I just got back from a hike with three others to Lagoon Chicabal.Lagoon Chicabal is a hours chicken bus ride out of Xela to a Mayan village called San Martin.The road/trail to Lagoon Chicabal is striaght up the mountain side...the Guatemalans don,t appear to have heard of switchbacks...with great views of corn fields on the hillsides and nearby Volcan Santa Maria.Mind you just as we reached the top it clouded over and we couldn,t see a thing.Lagon Chicabal is a Mayan sacred place.I walked down the longest staircase in my life to the small lake which really is water in an extinct volcanoe. Fortunatley I didn,t need to go back up the staircase... which was basically straight up and rickety.....as their was another way out.After the hike I was in the most crowded chicken bus I have yet to experience.People just jammed in...three to a seat and the isle choked with people and still the bus kept stopping for more.I felt bad as half way into the ride..after some people got off..I managed to secure a bit of a seat but then the driver stopped to pick up a crowd of Mayan women and children who...grandmas amongst them..stood stoically and laughingly in the isle several of them with babies/ toddlers wrapped in folds on their back.Even if I wanted to give my seat I simply couldn,t budge.As the bus swept around curves everyone leaned into one another and when someone wanted to get out or someone in they literally squeezed through and climbed over one another.At one point my leg was stuck between two people in the isle and it was near impossinle for me to manouver to let the person aside me out.At another point I had a old lady sitting on my lap(actually she was probably about my age) and at another point this fellows behind was in my face.
Yesterday I went by myself to Hueyhuetenango to see some Mam ruins at Zaculeu.I left Xela at 6 am and it took three hours by chicken bus to get to Hueyhue and then another chicken bus to Zaculue.The ruins were no where as spectacular as those at Tikal but as they are situated on top of a flat hill surrounded by ravines they have a mysterious presence-like you can feel what the city must have looked like before it was seiged and destroyed by the spanish in the 1540,s .
So...I had quite an adventurous weekend and am now knackered and need to go back to my home stay.I had a huge bowl of chicken soup at a nearby restuarant with two of the people I hiked with .Nice pineapple fruite/milk drink and a great cup of coffee.
I send these EMails from Celas Maya school where they have a internet room.Its funny... many of the american 20 somethings here communicate home via internet with phone video connections so while I type this I can listen in to them chattering away to there parents and friends.I am obviously in a different league electronically....
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Market day - San Fransisco
I just got back from the market in San Fransisco.What a place.You wouldn,t believe it.I was jam packed and seemed to go on for ever through the narrow twisting streets up to the large square above the village and its large church.In the large square above was the animal market....cattle..sheep..goats...turkeys..pigs...chickens..cats...dog..rabbits etc etc..The animals all were attatched to their owners places by ropes...chickens and turkeys in baskets or string netting.Little puppies were attatched to poles with strings connected to their legs or like the cats in baskets...They went for cinco quetzales each.Judith would have been beside herself.
There was such a wide assortment of clothing , fabric...jewelry that it was difficult to know what to buy. I bought some scarves bags and jewelry for some of the young girls I used to work with and looked for some Guatemalan T shirts for the boys but couldn,t find anything suitable.We ate in the market...meat,sals,beans,rice all wrapped in babana leaves.It was delicious.
It was so crowded in places that you needed to sqeeze by people and we were constantly being warned by the teachers to be careful of thieves.One of the female students had her camera stolen.The bus ride back to Xela...or I should say bus rides as we needed to change buses,micro buses several times was equally crowded.
Last night I attended another poetry reading session as I feel compelled since my families son and nephew are participants but I can hardly understand anything.Nonetheless I often strike up conversations with others so get to preatice my spanish. My mind finds it diificult to come up with the appropriateverb abd tense at the same time and often..even though i should no it I find myself fumbling around for the correct arrangemnt.
It is quite chilly in Xela when the sun goes down.I am glad I brough my sweaters.
Tomorow I may go to some ruins in Hueyhuetenange.Sunday I have arranged to go on a hike.
