Yo no necesito un reloj despertador, porque tengo las aves que son regulares y de confianza

I have no clock in my dwelling but I do have a calendar which I mark off regularly. The ticking of the clock and the passing of hours is something that I dismissed after the last boarding of aircraft on the way south from the USA. But, a natural option is to be awakened by the chirping of the birds which in most cases are more regular and dependable then time pieces and chronometers. If for some reason I miss them, I will hear the sweeping of the sidewalks that twist between and among the several dwellings in the compound. Should I fail to notice these signs, then the roar of the motos which will be parked in the callejón or alley just behind the complex. There are a couple of shifts and we can hear the roar as the engines are started and the acceleration as the operator makes his or her way onto the city streets. This is the mode of transport for the majority of the workers in the Casa Santo Domingo and it surely is a more favorable and speedy way to move about the city than by foot, tuk-tuk or taxi.

John and I decided to go out after we had arisen this morning for breakfast. We had visited a hippie place called the Bagel Barn other times that we have been here so wanted to check it out once again this morning. It is equipped with wifi for those who are unfortunate enough to have found residence at a non-broadcasting dig. Since we have wired high-speed here at our houses, we do not carry our laptops or smart phones about with us. Getting back to the fare and those participating in breakfast this morning at the Barn, we walked into a very crowded establishment and broke bread with a variety of humanity.

The types of bagels are listed on the board pictured to the left. One can get a variety of toppings, including butter. I ordered the cinnamon-raisin but found that they had sold out so I settled for a cup of black tea. John had a poppy seed garlic one with his American-style coffee.

Looking about the eating establishment, we saw folks clad in light-weight trousers, shorts, t-shirts and most had flip-flops on their feet. I had Levis, t-shirt and flip-flops. Some of those inside the shop had dreadlocks and most, regardless of attire seemed to have not seen a shower for a while. There were some that had been subjected to the tattoo artist's gun and dye while other old farts like ourselves were far more conservative and lack-luster. Every arc and hue of the rainbow surely was represented there this morning. I heard Spanish and English and perhaps a faint whisper of French this today. John reported that the bagel was worthy. We will return.

Antigua attracts many and varied types of people. That having been said, there are far fewer tourists, Spanish seekers and other casual visitors here than we have noticed in our other visits to this beautiful former colonial capital city. Instead of constantly attempting to dodge others using the very narrow sidewalks, we have had to share and dodge far less frequently this time than on any other visits here. Good for us but horrible for business owners and operators. The shop keepers seem to blame the economy stating that this past September was the most difficult and devastating sailing that they have ever experienced. Despite this, most have faith that things are leveling out and that from here there will be an increase in tourism, upon which this area is almost exclusively dependent. Incredibly, there are new restaurants opening. Strange to us because those which have been here for years are unable to attract more than a handful of diners nightly and afternoons find them nearly empty. Weekends are perhaps their salvation as residents of Guatemala City motor down to get away from the hassle and din of the city. But, back to my vittles this morning. I ate nothing at the Bagel Barn so felt it necessary and I was compelled to stop at another of our favorites which is situated very near where we first stopped, the Viejo Café. We managed to find a cup of coffee and one of tea for me and a wonderfully made chocolate croissant. Yes, it was also freshly baked this morning. Alas, the cinnamon rolls which I usually order were sold out. Another matron customer was bemoaning the fact that they were gone. So you see, it is not just I who finds them attractive and delectable. After having removed the feeling of need from my already over-sized stomach, we exited and went up the street about fifty feet where we visited with friends and former teachers at the CSA (Christian Spanish Academy). John will soon be ready for scheduled Spanish school and I am trying to convince him to select the best (in my opinion) school in the entire city. He would like to take afternoon classes which  would be no more than two hours in duration. Most schools have requirements for four hours minimum but, due to the poor response from tourists and prospective students as of late, they have altered their requirements to accommodate any seeker of knowledge and fluency through their systems.

After having visited a bit at the school, we wandered in an easterly direction too near our favorite bakery, the Epicure. I told John that he could go on ahead and I would catch up with him. But, only after I had cased the bread and sweets display cases. Yes, I found exactly what I wanted: an apple tart (big enough for two to share), an almond croissant (still warm) and two cinnamon buns. All four items are wrapped carefully in Saran wrap and stored for future use in the freezer compartment of John's refrigerator. He has adhered strictly to his diet and continues to lose weight. I too am losing weight because we do not eat between meals and have employed walking as our exercise of choice here. Though we have no pedometers, it would be safe to say that we tack onto the soles of our flip-flops no less than five miles daily.

