thefouramigosblog

D-Day – June 6, 1944 is a day of remembrance, especially on the northern coast of France. We arrived in Cherbourg, France today and had arranged a ship tour to Some of the WWII Sites.  From the tour bus we could see a fort out on the water.

The countryside was lovely with centuries old buildings with slated roofs and whitewashed brick along with 13th century churches and cemeteries.

We arrived at the Azeville Gun Battery with winds howling but the sun shining.  It was very cold.  The gun battery was a subterranean network and complete defense system created by the Germans during the war.

During the war, the German camouflaged the buildings to look like houses to the Allied forces flying over the country.

Walking through the underground network was a little claustrophobic, especially since there were so many people going through.

Utah Beach was our next stop.  We arrived at low tide.

There was a US assault landing craft on display which was called a Higgins Boat.

Approximately 22,000 were constructed during WWII and used in The Normandy invasion.

There were several monuments to the sailors and soldiers who came ashore at Utah Beach.

Our final stop on the tour was the town of Sainte-Mere Eglise which was made famous in the movie the Longest Day.  The  famous church where Red Buttons landed his parachute in the movie still has a parachute and mannequin hanging from the rafters.

The church which was built in the 12th and 13th centuries had beautiful stained glass, which was not from that time period.

It was a beautiful church.

We went through a WWII museum in the town which had air planes from the war.

A group of children were dressed in WWII costume at the museum learning about French history in the war.

After our tour of the museum, Bruce and I went to a Cafe for some coffee and pastries.

For dinner we ate at Alfredo’s on the ship and then went to see a great show.

What a great day!

Last night we fell asleep, a restless sleep in anticipation of arriving in Ponta Delgada. The Azores as Americans say it or how they say it in Portuguese, Acores with a little s in the c.  From our balcony we gazed upon luxury yachts surrounded by a quaint city with mountains, whose peaks were hidden behind thick gray clouds.

I had booked a trip through the cruise critic site with 3 other couples and I knew we would be protected from the elements in a mini tour van.

We met up in the lobby of the ship and disembarked together.  We found our driver waiting at the gate- a very informative man who spoke English well.

Our first observation was what an amazingly clean island it is.  The roads are excellent and there was no debris on the sides of the roads.  Just lovely flowers. They do have an abundance of hydrangeas but unfortunately they were not in bloom.  Plants were everywhere. There were also many azaleas in bloom.

Our first view was an overlook at a whale watching site.  The fog and clouds were very thick and the ocean faded in and out below.

We drove to the sea where there were giant boulders in the ocean.  These had been deposited there from s volcanic eruption centuries ago.

According to our tour guide the country was under a dictatorship for years and buildings had to be painted white.  In 1986 that changed and now colorful dwellings are found all around the island.

We stopped for a coffee break.  I had a cup of coffee and we watched a local parade.

There was a beautiful church in this town and there are churches in every village.

The weather wasn’t fully cooperating but we were hoping to see the two lakes- one blue; one green at Sete Cidades.  But the best vantage point is at the top of the mountain.  We watched as the clouds and fog parted and revealed the lakes.

At one point we were all taking pictures and another van stopped but by the time they came over the view was behind the clouds.  They waited for about five minutes and then gave up. As soon as they  were gone the clouds parted and the lakes appeared.  It was a vanishing act.

Santiago Lake was quite beautiful as well.

Our last stop around the countryside was at a 500 year old aqueduct.  It was quite amazing covered in moss over the centuries.

Since visiting bakeries in foreign countries has become part of our travels, I couldn’t resist going into this place before boarding the ship.

Bruce had the donut which was filled with cream.  Mine was a coconut filling.  Both were fresh and delicious and all for a cost of 2.85 euro.

The streets were cobblestone and arranged in an elaborate pattern.

There wasn’t enough time to explore this quaint little city since we had to be back on the ship by 1:30.  But we did walk a few blocks and I was able to capture the flavor of the city.