Last night I had a really ood sleep.The cats were either preocupied elsehere or I slept right through their nonsence.
There was such a wide assortment of clothing , fabric...jewelry that it was difficult to know what to buy. I bought some scarves bags and jewelry for some of the young girls I used to work with and looked for some Guatemalan T shirts for the boys but couldn,t find anything suitable.We ate in the market...meat,sals,beans,rice all wrapped in babana leaves.It was delicious.
It was so crowded in places that you needed to sqeeze by people and we were constantly being warned by the teachers to be careful of thieves.One of the female students had her camera stolen.The bus ride back to Xela...or I should say bus rides as we needed to change buses,micro buses several times was equally crowded.
Last night I attended another poetry reading session as I feel compelled since my families son and nephew are participants but I can hardly understand anything.Nonetheless I often strike up conversations with others so get to preatice my spanish. My mind finds it diificult to come up with the appropriateverb abd tense at the same time and often..even though i should no it I find myself fumbling around for the correct arrangemnt.
It is quite chilly in Xela when the sun goes down.I am glad I brough my sweaters.
Tomorow I may go to some ruins in Hueyhuetenange.Sunday I have arranged to go on a hike.
Last night I had a really ood sleep.The cats were either preocupied elsehere or I slept right through their nonsence.
Nov 25 Poetry in the streets
Tommorrow I am going to the largest outdoor market in Guatemala...It is in a town called San Francisco and is about a 45 minute chicken bus ride from Xela.I will be going with my present teacher and other students and their teachers.Is their anything you want me to buy for you...scarves,pencil/ makeup cases,glass cases..T shirts.,,note nooks..,etc etc.I sense that Guatemala is where it is at in centro america in regards to handicraft products due to the strong Mayan influence.You won,t get it in the same intensity in Costa Rica.
Yesterday I visited a womans textile cooperative and purchased some small items .Tommorrow will be the real M,Coy for buying things so if you want anything reply now and I,lll read my EMail later tonight.
Last night I went to hear a poetry reading in a popular cafe in Xela called RED....Several poets read their work outside the restuarant in the narrow street.I was the only nonGuatemalteco present and no doubt the oldest...a veijito for sure....and of course I hardly understood anything they said but the emotional intent was easy to grasp.I went because the teenage son of he family I am staying with was reading his work and so was his cousin who is also staying with the family.The street was narrow and cussions were placed on the egually narrow stone sidewalks.The poets took their turn sitting in an easy chair with a micro phone on a nearby table.There were about thirty people sitting about...in their late teens..twenties and so on.Sort of an intellectual circle for the hip Guatemaltecos.I was quite moved actually even though I hardly understood anything.
Constantly being in a spanish world is taking its toll in my sleep pattern.My mind is on on overload and if I wake up during the night..which is common due to the two house cats jumping and campering about on the tin and plastic roof(what a commotion !)...I then lie awake thinking about spanish words and phrases....It is dificult remembering all the verbs and nouns and a lot of the other students have more experience aand are just probably more adept.Neveretheless I persevere.
Yesterday I visited a womans textile cooperative and purchased some small items .Tommorrow will be the real M,Coy for buying things so if you want anything reply now and I,lll read my EMail later tonight.
Last night I went to hear a poetry reading in a popular cafe in Xela called RED....Several poets read their work outside the restuarant in the narrow street.I was the only nonGuatemalteco present and no doubt the oldest...a veijito for sure....and of course I hardly understood anything they said but the emotional intent was easy to grasp.I went because the teenage son of he family I am staying with was reading his work and so was his cousin who is also staying with the family.The street was narrow and cussions were placed on the egually narrow stone sidewalks.The poets took their turn sitting in an easy chair with a micro phone on a nearby table.There were about thirty people sitting about...in their late teens..twenties and so on.Sort of an intellectual circle for the hip Guatemaltecos.I was quite moved actually even though I hardly understood anything.