We are back at the compound at the moment. Sandie has deposited two balls at John's doorstep but has disappeared so, who knows where she is hiding? We will walk down to the Parque Central within the next two hours again and perhaps take a stroll about before we return to our digs.

We are reserving time at the end of February and into the month of March for friends who may or may not be visiting here as our guests. Because of that, we are thinking of doing some travel within Central America before they arrive. John today asked me how long I would need to be ready for a trip. I told him one day would be sufficient. So, we may be planning our get-away sometime soon. We are thinking of travel throughout the countries to our south which may extend to Panamá. Neither of us has ever been to the Canal Zone and we are thinking that this would be a good time to check that off our list of things to experience and see. Our tentative plans are to take the Pullman bus on our outbound legs, stopping long enough to clean up and become acquainted with cities along the way. Then, continue on to our next city until we have reached our ultimate destination. Sadly, we left all of our tour guides for Central America at home where they can do us no good. Fortunately we do have Internet and can do a good portion of our pre-planning in that manner. And, we can acquire books in English here as well. Before purchase though, I will look at two libraries here to determine whether or not there are reference books available to us for that purpose.

John and I have also thought of travel to and in Cuba but, as of today, citizens without family attachments or without press credentials or other papers cannot legally go to that island. Or, at least the portion not leased by the USA. But, it is still an option and I understand that they somehow manipulate their country stamp so that it will not appear in our passports. I believe this happens also when one wants to visit countries not friendly to Israel. The offending stamp does not appear in one's passport so that he or she may easily enter Israel.

Have a great rest of the day.

El fin de semana y el comienzo de una semana nueva

Sunday was a great day which began with breakfast in the Philippi kitchen and dining area. John and I plus the Karlson trio were invited to join Paul and Ruth with the breaking of our collective fasts and, consequently, the breaking of bread. We were fed a blackberry juice made in the kitchen from fresh blackberries, coffee, tea, toast, scrambled eggs, fried plantines, papaya, guava jam, butter and some delicious homemade caramel rolls.

We then loaded into one of the Philippi SUVs and, joined by two additional friends of the family, headed for Guatemala City in the area of Plazuela España. It is a small park which is just a stone's throw from the Union Church were we all attended Sunday School as well as morning worship. In the first session, we joined a group of approximately fifty individuals and were led in a very interesting discussion. Afterward, we joined the balance of the flock in the main sanctuary where the morning service was about to begin. Since the Philippis usually sit in the front portion of the church and since I opted to be seated with them, I was unaware of the numbers behind me. Perhaps there were a couple hundred fellow worshipers.

Paul and Ruth have been residents and missionaries here in Guatemala for 53 years. Pictured below are a couple of snaps of them after Sunday services. On the second picture you can see a friend of theirs,  Lida, originally from Guatemala but now a resident of New Zealand where she is an educator.

After services, we departed for Antigua on a divided highway which curves upward to about the middle point  between Guatemala City and Antigua and then descends on a diabolically curvy ribbon of a highway leading into the colonial city we shall call home for six fortnights.

Paul had invited us to join him and some of their family members and other close friends to a commemorative dinner in Ruth's honor as the following day would be her seventy-eighth birthday. We celebrated around a large table reserved for us at one of the favorite eating establishments here named the Epicure. After the repast, we retired to the compound where we enjoyed a good time of fellowship and chatting around a birthday cake and a table spread with the makings for sandwiches. The day would not be complete before we had played a few rounds of games together. Oh, I neglected to tell you that on Monday Paul and Ruth will be the same age..at least for another ten or so months.

On Monday morning John stirred up some buttermilk pancakes and we both figured that they tasted pretty much like what we get at home. Thanks to the can of powered buttermilk that we take with us when we are here. There is no buttermilk available that we know of here in Antigua so we are prone to take the few items that are otherwise unavailable especially when we want specialty items. John has been very happy to have found during the last two visits here whole milk which is offered fresh instead of the shelf variety. He just has not been able to accept shelf milk and, since I am not a consumer of milk, I cannot confirm or deny his feelings.