We really fell in love with this little island and would not mind returning to spend some more time.

 

Six days of seafull bliss.  Nothing to do but to relax, unwind, and indulge.  We have had really beautiful weather; weather I don’t think most were prepared for.  The chaise lounges are readily available at all times of day.

 

The Regal Princess also has the adults only Sanctuary, hardly necessary on this Transatlantic trip since I have only seen about four children and one teenager.

Bruce and I have now dined three times in the dining room.  One night we were seated with a couple from Toronto and another from Florida.  I had cherries jubilee for dessert.

We spend an hour each day in the spa and we discovered the perfect time when the crowds are low.  We usually use the tiled beds than the jacuzzi followed by The saunas.  We leave there feeling very relaxed.

Time changes are challenging.  Almost every night we push the clocks ahead an hour.  We have coffee delivered at 8. But then roll over and go back to sleep.  We missed working out yesterday.  So I spent some time walking the track in the afternoon.

We also found an outdoor putting green and Bruce also played in an indoor laser shooting gallery.

Last night was formal night and lobster was on the menu.  We dressed up for the occasion.

We sat with a couple from Australia, a couple from Philadelphia, and a couple from California.  We had a fun time with this group.

The show tonight was excellent.  It was all about dancing from many of the great Broadway musicals.  It was a packed house.  I have found the entertainment has been better in this ship then either Royal Caribbean or Celebrity.  We have been quite impressed.

Today was very quiet.  Our last sea day before we hit the Azores.  We went to the gym and then went to seminars on pirates  and on navigation.  I was so sleepy from clocks being pushed forward.

Tonight we went to another great show.  The violinist, Chris Watkins and a singer Andrew Diessner.  It was fabulous.

Off to bed and then up early to see the Azores!

 

Company is all gone and we had several days to wind down in Antigua.  Unfortunately, Bruce and I had colds so our last few days were uneventful.  After Keith left, we hung around the apartment reading and relaxing.  I even cooked the one and only time during our trip.  I made a spinach, tomato and cheese omelet.

Sunday we went to Cafe Barista for our morning coffee.  We stayed there a few hours  talking with some people we knew.

 

On Sunday nights a group of women meet on the corner of 6 and 6.  We meet up for Sunday supper.  Deet Lewis, a resident of Antigua, has been bringing women together for Sunday supper for many years.  It was a nice time at the Rainbow Cafe.

Afterwards, I met up with Bruce at Central Park and then headed home.

Monday we had lunch at the Porto Hotel.  It’s a lovely setting and I am always tempted to jump in the pool.

 

We met up with Elba who just completed a runner for me.  She had the cutest little granddaughter.

 

Later that day we had coffee with friends and said our goodbyes to those we wouldn’t see again.

Tuesday, we met our friends, Patty and Chris for breakfast at San Martin.

 

After we ate we all went to the rooftop to see the volcanoes.

 

At the park we said our goodbyes to Clara.

 

We met up with our favorite peanut man, Manuel.  His mom, Christina and brother Carlos were there.  Carlos saw us and shouted out, “mi amigos.”

On Wednesday, we went to the park and met up with Ruth.  We said our goodbyes to Ruth and Oscar.

We had lunch at Luna de Miel, our favorite crepe place.

We could see Fuego from there but it was pretty quiet.

I had coffee with my friend Adrianna and then we said our goodbyes until next year unless I decide to go to Malaga.

For dinner we ate at our favorite little restaurant, Mamas.  I had spanakopita and Bruce had pasta.

We had a lot to pack.  I hate that about going away.  Packing up dirty clothes ykkk!

Alexandro picked us up in the morning and finally headed back to the states!

See you next year Antigua!

We had a very busy week with our friend Keith.  On Thursday we visited Finca Filadefia, a nearby coffee plantation.  It’s a nice place to visit with exceptional views.

The coffee tour started in the nursery with all the baby plants.

We picked a bean and squeezed it.  The juice tasted sweet.