Constantly being in a spanish world is taking its toll in my sleep pattern.My mind is on on overload and if I wake up during the night..which is common due to the two house cats jumping and campering about on the tin and plastic roof(what a commotion !)...I then lie awake thinking about spanish words and phrases....It is dificult remembering all the verbs and nouns and a lot of the other students have more experience aand are just probably more adept.Neveretheless I persevere.
Nov 17 San Andres
I just returned from an afternoon trip to San Andres.. a small Quichi Mayan Indian town on the side of a hill with a beautful old church with front painted bright yellow with characturers engraved in relief on the fascade.Saw an interesting ceremony whereby a man dressed in hooded black jacket and black bandito like mask pulled himself along a rope strung from atop of the cross on the top of the churches roof to a large pole on the opposite side of the square in front of the church..All the while his campenaro friends dressed similiarly were whistling shrillingly. Afterwards we walked up narrow streets up the towns hillside to a Mayan shrine where Saint Simone ...or a wooden likeness of..sat sitting in a room alongside a house in the courtyard complete with burning candles,smouldering fires and the like.Down below spread out the town of San Andres.
This morning we only had three hours of class as we had a lecture on the Mayan book Popol Vuh¨¨.The speaker spoke solely in Spanish but fortunately there was an interpreter.
My spanish is getting better and I find I can have conversations wih my teachers and the family I live with.I speak Spanglish...I,m sure it sound weird to the spanish listeners bt I get .My pronumciation is atrocious and I continue to have difficuly understanding the speakers...oh well.
The day before yesterday I went on a hike up El Muela...a local volcanic hill ....unfortunately it ws cloudy and we couldn,t see anything from the top.Yesterday I went with four others on a walking tour around Xela.I saw a beautiful old theator.Stone on the outside and all wooden inside...We went by some old schools and even saw a dance academy.Last night the school had a spanish movie.
It is 6;30pm now...soon I weill go back to my residence...dinner at about 7;30 and I will do homewrk and read a book.I,ll need to prepare myself for tommorrow when the teacher will ask me to speak about the Popol Vuh lecture.
I am kept very busy and find that with all the activities and clases and homework I am really focused.Good for my mind.Totally detoxed now.No time or opportunity for nasty diversions.
Hey..did you ever get the expense cheque from VACFSS.?Did you deposit it in my savings account.?
How is Sasha finding it going to work in the dark wet morning.I was thinking about her this am as i was walking to school in the sunshine.Its only a five minute walk for me.
This morning we only had three hours of class as we had a lecture on the Mayan book Popol Vuh¨¨.The speaker spoke solely in Spanish but fortunately there was an interpreter.
My spanish is getting better and I find I can have conversations wih my teachers and the family I live with.I speak Spanglish...I,m sure it sound weird to the spanish listeners bt I get .My pronumciation is atrocious and I continue to have difficuly understanding the speakers...oh well.
The day before yesterday I went on a hike up El Muela...a local volcanic hill ....unfortunately it ws cloudy and we couldn,t see anything from the top.Yesterday I went with four others on a walking tour around Xela.I saw a beautiful old theator.Stone on the outside and all wooden inside...We went by some old schools and even saw a dance academy.Last night the school had a spanish movie.
It is 6;30pm now...soon I weill go back to my residence...dinner at about 7;30 and I will do homewrk and read a book.I,ll need to prepare myself for tommorrow when the teacher will ask me to speak about the Popol Vuh lecture.
I am kept very busy and find that with all the activities and clases and homework I am really focused.Good for my mind.Totally detoxed now.No time or opportunity for nasty diversions.
Hey..did you ever get the expense cheque from VACFSS.?Did you deposit it in my savings account.?
How is Sasha finding it going to work in the dark wet morning.I was thinking about her this am as i was walking to school in the sunshine.Its only a five minute walk for me.