For lunch, we took Paul and Ruth today to the restaurant Welten where we were seated adjacent to a fountain behind which were fresh orchids. On each side of our table were hammocks which, by the time we had consumed our vittles, might have been good targets for a good nap.Though the sunshine was abundant today, there was a tickling chill in the air which made a sweater very welcome indeed. Normally I do not inspect the plates of other diners so I cannot tell you what the others consumed for lunch but I believe Ruth had a chicken dish, John a pasta and I had beef. Since both Paul and Ruth took carry-away boxes, I suspect that there was adequate for each of us. And, we opted for no desserts.

An option for us at the Welten would have been to be seated about a pool of water that was covered with the petals of roses along with handfuls of yellow roses floating atop the water. It was around this pool about four years ago that we met some friends with whom we have still kept contact. Instead, we opted for the more intimate nook which backed up to the fountain and enjoyed the orchids, an example of which you can see to the left.

Speaking or orchids, one can easily acquire them from street vendors who offer them for sale at a give-away price. It is common to see sellers carry arms full of the gorgeous flowers.

Hammocks such as this one were hung along the entire wall space and were very tempting after we had consumed our lunch. Both because we had eaten and were beginning to be fatigued as the blood had rushed from our gray matter to our digestive area and because it had become a bit chilly. But, none of us opted for their comfort. This was a far fancier example of hammock than that I had ever seen except possibly for some in Cambodia where we encountered beauties that might have given these a run for their money.

On our return to the compound, we walked through the gardens of Casa Santo Domingo once again and I managed to catch one of the macaws asleep but yet perpendicular. On other occasions, I have been close enough to the lively birds to start them squawking quite loudly.  This one could not be bothered. They securely sit on their respective perches throughout the day, perhaps two dozen lovely specimens, but mysteriously disappear each night before the light of day fades. I suspect they are carried to their retirement spots and are securely covered to ward off the light and any other uninvited intruder.

For those interested in birding, there are a myriad of different flying birdies in the heavens here that I have never before seen. John and I have yet to see the quetzal, the magnificent  flying fowl and national bird of Guatemala. We hope to spot and record the quetzal when we travel later this month or next to Cobán.

For supper this evening, we invited the David Karlson family to join us at the Epicure. We walked the four or five blocks to the restaurant and seated ourselves in the far reaches or back forty of the garden. There was a bit of a chill to the wind that met us there but the tea and warmth of the food seemed to cause us to forget the discomfort, at least for a time. The Karlsons are down here with a group from Prairie Bible Institute in Alberta province, Canada. They are staying for a while here at the compound of Phillipis. David was born of missionary parents while his parents were serving in Germany. We had good times visiting and breaking bread together and their seven-month-old son was the prime center of attention. Can you determine why? He took a liking to our wait person and held out his hands quickly and eagerly for a change of venue.

Now night has visited us and we will soon be ready for bed. The stars are apparent and there is a cool breeze causing the curtains to bob gently as they respond to the wind. It will be a one-dog night I suspect though there are plenty of blankets available and even a quilt should I need more warmth. Very few of the homes or businesses here have heat and I can think of no homes in which I have been a guest where there are air conditioners. There are fans though which move the air when necessary. So, my door is no longer ajar but closed and the keepers of the night, Sandie and Chico are outside checking out the perimeters to ensure that no feline has suffered a misstep nor an invader intruded the property.

Until tomorrow, I wish you and yours well. Good night from the Philippi compound in Antigua!

Desayuno en el hotel Casa Don Rodrigo - por favor, tome un paseo conmigo

I invite you to walk with me this morning as we meander the cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks of Antigua. I will take you for your morning's walk and, along the way, we will view passersby, break our fast, do a bit of light shopping at the Bodegona and return to your dwellings.

Starting out from the Philippi compound, it is just minutes before eight but the gardener is already out and about, trimming the leaves of the overgrown banana and poinsettia bushes,  sweeping the sidewalks as well as removing the droppings of the dogs who seem to enjoy the most obvious and apparent places instead of a hidden spot. We will unlock the rear door, cross the alley where no fewer than sixty motos are parked awaiting the shifts to end at the Casa Santo Domingo. Past the guard station and into the hotel proper for our pass through and exit onto the one-way street into the heart or center of the village. This morning, instead of walking in the shade, we will opt for full sunshine as the morning's temperature has not risen into the upper sixties quite yet. Normally, residents as well as visitors here will opt for the side where the sun-darkening rays of Mr. Sun will not affect them. Not this morning! Only the hardened soul not wanting to break with tradition will walk in the sombra this morning. I am clad in Levis, a t-shirt and flip-flops.

