Sunday Scene Around Town

Day

Get out and vote

Busking on Avenida del Arco:

The street is pedestrian only on the weekend and this is some of what you may see:

 Fifth Avenue is one of the most photographed streets in Antigua because of the Arch of Santa Catalina which was part of a convent. The arch was constructed in 1697 as the convent, which was founded in 1609, reached maximum capacity and had expanded to both sides of the street. The arch was constructed so that the nuns could travel between both halves of the convent without coming in contact with the outside world and its undoubtedly unsavory influence. It has survived numerous earthquakes and was restored in the nineteenth century. 

In another part of town, someone bought a machete...I'm sure we'll be posting soon regarding the standards of medical care here.

More from around town:

Okay, I am planning on doing a more in depth entry on this special feature of the Central Park but can't resist giving a preview of the fountain.

Sabado Azul - Blue Saturday

It is so dry here today. And will be tomorrow. Nah, not because it isn't raining (which it isn't and hasn't since we arrived) but because the election for President of Guatemala happens today. As a result, there are no alcohol sales in the country the day before the election. We ran into this problem last year in Mexico but were able to get around it thanks to a very special car wash in Tulum. 

 

 

 

 

 It was somewhat amusing to go watch the Bama – LSU game in a usually rowdy restaurant and see all the patrons quietly sipping sodas. Sadly, selves included.

Yesterday was Thursday, Thursday, Today i-is

Friday

French. I think I'll learn French. Or Mandarin. Or Korean. At least that way I can accept feeling like a moron. Well, at least as how I relate to learning languages (yes, there are plenty of other areas where I comfortably feel like a moron - anyone else see the 64ths on a ruler?).

 Lots of activity in the park today.

 

Lots of people in the park and an interesting combination of pan flute/some other instrument/backing track duo playing Christmas carols in the park.

Here is a clip of one of their non-holiday hits:

Remember, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."

PS - I want to apologize to anyone who clicked on the word "Friday" at the top of the post and will try and make it up with this.

Jueves not Huevos

We are well into the routine of remembering how much we don't know when it comes to Spanish. So rewarding. The junior member had a great time in his first class today and it probably won't be long until he has passed the senior members in ability.

Junior member was excited to get home and play with his new friends. The mom came by this evening to talk and said they decided to spend the next three months in Antigua. Coming here was a total fluke as they had spent 8 months living out of a truck as they traveled through Africa until political situations forced them to change their plans. Hence, the detour to Disney and then the flight to Guatemala which was pretty much on a whim. They love it here and think the kids will appreciate the chance to settle down for a bit. The bad news is that they are looking for a house to rent so will be moving out. But it looks like they will be in the same neighborhood so we will be able to stay in touch and Junior member will have playmates.

Stopped by Casa Hererras this afternoon to find out about the program. Classes were going on so we will arrange a tour of the facility for a later date. Seems like an incredible study abroad opportunity. 

Didn't get to the grocery store so we had dinner out. As I have mentioned, this is the slow season in terms of tourists. The town was full during the day with cruise ship passengers on day excursions (according to our source in el Parque – a woman from San Antonio Aguas Calientes selling handicrafts who asked us to conspire with her and tell said tourists what a bargain her wares are) and this pattern will repeat for the next two days (according to aforementioned source). Evening is quiet though and I think some restaurants may average one table turnover per night. I don't mean each table in the restaurant turns over only once each night. I mean the restaurant may serve only one table a night. Things are slow.

We ended up at a small place where two local customers were well hydrated and boisterous in their welcoming of us. Interesting experience. Homework time.

Note of clarification: For the most part, the pictures included each day are random shots taken during the trip and do not necessarily correspond to what I am babbling about unless specifically noted as in the photos below or in the photos of the Kite Festival. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have regarding a particular photo but please be prepared for an interminable wait. Thank you. Management.

PS - for informational purposes only...

Here is the front door to where we live:

 

Inside the courtyard:

Our door is on the right looking through all those darn flowers:

Dia Oucho

My head hurts.