Turtles Nov 15
Last weekend I took a chickenbus to Talipita on the Pacific coast.I left on friday afternon at 1;30pm after my spanish class.Talapita is about 40 kms south of the Mexican border.After arriving just after dark into the town of Talipa I took a small boat for 10 minutes down a river to Talipita.Talipta is on a sand bar.There are no cars and only one primitive hotel but mercifully it had a nice swimming pool as the temperature was well over 30 celcius.Quite a change from Xela.The next day...early in the morning I got the hotel proprietor to take me on a 3 hour boat trip through the mangrove forest reserve that Talipita is art of..The reserve is sort of a swampy area consisting of several rivers coming together in a low deltaland with numerous water channels going here and there.The trees grow right out of the water with numerous roots shooting up and branches dangling down .There was a great number of different water fowel of multi colour flittering here and there and calling in the jungle.It was sort of like Rio Dulce only with the mangrove trees.Apparently there are many juguars there but I didn´t hear or see any.Lots of fish,crabs and shrimp.One type of fish-called quatro ojos(four eyes) literally skims and jumps across the surface of the water.You have to see it to believe it.There were many fishermen casting their nets and even some with diving masks swimming in the water....The reserve is a major stopping spot for migrating birds-many from canada.
The highlight of the trip however was the Tortugaria.The Guatemalan Pacific coast is home to several species to turtles most of which are on the endangered list.The hotel where I stayed has a ¨Tortugaria¨...a refuge for turtles.The hotel owners younger brother collects turtle eggs from nests on the nearby beach and incubates them in a small enclosure beside his house.All of Talipita is sand so he puts the eggs in the sandy enclosure that he has built and marks the time when he put them there.The turtle eggs take about 50 days to incubate and when they hatch he takes then to the sea.The day I was there 15 turtles hatched.I actually saw one crawl out of its sandy nest.The fellows wife took the newly hatched turtles into her house and in the evening at 6 pm when it cooled down I accompanie the fellow to release the little turtles.What a sight to see.As the Pacific waves came and went onto the beach the little turtles -about a third the size of your hand-flipped their little flippers along the beach down into the ocean.Later in the evening when it got dark I accompanied the fellow along the beach looking for mother turtle tracks so we could discover their tracks and follow the tracks to the nest.Unfortunately-after walking a few kilometers down the beach we saw no tracks or turtles.The turtles lay their eggs in July ,aug,sept and oct so it is the end of their birthing season so to speak.
By the time I returned to Xela sunday night-after a day of chicken buses -I was very tired and went to bed early.
Today..up at 7am...desayuno con mi familia-then off to five hours of spanish with another teacher.After my class ended at 1pm. I went to the local market for some fruit and returned to my home stay for lunch-amuerzo- at 2pm.At 2;30 pm I returned to Celas Maya and with four others-including the guide-went on a two hour hike up a nearby old volcanic outcropping.We first took a chicken bus then a pickup...standing in the back..up the hill to the beginning of the trail.We were hoping to get a good view of Xela and the surrounding area but unfortunately clouds came in and through the mist we couldn,t see anything.Oh well...it was a good hike anyway..
Yesterday I forgot it was my birthday until later in the day I picked up a newspaper and coincidently noticed the date.Hey...when you turn 64 that is the way it should be......
The highlight of the trip however was the Tortugaria.The Guatemalan Pacific coast is home to several species to turtles most of which are on the endangered list.The hotel where I stayed has a ¨Tortugaria¨...a refuge for turtles.The hotel owners younger brother collects turtle eggs from nests on the nearby beach and incubates them in a small enclosure beside his house.All of Talipita is sand so he puts the eggs in the sandy enclosure that he has built and marks the time when he put them there.The turtle eggs take about 50 days to incubate and when they hatch he takes then to the sea.The day I was there 15 turtles hatched.I actually saw one crawl out of its sandy nest.The fellows wife took the newly hatched turtles into her house and in the evening at 6 pm when it cooled down I accompanie the fellow to release the little turtles.What a sight to see.As the Pacific waves came and went onto the beach the little turtles -about a third the size of your hand-flipped their little flippers along the beach down into the ocean.Later in the evening when it got dark I accompanied the fellow along the beach looking for mother turtle tracks so we could discover their tracks and follow the tracks to the nest.Unfortunately-after walking a few kilometers down the beach we saw no tracks or turtles.The turtles lay their eggs in July ,aug,sept and oct so it is the end of their birthing season so to speak.