The morning is stunning with fresh, wonderful air, clear skies, the chirping of birds and smiles in the heart. The three volcanoes are perfectly visible from our vantage point and Fuego is not belching anything that is visible to us this morning. What a day and what a way to greet the dawn.

Just a block down the street we can see two people with mustard-yellow vests marked Control. In their hands were small placards that visiting vehicles must display in order to be legally within the city limits of Antigua. Each time that a vehicle which does not display the Antigua sticker enters the village, the operator must pay ten Quetzales and display such on their rear view mirror. Since there are no parking meters anywhere in the city, this is a way of generating revenue at least from those coming from afar for visits.

Continuing down the streets, we share the sidewalk with a number of folks who are also out walking to work, enjoying the beauty and, maybe also going to breakfast. Passing by us in the streets are cars, trucks and motos (many with more than one rider). Trucks of larger sizes are prohibited from entry into the city center and this ordinance is insured by the placement of three concrete barriers in the form of a pylon placed in positions such that vehicles wider than a certain width simply cannot pass without grave results. Our landlady Ruth has managed to connect her SUV on one or two occasions but we really do not talk about this. Her husband Paul has suggested that if she encounters such a situation in the future it might be better to stop quickly and back up instead of continuing the entire length of the vehicle. It is obvious as we look at these barriers that Ruth has not been the only one to have made a connection therewith.

During Semana Santa or Holy Week when alfombras or carpets are constructed in the streets and thereafter when processions pass over them, the middle barrier is removed so as to provide for unimpeded passage. I suspect it eases the situation for vehicles also during these times. I know that Ruth can smile during these times instead of hold her breath.

So, we continue down to the Casa Don Rodrigo and seat ourselves on an outside portion of the patio in the partial sunlight. John and I use Spanish when we are out despite the fact that many wait folks are both able and willing to communicate in workable English. Just to our left and outside of the eating area is an area where an employee of the hotel and restaurant was patting out corn tortillas and frying them on the stove. I did not know if they were of flour or corn so asked her. She assured me they were of corn. I ordered panqueques delgados (crepes), a plate of fresh fruit (papaya, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapefruit, banana, pineapple and lime). The pancakes were served with honey or maple syrup and butter. My drink of choice is tea (cinammon). John ordered huevos rancheros which were served with beans, salsa and tortillas which were delivered hot from the maker to my left. He also had a fruit plate but opted for coffee. As we tarry over breakfast, we can look out over the gorgeous gardens in which flows a beautiful fountain. In the background and far afield, one can see clearly the Volcano Agua which has long been dormant. It is clear today and it seems that nobody is out at least this early burning the fields to provide nitrogen as well as clear the land for the next crop. We can notice the ubiquitous odor of smoke in the air. One becomes inured to the smells and finally it becomes the rule and not the exception. Burning, whether inside the city or in the far off fields is something that is done all the time. And, in the distance as we gaze upon the horizon we can hear the reports of fireworks. These are set off to commemorate anniversaries of weddings, deaths, births and just about anything one can think of. They can arouse one from sleep often or they can blast off unsuspectingly during a lengthy period of calm and quiet. One must be ready at all times.

After breakfast, we exited the hotel and continued walking in the direction of the Bodegona. Entering the store, we quickly found the items we needed, paid for them (tried using MasterCard  but only Visa accepted and only when one purchased at least 25 Quetzales) and exited to the pet shop next door. We are in the habit of giving Sandie and Chico treats and needed to replenish them. We purchased some dog biscuits and, after paying for them, exited and began our walk home. Now, we and the majority of the others were walking in the shady side of the street. The temperatures are now in the seventies.

As we entered the hotel again, we noticed six or seven macaws being carried on a wooden contraption to their perches within the garden areas. One of them was upside down while the others were behaving normally. John mentioned that it would have been a great photo op. Sadly, the camera I took along this morning had a memory stick that was unusable. Else, I would have recorded our morning's walk with images. Whistled for Sandie and Chico and only Chico appeared. He knew!!

Now John is preparing the birthday cake for Ruth. She is gluten intolerant so he is preparing the mix sans wheat flour. Monday is her birthday but we are all celebrating tomorrow, Sunday.

Thanks for joining me on our walk this morning.

To La Peña tonight

The plaque visible to the left is one which is displayed at the entrance to Casa Santo Domingo. If you will snap the mouse on the image, you can get a better idea of just how old some of these buildings are. One of the walls in an apartment on the Philippi compound shares a wall from this former structure. Its walls are over a yard in width. I have nicknamed that dwelling Las Ruinas. We enter and depart through this magnificient old ruin which bears the marks of a terrifying earthquake when destruction spread havoc throughout this area. At one time, this was perhaps the largest administrative center between Lima, Peru and Mexico City.