The laborers pick about 100 lbs. a day for very little money.  The women graft the robust coffee root to the Arabic coffee root to keep the plants from dying due to a pest in the soil.  Women do this work because of the Ph levels in their hands.

After the tour in the fields, we went to the place where they dry the beans.

The workers turn the beans to aid in the drying process. Their coffee is used in Guatemala and they also ship to the US.  They have the Starbucks account.

We ended in the roasting area and to go there we had to darn hairnets and wash our hands.  The boys looked so cute!

The equipment was not running when we were there but the guide said they ran it earlier in the day.  I think they roast two times a week.

We ended the tour with a taste of the coffee.  It was delicious.

Finca Filadefia also offers canopy tours and Keith decided to stay and do that.  He said the first section was short and easy.  He decided to do the second canopy tour which took him over the canyon.  All I can say is he said, OMG!

For dinner we ate at the Porto Hotel.  I had chicken, Bruce had vegetable lasagna and Keith had squash ravioli.  I liked mine but I don’t think Bruce or Keith were impressed.

For dessert I had tres leche cake and Keith had fried dough in sugar cane syrup.  Not that we needed more sweets.

On Friday, William picked us up at 7:30 to go to the Pacific Ocean and the town of Monterrico.  On our way out of town, Fuego was puffing away!

There is a turtle sanctuary here but unfortunately it was past the season.  But they had some cool reptiles!

I was in dire need for caffeine so we went for breakfast. I think I screwed up their timelines to accommodate a breakfast break.  I had pancakes with fruit, Keith had a crepe and Bruce had a typical Guatemalan breakfast.

After breakfast, we each received a mangrove plant to plant in the mangroves.

William came along with us as well as Jorge.  Jorge was our interpreter.  We climbed aboard an unmotorized boat that the captain paddled and steered with a long paddle stick.

We saw a lot of birds and the ride was very tranquil.

We also saw white pelicans.

We rode around for quite sometime, even going in among the mangroves.

We finally reached a little island where we planted our mangrove trees.   I shouldn’t say we.  I let Bruce do it for me since the ground was so soft you could sink in up to your ankles.

The rest of the ride was lovely.  Although very hot here, we had a nice breeze.

The rest of the day we spent at the beach.  It’s a black sand beach due to the volcanoes.

The boys frolicked in the surf as I took photos.  It looked a little rough for me.  That’s Keith being consumed by a wave.

Even William joined in the fun!

What a great day we had!

We said our goodbyes to Jorge and thanked him for being our interpreter.  On our way out of town, we did stop by an ice cream place to get smoothies.  Even in Guatemala you can find ice cream by the beach.

For our last night eating out with Keith, we ate at Samsara, a vegetarian restaurant.  Bruce and I shared baba ganoush with pita and onions, tomato, avocado and mozzarella on a baguette.  Keith had some vegan noodle dish.

It turned out to be a great meal!

We said our farewells to Keith!  It was a fun time and we enjoyed showing him around our favorite city.

I think we are going to rest today!

Last year we made a trip to Lake Atitlan and spent two nights there.  We were quite disappointed since we had high expectations.  Not knowing where to go, we spent one night in Panachel and one night on San Marcos.  Panachel is similar to most port towns.  People living on the fringe, many hustlers and overcrowded.  San Marcos, noted for its yoga and meditation venues, was more a place for California trust fund babies.  What I wanted was an atmosphere untainted by westerners; a place where the Mayan culture prevails.  We found that on this trip.

William, our driver and our amigo since we met him last year, picked us up at 6:30.  Our friend Scott was coming with us since he had never been to Lake Atitlan.  Fuego was puffing a little on this morning.

 

Our first stop was to Katok, a friendly, roadside restaurant.

 

We had a good breakfast.  I opted for yogurt, fruit and granola.

 

While I was waiting for food, I bought a sheep fur lined jacket which works for Bruce and I.  He was cold so he got first dibs.

In the distance we could see Fuego puffing away.  As we approached the lake, we stopped at an overlook.  It was a beautiful morning.

