Neither of us has felt hungry in the slightest nor has either of us had any digestion problems which required Cipro. I say that and I should have added....yet. For that we are thankful.

Our observations this year are that there seem to be far fewer visitors in this city now than in years past. When we visit restaurants, there seem to be far fewer folks than what we remembered. It seems that the economy downturn has taken its toll even here as funds have become more scarce for just about everybody.

Our skies have been virtually cloud-free the majority of days since arrival. However, as is the case in third-world countries, there is much burning and the air is laden with the odors and contamination of a multitude of unnamed and unidentified sources. So, as we look over the city from the perch high atop Cerro de la Cruz, we see a haze that sometimes gives in Impressionist look to the village lying at the base of Agua Volcano directly to the south. Added to this would be the exhaust emanating from the diesel engines of scores of refurbished USA school buses which provide the bulk of transport for the citizens (and some visitors) of this country. They are fired up and revved to their fullest extent throughout the day beginning as early as 5 or 6 in the mornings. This mode of transport is available throughout the country and continues until 9 or 10 at night. I did mention burning and that goes on all day, every day. Burning refuse and wood to heat the homes, burning trash and useless articles that could not be restored or converted to something else of use.

Contact information in Guatemala

Thought I would provide information on our telephone contacts. From the USA, we can be reached by simply dialing a number in the USA: 928 458 5798. The land line number in John's apartment can be dialed from the USA by dialing 011 502 7832 3499. From the USA you can reach my mobile by dialing 011 502 5824 3162. If dialing within the country of Guatemala, simply dial the last eight digits of the land line and the mobile number.

Our physical residence is Callejón del Rubio #7, La Antigua, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala

Monday

We have done our daily morning walk. Passing us on our way to the mount we saw students going to their schools to begin their days of study. There are locals as well as sojourners in this small city. Many folks come to Antigua to brush up or to learn the Spanish language as spoken in Latin America. Chicken buses passed us by loaded with passengers arriving from points outside of Antigua.

Now we have just returned from the restaurant Doňa Luisa where we had a breakfast special of orange cake with coffee/tea. The charge was USD1.20 which included refills. John told me he enjoyed the taste of the coffee he had at that restaurant so we stopped at the little bakery connected with and located adjacent to Doňa Luisa to purchase half a kilo of coffee from Antigua. Then we walked to the Plaza Mayor where John found a text book for first year Spanish. But before we entered the book shop, we bumped into an old friend and acquaintance from here. Her name is Joy and she finds this area affordable compared to her place of birth: the USA. She has stayed far past her visa and until she tries to exit the country, she will be okay. At that time, if and when it should occur, she will be fined a certain amount per month which will be levied against her. Knowing Joy, we expect she will live out her life here. She has established a fair network of friends and volunteers in an English library here so meets many new folks. On to a pharmacy where John asked for a pill splitter. He was told that they did not carry any but told us where we could purchase one. Only half a block away and we found both the splitter as well as a pill organizer both of which John had neglected to take along from Arizona.

The sun is beaming brightly, the birds are chirping and life is extremely good here. What more can one ask?

We walked back to the compound and decided to wander out and about this afternoon at 4. We have found that when we eat a light breakfast followed by another meal mid-afternoon, we both feel better.

Sunday in Antigua - el fin de semana (weekend)

First Sunday of this stay in Antigua. This wee colonial town is the weekend getaway for dwellers of the city so on Friday evening of every week there begins the mass exodus out of the capital city and the influx here. Riders on motorcycles join those arriving by cars and pickups. Also, the chicken buses are full of those who have found no other transport here.

We try to avoid eating out on Sundays as we have to compete with multitudes for favorite spots in restaurants. But, this morning we walked out the back door of the compound and immediately into the back entrance of Casa Santo Domingo where we enjoyed breakfast. I had panqueques delgados con te verde (skinny pancakes and green tea). The four rolled pancakes were served with butter and maple syrup and arrived with a side of fresh strawberries and blackberries. The price on the menu indicated that I needed to shell out seventeen Quetzales for that. Converting that amount to USDs, I paid $2.16.

I will soon be listening to the sermon from the First Nazarene Church of Prescott on-line. My Spanish is insufficient to sit through a two-hour Spanish service so I opt for services on-line. There are a handful of services which offer translation (either simultaneously through ear pieces or translation after the English) but I will visit those later in my stay.

The morning temperature when I awakened was 61 degrees with full sunshine. The birds are singing abundantly and the flowering trees and plants are in full swing. The poinsettias are absolutely gorgeous in shades of reds, creams and whites.

For lunch we have been invited to join Paul and Ruth here at the compound. Later in the afternoon I may take a swing on our hiking route up to Cerro de la Cruz (Hill of the Cross). We do this routine daily except for Sundays but it is a beautiful day and I may end up doing  that today. I may also take my camera along to shoot a few images of the town below with the volcano behind.

Another gorgeous day in Antigua

Early this morning John and I decided to climb the Cerro de la Cruz. It is about a forty-five minute hike from where we are living. We hike on city streets for about one-half of the distance and on a winding and elevating trail for the balance. When we reach the summit we can see the volcanoes surrounding the city as well as a cross that is placed overlooking the city on the mount.

We returned and I have been working on malfunctioning Internet connections in two of the apartments here in the compound. I installed a new wireless router which seems to be working just fine. Then John and I walked to Dona Louisa where we had coffee/tea and breakfast. It was crowded as is normal here in Antigua on the weekends but we did find a table. After breakfast, we walked to an organic store that has opened since we were last here. Great find! Then we wandered on to another store that stocks some North American items that we cannot find in other places.

As we returned back to the compound, we noticed that Paul was opening the gates of the yard. He had offered to take the new tenants from their other dwelling to the new one. I had offered to go along and help load and unload their things. We have now done that and they are settled into their place. 

Who knows what the afternoon will bring?

Second night in Antigua

We made our first foray out of the compound yesterday. John needed some groceries. We headed for Doña Luisa for some coffee/tea together with some blackberry pie. How is that for attempting to begin a diet? Having satisfied our desires for intake, we headed down to where we thought the small grocery tienda called Delicioso used to be. But, upon seeking and finally asking, we found that it had ceased to operate. John used to get hard to find articles there so he will feel the lack I am sure. We carried on and headed for the central plaza and on to the Bodegona where John found the majority of items he desired. Then back to the compound to finish unpacking and arranging our separate dwelling places.

I am using the Internet connection of the apartment next door. This apartment will be occupied today so I will have to cease slipping over here to access the WORLD! As I mentioned earlier, Paul's friend Ken will be coming with a router on this coming Tuesday and we should be back in business then.

This morning John and I plan to walk to a small mount on which there is a great view of the city. There is also a cross erected on the overlook. It will consume some calories and about one hour of our busy schedule. Seriously, it is laid back here and our schedule shows many empty slots. I hope to fill some of them with study of Spanish. I have all five modules of Latin American Spanish by Rosetta Stone on my laptop and I have a great headphone with microphone which checks and compares my attempted pronunciation against the professionals and native speakers. I have my level set to the highest degree of accuracy and I manage to pass on most words. I do have a few with which I struggle. Of course, I will never fool those for which Spanish is their first language. But, I try. There is always something more to learn. The problem at my age is that when something new is implanted in my brain, it does not prosper as it did when I was a teen.

I shall report later on what will be filling our day.