But tonight we met our friend Mary who is down here on a mission which is vested with the responsibilities of providing fresh and potable water for villages not terribly distant from Antigua. She alternates between and among the Central American countries, doing various missions every year. She studies Spanish at one of the local Spanish schools but restricts her studies to only two hours daily. It seems to be sufficient to help her brush up on items that she has forgotten.

I mentioned previously about the restaurant and of its owners and managers. The gentleman pictured on the large drum is one of the owners. He and his wife have given up living on a sailboat and have retired to Antigua where they consider the restaurant a hobby. We talked with him and his wife this evening and he said that if they break even, it is a good year. They are not here to make money but to enjoy life which it appears that they do. The other owner is the man seated adjacent to the other owner on the left. We enjoyed a great supper and then waited for the combo to begin their haunting strains at half seven. In almost all eating establishments in this city and perhaps in all of Guatemala, one must ask for the check. Nobody rushes and nobody employed in most establishments would ever think of presenting a check on the table before it was requested. But, we finally did get the attention of a waiter and he assisted us with the closure of our  happy experience. A fun time and we will again visit these happy people.

On our way home, we all commented on the deserted streets and town in general. Bear in mind that it was only half eight when we departed the restaurant. All of us have been here at least three times previously and it is absolutely certain in our minds that the economy has taken a hit here too. We were given assurances from the owners of the restaurant that each of the past two years has been poorer in terms of the generation of monies than the one immediately prior. We passed through the empty but lighted streets and finally made it to the Parque Central which was still decorated for Christmas. But, over to the west lateral of the park we spied the cathedral, La Catedral de Santiago, an image of which appears above and, as stated below in the Spanish, gorgeous during a night visitation and view! .

Ahora, un poco en español: La Catedral de Santiago, situada en el Parque Central, se empezó a construir en 1542. Fue derribada y reconstruida varias veces durante los dos siglos siguientes a causa de sucesivos terremotos. La actual catedral es mucho más pequeña de lo que fue en sus orígenes, ya que únicamente se reconstruyó una pequeña parte en el XIX. De hecho, ya no se la considera catedral, sino iglesia parroquial. Lo que más destaca de su interior no son tanto las obras de arte o la arquitectura, sino ver a los antigüeños rezar y orar a la par que no abandonan costumbres como la de decorar con guirnaldas vegetales los altares, colocar velas en el suelo... Es, además, un lugar tranquilo y muy adecuado para relajarse un rato.

Pero lo mejor, sin duda alguna, es ver la catedral iluminada por la noche, desde el Parque Central. Su belleza en impresionante... Uno de esos pocos edificios que no importa de que época sean o lo bien que estén hechos, sino las sensaciones que suscitan. La Catedral de Santiago nos devuelve a otro tiempo, de colonos, indios y criollos... Bellísima.

Construction on the original Catedral of Santiago, located adjacent to Central Park, was begun in 1542. The edifice was demolished and rebuilt several times over the next two centuries because of successive earthquakes. The current cathedral is much smaller than it was at origin because only a small portion was rebuilt in the nineteenth century. It is, in fact, no longer considered a cathedral, but a church. What stands out most about this church is not its art or architecture,  but the fact that the residents of Antigua still  pray and, simultaneously fail to abandon long-held customs such as decorating the altars with garlands and vegetables as well as the  placement of candles on the floor .. . it is also a quiet and very suitable sanctuary where one can relax a while and maybe even pray.

But perhaps the most thrilling is to see the cathedral illuminated at night from the vantage point of Central Park. It bespeaks awesome beauty ... it is one of few buildings that, regardless of age or how well constructed, the Cathedral of Santiago brings one back to another time, of  the colonists, the Indians and  of the Creoles ... it is breathtakingly Beautiful. 

Now we are back at the compound and making preparations for bed. The weather is absolutely gorgeous with daytime temperatures hitting into the seventies and nighttime lows perhaps reaching into the fifties. The windows remain open and a light blanket provides more than sufficient warmth. There is safety and security within the walls of the compound. Most are at least six feet in height but the front wall is nearly three yards in height. The dogs roam about the place as would sovereigns but they know who is welcome and who might be an intruder. The cats from neighbors seem to enjoy taunting them as they prance along the perimeters far out of their reach. Paul assured me though that they would be meat should they miss a step and fall into the gardens. Such is life here.

