I'll show you ours if you show me yours

A misleading caption, indeed. What I am referring to is the McDonald's here in Antigua. So, my aim is to take you with John and me as we meander the streets and I will give you a visual shot from time to time.

Starting out in one of the patios of our compound, I shot this looking up at the sky whilst catching a sprig of poinsettia for your enjoyment. It is in the oldest portion of the compound where new walls were blended with the ancient, ruined walls of a monastery that was cruelly laid waste during a horrific earthquake centuries ago. The monastery was in full swing already for several generations before the founding of the original colonies of the United States of America. Our landlords acquired the property prior to the time when the government of Guatemala began to prohibit the vesting of antiquities in the names of individuals. The walls in this particular area are approximately thirty-nine inches in width and provide for a wonderful buffer from the cool temperatures of the late night and early mornings here in Antigua. They also deter the warm rays of the sun which seems to shine more brightly here in the tropics.

Leaving the confines and serenity of the compound, we exit the rear door and cross a wee alley into the rear entrance to the Casa Santo Domingo proper. From this perspective I pointed my camera towards the Volcano Acatenango which is clearly visible for you through the branches of these trees. This is one of three volcanoes visible most days when the clouds do not obscure their masses from the heart of Antigua. Acatenango is situated adjacent to Volcano Fuego which is still active and spouts out fire, ash and lava daily. When the winds provide for the movement towards the city, a fine gray grime can be found on any surface in its path. It is a very abrasive matter and, if one were foolish enough to turn the windshield wipers on without the benefit of a liquid, there would be some very fine scratches etched forever in the windscreen. So, it is a word to the wise. Acatenango is a stratovolcano very close to Antigua. The volcano has two peaks which you can see, Pico Mayor and Yepocapa. Its summit elevation is 3976 meters and its GPS coordinates are 14.50 N, 90.87 W.

During the 20th century, phreatic explosions ejected bombs which fell near the summit craters and ash fell up to 25 km away. The last notable eruption occurred in 1972.

Diverting your eyes downward now and just under the trees  in the above image are several perches for the dozen or so macaws which proudly reside and squawk throughout the daylight hours. At night they are removed from these perches and taken to an undisclosed location to preen and prepare for their night's rest and respite. I wonder if they are hidden securely under the protective shroud supplied by the hotel. I suspect your guess is as good as mine because I neither see them nor do I hear them bellow out their sounds of welcome or warning during the nighttime hours.

An outdoor restaurant can be found on the extensive network of patios, porticoes and passageways of Casa Santo Domingo. At least two large fountains are flowing and providing a very restful "white noise" for those taking refreshments and light snacks. The inside restaurant is semi-open to the elements as well. Small, portable chimneys in which fires have been started tend to warm early morning diners as waiters scurry about tending to their needs.

As we exit the main entrance to the hotel, we turn right on the one-way, main street one uses when entering the town of Antigua. This street offers priority for motorists and they are not required to stop for either vehicles from perpendicular cross-streets or for any pedestrians, regardless of ability or inability. Most properties that we will be passing are enclosed with walls that extend towards the heavens and create a safe and solid barrier for would-be eager eyes or interlopers. On the rare occasion, one can catch doors to the properties open or slightly ajar and only then can one appreciate the absolute beauty behind the walls. Most vehicles owned by residents are stored securely behind these walls during the dark hours of the day.

One can only guess at the activities that transpire behind these monster walls. One point worthy of notice is the wearing away of the paint and plaster adjacent to the sidewalk passageways. These are chiseled and eroded by the constant pedestrian traffic passing by the property. As you can easily see, stout North Americans would rub either the wall or the passerby meeting him. There is no adherence to the northern European concept of not touching another person in this culture. One is fortunate indeed to not have a shoulder carved off by the metal grill-work covering windows, a smattering of paint or plaster from the wall, or, at best a black and blue reminder of somebody who had poor depth perception and came hammering into your poorly toned body. Ugh!

We ambled down on this one-way passage way into our adopted town for about 900 paces until we arrived at the Spanish Embassy. Yes, there is an embassy here in Antigua. Normally, embassies are located in the administrative capital of a country but this is an exception. And, within the past four years, John was present when the king and queen of Spain came for a visit here.

I have mentioned before that residents and visitors here are careful to select the side of the street where the sunshine does not shine directly on the sidewalk. And, those who are using the sidewalks walk more rapidly than either John or me. In most Latin American cities, we normally ambulate far more speedily than the residents. Here it is an exception. Perhaps it is that I am really getting old but it tends to encourage me to hie it a bit. 

At the corner of the embassy, we took a turn left for one block and walked to the next street where we turned right. After we had walked a total of 1,140 paces, we arrived at the entrance to Antigua's McDonald's restaurant and cafe.

Now I know that many (perhaps most) of you would snarl and be very disapproving of our choice but, as I captioned this post..."I'll show you ours if you show us yours"....you will have to admit that this is a worthy stop. If for no other reason than to view the beautiful scenery behind Ronald McDonald who you can see sitting by the fountain. And, Volcano Agua can easily be spied in the far background. To the left in this image you can also view what remains of another of the dozens of churches devastated by the earthquakes which took their terrible tolls on this area centuries ago. Nowadays there are temblores or tremors that are felt from time to time here and we can almost always see the belching Volcano Fuergo or Fire) from the city center. I suspect it is like the false sense that Californians have about the possibility of a devastating earthquake there. Here, despite the fact that history has proven that they are a fact with which to be reckoned, there seems to be no concern. So, tell me, would you not have joined us for our treats this morning at McDonald's? The cost per person was Q15 or USD1.80 for coffee or tea and an apple pie.

From there we waddled approximately 150 paces to the Bodegona, our version of what you might say is a super market. John needed some kitchen and bathroom supplies and we found those without problems. On our way out, I checked about recharging our pay-as-you-go mobile phones and we bought a dozen long-stem roses (whose buds had not blown, thank-you) for Q25 or USD3.00. They are here for our visual as well as our olfactory enjoyment.

So, we have taken you to the Bodegona and I have given you good directions so now all you will have to do is retrace your steps and knock on the door to the compound and we will be awaiting your return. John baked a large batch of Swedish rye bread yesterday and it will be waiting for you. There is some salted butter from New Zealand together with Skippy extra-crunchy peanut butter and both apricot and blackberry jam. We will brew some coffee for you or give you an option of some tea if you prefer. After 2,580 paces, one should have worked up quite an appetite. Speaking of paces, I am a counter. I count steps going both up and down. One of these times, I am going to find a discrepancy, I am certain...more down than up or something like that. I cannot tell you why I count, I just do. And, at times I count the same set of stairs, hoping that the number may have changed. An odd quirk, wouldn't you agree?

We are making arrangements for our upcoming trip on Saturday to Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. But, first we have been invited to join our landlords at a musical special in Guate on Friday night.