By the time I returned to Xela sunday night-after a day of chicken buses -I was very tired and went to bed early.
Today..up at 7am...desayuno con mi familia-then off to five hours of spanish with another teacher.After my class ended at 1pm. I went to the local market for some fruit and returned to my home stay for lunch-amuerzo- at 2pm.At 2;30 pm I returned to Celas Maya and with four others-including the guide-went on a two hour hike up a nearby old volcanic outcropping.We first took a chicken bus then a pickup...standing in the back..up the hill to the beginning of the trail.We were hoping to get a good view of Xela and the surrounding area but unfortunately clouds came in and through the mist we couldn,t see anything.Oh well...it was a good hike anyway..
Yesterday I forgot it was my birthday until later in the day I picked up a newspaper and coincidently noticed the date.Hey...when you turn 64 that is the way it should be......
Nov 10 2010 Spanish Classes
,m really enjoying the spanish classes and find I am spending a lot of time studying.I am frequently consulting my dictionary and trying to remenber words.The last few nights I have been waking up at 2...3..4 and looking up verbs...nouns etc etc....Celas Maya has an excellant activity program....Yesterday there was a good argentina movie...this afternoon they have organized a trip to a hot springs...tommorrow salsa( I,ll probably skip that) and next day a trip to a museum..This weekend there is a trip planned to the pacific coast....If there are enough people( 600 quetzales inciding bus trip and hotel accommodation)..I will go if there are enough people.If not..I may go by myself...
The weather here is chilly,windy and often cloudy.I imagine the temperature is similiar to Vancouvers without as much rain.I study one to one with my instructure in an open court yard.It is nippy..
The weather here is chilly,windy and often cloudy.I imagine the temperature is similiar to Vancouvers without as much rain.I study one to one with my instructure in an open court yard.It is nippy..
Nov 8 - Santiagiute Volcano
Well...I have had a busy weekend.On Saturday I went on a hike with four others...none of which spoke English...to the Santiagiute volcano. The walk was similiar to the volcano Pacaya.Volcan Santiagiute is the most active volcano in central america and I must have seen it spew smoke up to 3-5 00 meters at least four times.We were further away from the volcano than at Pacaya and didn,t see any lava flow.The hike to the view point..Mirador...was very beautiful with men working in the fields and Mayan women walking to fro the small village LLina de Pinar from where we started.
On Sunday i went to Chichicastenega for the sunday market.Similiar to Amtigua only larger and more of a Mayan presence.The bus ride to and from Xela was quite a hoot.We took the chicken bus...jan packed returning.Up switcchback rods and through corn fields and small villages.
I have now completed three days of language instruction.I,m picking up a lot .It is pretty intense but the one to one instructors are nice.I,m finding the pronunciation a probblem and am only picking up a fraction of what I hear.This is not a course for the self conscious.This afternon we visit a local chocolate factory as an optional activity.Each day they have activities...and on the weekends too.This weekend I can go to the Pacific coast for two days...cost 600 quetzales...or another hike to a volcano..over night.I might just go solo to San Marcos a small city nearby.
My home stay is going well but being with them makes me miss you folks.The family is pretty poor but they laugh a lot.Only the ยบ14 yr old speaks english aand then limited.I should have brought some gifts for the girl.
On Sunday i went to Chichicastenega for the sunday market.Similiar to Amtigua only larger and more of a Mayan presence.The bus ride to and from Xela was quite a hoot.We took the chicken bus...jan packed returning.Up switcchback rods and through corn fields and small villages.
I have now completed three days of language instruction.I,m picking up a lot .It is pretty intense but the one to one instructors are nice.I,m finding the pronunciation a probblem and am only picking up a fraction of what I hear.This is not a course for the self conscious.This afternon we visit a local chocolate factory as an optional activity.Each day they have activities...and on the weekends too.This weekend I can go to the Pacific coast for two days...cost 600 quetzales...or another hike to a volcano..over night.I might just go solo to San Marcos a small city nearby.