I am positive that I will be able to share more with you tomorrow. Until that time, I bid you adiós.

Thursday Market in Antigua

As I mentioned in my earlier post today, Ruth was operator in charge of the diesel SUV that took us to the market. In all, we were six in the vehicle but one was discharged part way to the market place in order to complete some business. The rest of us arrived, paid the five Quetzales parking fee and wandered through the indoor and outdoor stalls. The aisles, like those of the chicken buses, are extremely narrow compared with North American standards and certainly would not fulfill the letter of the law regarding North American ADA standards. Nonetheless, all came...the quick and the almost dead, fit and lame, old and young. Cats, dogs, birds and a mass of humanity. Vending a la mano (five items or what could fit in the hand) or by dozen, money was exchanged and produce acquired. Ladies with large, heavy baskets atop their heads and laden with goods were passing by and demanding the right-of-way over men balancing loads on their shoulders and others wheeling push-carts.

My purpose in being there was to take some photos and to purchase some mandarin lemons. Ruth has made for us a heated drink and her recipe is simple: the juice of two mandarin lemons, freshly squeezed, mixed with water and heated. After the drink is sufficiently hot, add a touch of natural and wild honey. I will strongly recommend this to you (if you are fortunate enough to be able to purchase these items). Daisy, the maid of the Philippis, located my fruit and I negotiated a good deal. I decided to depart and meet John who had remained at home. But, on my way out of the expansive market, I espied some cascarones which I bought to surprise some unsuspecting person. They are the shells of eggs which have been filled with confetti and sealed. You already know the rest of the story. It is best by far to pick on somebody who is not already cross and crotchety.

Out of the market and no more dodging people and things. Called John and found that he had ventured out to Parque Central, the central meeting place in the heart of Antigua. It was only blocks from where I was and we met at a dandy little coffee shop known to us from many frequent and former visits. He had ordered coffee for himself with a croissant and I had a cinnamon roll. My thumbs are both up in judging these items. They had not spent the night on the shelves but had themselves been shaped and baked that very morning, just hours before consumption. Yummy! As we sat enjoying our petite breakfast, we viewed at least half a dozen sacks and bags filled to the brim with provisions from the produce and fruit market  where I had just been. These were borne by employees and were destined for the kitchen of the cafe where we were eating. Instead of having large and noisy trucks humming in the streets, these folks had carried and toiled with these items on their backs and heads to the El Vieja Cafe.

On our ten block return trek to our house, we stopped a handful of times to look and not to purchase. Jade, cedar items, gold, silver and coral all nice to view but very dear in price. Now we are back at the compound and soon will be joining the Philippis for a fish lunch. The lunch was absolutely great. The fish monger calls on the telephone the day before he is scheduled for delivery in their area. Then, according to the needs and orders, he delivers the fish to the front gate. How is that for service?

Sorry about the placement of the images in the blog. I am using a new format and program and will have to fiddle with it in order to have narrative that is meaningful with the images. Bear with me and I will change. The first several pictures are from the market area displaying the vivid colors and, in some, the native costume. A few snaps were taken within the courtyard of the Casa Santo Domingo and the two were in the yard of the Philippis.  You can easily view the volcano in one of the snaps taken in the garden of Phillipi.You will see the coffee cherries displayed in one image. Sadly, they have been cut and now only the green cherries are apparent and we await blossoming for the successive crop. One note about the images, in order to view them at a better size, one need only snap the mouse on an image and detail will become evident.

Tonight we are going to a restaurant and bar with our good friend Mary from Madison. We have connected with her now for about three years - two here in Antigua and the other in Peru. We are going to visit a restaurant owned and operated jointly by a North American couple and a man from Guatemala. It is called La Peña and provides nice music entertainment several nights weekly. The owners are friendly and know us so come by for a good chat when we appear.

All for now.

Differences

As I write this, I am listening to KNAU (NPR Flagstaff, Arizona) where there are reports of school closings and delays due to a massive storm which brought about ten inches of snow to the area. That included Prescott, our town that we just left on Sunday. What a strange contrast to what conditions that I awakened to this morning. My first notice of life was the beautiful singing of the morning chorus of the birds which were easily heard through the open windows. As I opened my door, both Sandie and Chico (the two resident dogs) were there to greet me. In her mouth was a partially eaten avocado which Sandie thought would be an ideal object to fetch. Chico is far more sedate and has long ago given up such frivolity. Oh, did I tell you that I was barefoot when I wandered out into the garden? There I met the gardener who was already at work.