 

Once in Panachel, William turned us over to the care of David, who was to be our guide for the day.  We found our boat and we were on our way to San Juan La Laguna.

 

It was absolutely magnificent on the water.  A crisp breeze and a little wave action made the ride exhilarating.  And the lakes three volcanoes majestically rose from the  lake.  This was proving to be a much better trip already.

On arrival we saw the tiny wooden boats the locals use to go fishing.

San Juan is a quaint town steeped in Mayan tradition.  Our first visit was to an art gallery of a local Mayan woman.  Her art was so interesting, I bought a small piece  of artwork.

 

There were several art galleries on the main road.  There was also an herbal garden where we learned about the different herbs to make medicines.

 

A Mayan calendar was carved in a wall along the upper part of the main road.

The street art was very interesting.  David explained the meaning of each piece.  One was about courtship, one about coffee beans, another a more abstract piece reflecting thoughts and power of the mind, and another about childbirth with a midwife.

 

The most interesting stop was to Casa Flor Ixcaco.  This was a coop of weavers who grow the cotton in the mountains, clean it and turn it into thread all by hand.  They use natural plants, trees, fruits and coal for dye.  Johana demonstrated the entire process.  I even had the opportunity to clean the cotton removing seeds.  It was not easy.

 

After cleaning the cotton, they meld the pieces together and use a long double tong tool to make the fibers smooth and soft ready for spooling.  They do this for approximately 20 minutes.  The cotton comes in three shades: white, brownish and khaki.  The next step is to start spooling thread by hand and by spindle.  This takes approximately 15 hours.

 

Johana demonstrated crushing black coal and explained how it takes about 12 hours for the cotton to absorb the natural dies.  The longer the process the darker the color.

 

Once the cotton is dyed and dried, they begin to work on the threading of the yarn.  This can take a week or more.

With the yarn prepared, the weaving begins utilizing a back strap loom.

There were so many beautiful items to choose from.  I settled on this lovely scarf.

We also visited a Catholic Church.  On San Juan the Mayan and Catholic religions live in harmony.

Our last stop before heading to the boat was at a chocolate making shop.  It was interesting and we had the opportunity to try orange chocolate.

Back to the boat we headed towards Santiago.  This town did not have the quaintness of San Juan.  Everywhere there were people selling their goods.

We found our way to a restaurant where we had lake black bass.  It was delicious.

After lunch we headed to the central square.  David introduced us to a Mayan woman who demonstrated how a traditional head ware is worn.

Even a Guatemalan coin was developed honoring the Mayan culture.

We visited the Catholic Church in the town center.  The men dress in traditional Mayan garb in San Juan La Laguna.  They were preparing the church for Easter.

There was a relief of Lake Atitlan in the Central Park where people gather.  I really love the artwork everywhere.

David took us down tiny alley ways passing colorful buildings and a carpentry shop which specializes in coffins.  We ended at a Shaman’s house but we could not photograph.  The burning of sage was overwhelming in the small room where a coffin with a body was in the corner.

It was time to head back to the boat for our return to Panachel.  It was slightly rougher on the lake but the fishermen were out in their boats. A party boat was rocking along.

It was a long day but a wonderful experience.  As we headed out of town the sun was  in the process of setting.

What a wonderful day we had at the lake.  It gave me a whole new perspective and appreciation for Lake Atitlan.

Today we had a quiet day.  We took a walk to town and checked out another restaurant behind a wall.

We had afternoon coffee at Cafe Boheme where we had our favorite pastry in all Antigua.

For dinner we ate at Zoolas and had a delicious dinner of vegetables with tahini.

As we walked home, another wedding was taking place at San Jose el Viejo.  What a wonderful place to be.  We love Guatemala.

Valentine’s Day – no run of the mill restaurant for us.  Bruce and I and his friend Scott had a marvelous breakfast/brunch at Las Farolas.  I had banana pancakes, Bruce had an omelet and Scott had a Chapin breakfast.

