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.
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.
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