I have two cups of tea on my work area: one with a wonderful taste and aroma of anise or licorice and the other is a fine chai. In just about an hour, we will join the maid and Ruth who are going to the market here in Antigua. The open-air and covered market operates in full force three days weekly with Thursday being the heaviest market day of all. One bargains for everything there and the prices are stunningly inexpensive. Growers of vegetables and fruits come into Antigua from great distances to display and vend their wares, many bearing the burdens of their goods in large woven baskets balanced on their heads. One can find many exotic fruits and vegetables as well as meats of all varieties. It is easy to find animals for sale as well. Herbs to accent cooking and flowers  to grace tables and shelves are abundant and can be purchased for little or nothing.

Measurements and weights are a mix of the English system, the Metric and the Spanish. One really has to learn what is used for different things. The vare, the gallon, the kilometer, the pound, the kilo are all used interchangeably but for different things which can make things a bit challenging. Oh, did I mention that the hand is used as well? I suspect the hand is used in the market area and usually refers to five a a particular item.

The gardener is going to cut the coffee cherries from the tree today. There are cherries on the tree with all hues and colors from green to dark maroon. Each cherry contains two coffee beans which will be processed by his family before it will be ready for roasting, grinding and a final application of brewing before the dark brown and strong brew will be sipped, often with sugar and heated milk by the final user. Our gardener harvests the cherries each year around this time and is given them by his boss. This year's crop is far less than it has been in the former couple of years but the surrounding coffee farms or fincas here in Guatemala mostly report a bumper crop. Coffee is one of the largest exports of this country.

Yesterday John and I were invited by our landlord to accompany him for a short trip to Guatemala City. He was going for a meeting and luncheon and we were going to use the time for shopping and looking around. Wal-Mart, instead of competing with a large similar-type operation in the capital city, purchased the company and has a gigantic store where it is easy to find just about anything that one might want or need. Thousands of familiar brands were available at very reasonable prices. Our agreement regarding return passage was to connect with Paul, our landlord, when he was ready to take the return trip to Antigua around two yesterday afternoon. We contacted him by phone and told him that we would catch a chicken bus home and see him later in the day. We crossed the street and flagged down such a bus and were soon on our way. These buses are ones which had been used until they were considered non-functional in the USA school systems and then were sold and driven through Mexico and into Guatemala.They are converted and given new and more powerful engines and reconfigured somewhat to accommodate passengers here. Most of the time, the buses are driven by very young operators and there is always a helper who collects fares and stands in the front door shouting the destination of the bus. As the buses begin to fill up, where kids used to sit two to a seat, we find that three or four sit on each side of the bus in the seats. It is very difficult to pass through the aisles when one needs to exit the bus but passengers jump up and then find their seats once again once one has passed by. We have often seen passengers who are nearer the rear emergency exit door open it and jump to the ground - a far easier passage and exit then maneuvering to the front. There are no cords to signal the driver or helper when one want to exit. Instead one hollers baja or la esquina and the driver stops and one can exit. The fare for each of us on our thirty mile journey was eight quetzales or just under one dollar. The buses are driven in most cases faster than private vehicles or vans so the journey is done with dispatch. Of course, it is often necessary to hang onto the handles on the backs of each of the seats in order to maintain ones seat and not zoom onto the floor.

I will dig out my camera before we leave for the market and before the cherries are harvested and try to give you some pictures of the coffee tree branches and some views at the market so that you too can share with us what we saw.

More later today (hopefully).

 

Estamos en La Antigua

We touched down at La Aurora last night at 8:15, about a quarter hour ahead of our scheduled landing. The cockpit reported a temperature of 75 degrees when we departed from Miami on our flight but when we cleared Immigration and Customs, the temperature must have dropped at least ten degrees. And, when we ascended the mountains leading to Antigua, I viewed the Suburban's thermometer and it reported 59 degrees.

Paul and Ruth were at the airport awaiting our arrival and within about five minutes we were stowed and passengers in their vehicle. The approximately 40 kilometers were made with dispatch  and, as we entered the compound, both Chico and Sandie were wagging their tails in greeting. We were soon in our little casita sorting through some of our baggage. Ruth invited us in for some tea and papaya and a good catch-up and gossip time since we last saw the Philippis in the USA in November 2009.