We started language school today and it was amazing how much doesn't 'just come back' like we hoped. I went in the morning and had a great teacher. We spent time talking so she could assess how amazing I am and how un-amazing my Spanish is. I was very pleased with her direction and instruction and look forward to going back tomorrow. I will be accompanied by the junior member of the expedition who decided today that he would like to learn Spanish which surprised and delighted us. We will see how it goes.

I met the other expedition members for lunch at Dona Luisa's which has been here ever since we first ventured here. Perfectly adequate if unexciting cuisine but it has always been a place where you knew you could eat the veggies which used to be much dicier in Antigua than it is now. Sat upstairs in a grand salon with wood floors overlooking 4a Calle Oriente with Volcan Agua in the distance. A pretty hard setting to beat. The other senior expedition member went to class in the afternoon while junior member accompanied me to restock provisions. That consisted of a trip to the market for veggies

 and candles (have to have atmosphere even in the casa) and then to the supermarket for meat and other consumables. Junior member met some kids who are staying in one of the other hovels in our complex. They are from South Africa and are traveling for 'a few years' according to their parents. They traveled through Africa before heading to Florida to visit the most precious cultural institution the United States has – yes, Disney World 

 – before heading to Guate to spend some time learning language. We also achieved another technical first for us by exploiting early 21^st /late 20th century technology by communicating via the internet with video. What will they think of next. 

 Learning can be so painful.

Exciting Day

Oh, I went to the market. The taxi ride was bumpy, but cheap, blah blah blah.

Dia Del Muerte

Day of the Dead. Banks and many businesses were closed today so that people could celebrate the Day of the Dead (um, not sure what it really is). We went and visited Santiago Sacatepequez (hard to spell? Try pronouncing it – Even the the bus driver just gave a sigh of resignation and said, 'Santiago, no mas') because they have a festival where they fly really big kites in the cemetery to “release the souls of the dead” (according to our Rough Guide to Guate). Having spent some fun times in graveyards during my misspent youth I knew I couldn't resist. So off we went on our adventure which gave the junior member his first Guate chicken bus ride. The senior members of the expedition have been on numerous such bus rides and had an idea of what to expect. Climbing out of Antigua, the road climbs and twists and turns and our chauffeur was determined to make the best time. At the back of the bus, the expedition members, along with locals, hung on and laughed knowing one way or another that the ride wouldn't last long. Ascribing to my supposition that the driver doesn't want to get in an accident any more than I do, we just hung on. And the ride was quick and incident free. There are no direct buses to Santiago Sacatepequez so we had to change buses at San Luis Sacatepequez. Received great directions and walked the block and a half to the San Luis (yeah, I am going to type the complete name again) bus station 

 and boarded our second bus to Santiago. Arrived in Santiago after a 4km bus ride and joined the procession in search of the kites. The whole thing is actually a town wide fiesta with the kites being the main attraction. But the road to the kites is lined with food vendors (Mmmm, fresh plantain chips!)

 and artesenia vendors and household item vendors – everything and anything you could want. 

We kept on turning corners along the main drag which wound through town and still never saw the kites. Stopped a gringa and sey said to keep walking and that it was worth it. After a bit, we came to a stage with a concert going (anyone need any BASS?). We could see the kites in the air though it was hard to gauge how large they were given the distance. Walked around the back of the stage and came to the cemetery situated on a slope and saw the kites.

Wow. I am not even going to try and explain since we have pictures and videos thus relieving me of coming up with descriptive language and you of slogging through such.

 

Just incredible to see these huge kites takes flight – sometimes successfully

sometimes not

and how a place of rest is so full of life for one day of the year. We took advantage of being in that space to think about and honor two special people in our lives.

I will admit it was a bit disturbing to see people walking across the raised mounds as it was the easiest path. And yes, I own that and my own conditioning associated with it. And, yes, I did it too.

Here is what the back of the huge kites looked liked to give you an idea of what actually went up in the air

Headed back to Antigua. First bus was a classic experience of learning just how many more people could actually occupy the space contained by the physical structure of the bus. Always amazing. Bus from San Lucas to Antigua was spacious. Hopped off on 1a Ave Sur and headed to Sky Bar so you could see these pics

Had dinner and then headed home in search of good rest before venturing in to the world of language school. Eeeek.