My home stay is going well but being with them makes me miss you folks.The family is pretty poor but they laugh a lot.Only the ยบ14 yr old speaks english aand then limited.I should have brought some gifts for the girl.
Later Nov 4th
Bare with my spelling.I can barely read the keyboard. so many of the keys are worn out.And each terminal is different...nany different ways to sign on...You can imagine how I look conpared to the others banging away on the keyboards beside me....Anyway...I just finished my empanada class.Eight other students mostly younger but a few close to my age.About eight of us...americans,English and australian.I am stuffed.Lots of things to do here although today is chilly and raining off and on.The school is a few blocks fron the central park surounded by the church..government building etc etc..I forgot how interesting the streets are.Narrow,cobble stoned with supernarrow sidewalks...The front of the houses are similiar..irongrated windows and closed steal,iron or wooded doors...flat roofs...Every house opens up inside to a court yard....I am definately speaking spanish a lot.
Tonight I do sone home work...read the Pena Libra newspaper...go to bed early....
Tonight I do sone home work...read the Pena Libra newspaper...go to bed early....
Nov 4 2010 Arrival in Xela
Well I didn·t have any problems getting to Xela...picked up at the airport and driven to the Almos bus station for a 5 hour drive to Xela.There were numerous places where avalances had blocked two lanes of the four lane Pan American highwy.The steep nountain slopes and rosion is incredable.I arrived at Celas Maya at 4pm and was assigned my home stay family.A young boy named Carlos,14 yr old,came to get me for the 10 minute walk to his home. The house front looks like a garage door on a busy street with a small entry door.You know the situation.Everything is locked up and gated..Imside things are pretty basic but OK.There is a man..Jugo and his wife Patricia and two chidren-Anna age 9 and Carlos age 14.Upstairs lives a nephew Elgin who is studying to be an architect. Elgin,s mom and sister were also visiting.It,s hard making small talk in a foreign language..I,m always searching for words.The house is long and built back from the street with no yard whatsoever.Fortunately the bathroom is beside my room..Floors are tiled and bedrooms rustic..plaster cracking walls ..ill fitting doors..few windows to let light in.There is a sitting room that look like a little family shrine.Pictures of family and religious symbols.A prominant bible..I watched TV for a while..the news of course.No one speaks english.For supper I had scramled eggs and refried beans...plus bread.I was pretty tired so went to bed about 8m...My room is small but sufficient....It gets dark here around 6:30 pm.I slept well because the trip tired me out...especially having to wait in LA for 5 hours and then sleep in a crowded plane.
Today I had my first langage class,It was for 5 hours straight..half hour break...with 4 yr old Carlos...I enjoyed it...he is funny and entertaining...No one converses in Enlish.I talked generally about family ,work,economics politics.There are about 12 other students here .The schol is comfy...internet cfe...nice court yard where yoou sit with individual instuctors...free coffee...This afternoon I may partake in a cooking class to make empanadas.On saturday I can join I hike to a nearby volcano..The largest actvevolcano in central america.Sundy there is a tour to Chichicastenaga.I don·t think I will be bred here.It is chilly at niht-glad I bought pajamas-but sunny and warm during the day.,
So far so good...
Today I had my first langage class,It was for 5 hours straight..half hour break...with 4 yr old Carlos...I enjoyed it...he is funny and entertaining...No one converses in Enlish.I talked generally about family ,work,economics politics.There are about 12 other students here .The schol is comfy...internet cfe...nice court yard where yoou sit with individual instuctors...free coffee...This afternoon I may partake in a cooking class to make empanadas.On saturday I can join I hike to a nearby volcano..The largest actvevolcano in central america.Sundy there is a tour to Chichicastenaga.I don·t think I will be bred here.It is chilly at niht-glad I bought pajamas-but sunny and warm during the day.,
So far so good...
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