The morning song of the birds is apparent everywhere. But, why not? What's not to like? The flowers are in arrayed in their finest, the fruit trees are laden and the coffee tree is awaiting its harvesting. And, it is clear this morning so the volcanoes will be easily evident. The crystal clearness was also observed by me at just past midnight minutes before I retired last evening. I stepped outside my hideaway and gazed with wonder at the heavens. What a gift.....and, could the clarity be even greater than that we experience almost every night in the high desert of Arizona?

Breakfast will be served at the Philippi's home at half past seven this morning. Speaking of time, we here in Guatemala are on the same time as that of USA Central Standard. It seems that this morning's offerings will be whole-wheat waffles. Sounds great to me. More later!

T minus two days

Less than two days remain now before we will be dropped at Sky Harbor International in Phoenix. Concurrent with departure, snow is forecast for Prescott and the northern one-third of mountainous Arizona. Quite a contrast to be sure. As much as we enjoy the beautiful and white blanket of the white stuff, we both prefer the warmth of the tropics and the far slower pace which we will soon be enjoying. Lows of fifty Fahrenheit and highs of perhaps seventy provide for comfort both day and night. Yes, we will be needing earplugs from time to time during the nights in order to remove the sounds of party, exploding fireworks and celebrations. Sure, we will experience power outages and the cessation of water flow but, fortunate for us, we will be staying at a compound where solar collection panels have long been employed for alternate power and also where a pressurized tank of water can supply the several dwellings with adequate water even in times of lengthy outages.

Soon we will be wandering on familiar cobblestone streets and uneven sidewalks and surfaces all the time dodging other ambulating passersby. One must be ever mindful and watchful not only for the uneven surfaces but also for the cars, trucks, tuk-tuks and motorized two-wheelers which all have priority and right-of-way over pedestrians on the streets and motorways. There is never any lolling or attitude-walking in cities of Guatemala. One must have a firm purpose and quickly execute it. Else, one could easily be among the dead and not the quick.

Some of our friends and family have wondered whether or not we may be subject to the tremors and earthquakes that have recently been felt and experienced in Haiti and now Venezuela. The answer is a firm yes. We have felt the earth shake in our sleep during past visits to Venezuela. And there is at least one visible volcano within the metropolitan area of Antigua which spews ash and other debris daily. It is common to see smoke during the day and the glow of fire during the night. One never knows when another disaster may present itself there. Antigua is no stranger to disasters of this type. Recorded devastating earthquakes since the early 1500s have visited and have resulted in utter havoc on this beautiful area of the world. The last one of consequence hit the city in 1717 and was responsible for the destruction of over 3,000 buildings. Its magnitude can be estimated at approximately 7.4 on the Richter scale.

So, with the extreme beauty and wonderful and slower way of life, there comes the possibility of danger. We are not dismayed by the possibility and do not ponder on the negative though. Instead, we look towards the slower life style and the beautiful lilt of Spanish in the streets and in Parque Central at the city square.

So, all things being equal, we expect to arrive at La Aurora airport in Guatemala City at half past eight on  this coming Monday evening. We will be met by our wonderful friends and landlords the Philippis. After clearing customs, we will lade our bags and baggage in one of their trusty SUVs and head the thirty or forty kilometers to La Antigua. From that city I will next post and also upload some photographs.

Less than two weeks

It seems strange to me as I sit here at the compound in Prescott to think that we will again be in Guatemala in under two weeks. As I awakened this morning, I checked the thermometer and found that it was 19 degrees F. That will all be fading history once we have arrived in La Antigua in the Land of Eternal Spring.

I have made some last-minute purchases for our friends and landlords the Philippis in Antigua. We will be met by Paul who will make the thirty-mile drive to La Aurora airport in Guatemala City. Then back to the beautiful Philippi compound where we will be staying for the next three months.

John hopes to begin his studies again this time but I will most likely not take any formal studies. Instead, I hope to converse with locals and carry on with my Rosetta Stone modules. Most of what I am reviewing in the on-line course I have already learned but it reinforces and encourages me to launch out into areas that I rarely use. I have already the first three levels and intend to add the next two before it is all said and done.

During the months that we plan to be in Guatemala, we hope to take a road trip with our landlords throughout the Central American countries which may culminate at the Canal Zone, Panama. Another possibility would be for us to drive over to Belize (former British Honduras). On the way to that country, it is possible that we might tarry a while at the expansive ruins of Tikal. Though we have been to Tikal before, its appeal does not quickly or easily fade.