After our delicious meal, we walked around the luscious grounds of the hotel. As with everything in Antigua, this garden is behind locked doors.

There were beautiful and exotic flowers everywhere.

The day was unusually cool and the air moist.  We were anticipating rain but decided to walk to the park.  It was a quiet day in the park, possibly due to the weather.  Not much happening there so we visited Wilma and her sister Elda, and watched as they worked.

 

For dinner, we walked to Como Como, a restaurant we heard was one of the best in Antigua.  Across the street were some ruins and they looked impressive in the night light.

The inside of the restaurant was lovely and we sat out in the courtyard.  We had dinner with Scott, Martha and Ted.

I had a pasta dish with shrimp and squid; and Bruce had chicken cordon blue.  It was all delicious.

Today we met up with Patty and Chris and went to the market.  Our first stop was to visit Samuel, a local artist.  I bought two little paintings for my kitchen.

It was alive with activity and the veggies looked amazing.

When we walked through the meat section, I seriously thought about becoming a vegetarian.

We had had a great lunch at a rooftop restaurant that specializes in crepes.  We had a chicken, mozzarella, pesto crepe that we split and then a strawberry crepe for dessert.

It was a delightful place for us to hang out with friends.  The view of Fuego was great.

I always marvel over the textures and colors of buildings, whole or in disrepair.

This evening we had dinner at Martha and Ted’s place.  She made a delicious dinner with a side Guatemalan dish.  I brought a carrot cake from San Martin.

What a terrific way to end our day!

We had a busy couple of days.  Yesterday we had our friends, Patty and Chris, over for coffee.  After sitting around a few hours, we decided to go out walking.  We went to the market looking at all the beautiful items.  I had a piece I needed ends finished and this lovely woman, Nelly, finished it for me.

Her son, Isaac, was a great salesman.  I found quite a few great finds there.

After what seemed like hours in the market it was time to chow down.  We went to this cute little restaurant, Chez Christophe.

We had a delicious meal.  I had spatzle with mushroom and bacon.  Bruce had tuna carpaccio and Patty and Chris had a salad and pizza.

After dinner we headed home and called it a day.

Today our first stop was the park.  We ran into Ruth and made a purchase of a beautiful runner.

We had lunch at Cafe Contessa with Bruce’s friend Scott and his brother-in-law, Ted. They make a delicious tomato quiche.  After lunch we went to the bodegona which is a large supermarket.  We needed to get a few things there including bug spray to kill the little ants in our apartment.  The bodegona is always a zoo and The aisles very narrow.  I escaped with my mental health in tact though  I needed a cup of coffee to get through the afternoon.  We just happened to be passing Guate Java one of our regular coffee cafes from last year.

This evening we went to a costume party at Caoba Farms.  Actually it turned out to be a costume party for kids but Ted still dressed up.

I am clocking quite a few steps walking around Antigua.

Darren is an avid fisherman and as part of their trip to Guatemala, I booked a day fishing trip through Buena Vista Sportfishing.  Our driver picked us up at 5am sharp for our one hour drive to the coast.  On arrival the dawn was just breaking.

The driver asked if we wanted breakfast but the truth was we really were ready to fish.  Our boat the Legendary had two crewmen, Omar and Manolo and the captain, Tito.  Manolo took our pictures before we headed out.

It was a beautiful morning and the ride out of the canal to the open ocean was amazing.  There were a lot of beautiful homes along the way.

It was amazing out in the open ocean with the volcanoes in the background.

We weren’t 10 minutes out before the first sailfish hit.  Darren, the expert of the bunch, was up first.  He pulled the sailfish in quicker then we expected.  Our Captain did an awesome job, maneuvering the boat to aid in reeling in the fish.

We were ecstatic.  Adrenaline was pumping and we were all ready and waiting for the next hit.  Bruce was up next and his fish was fighting.  I was worried more about his shoulder than the fish.  But shoulder forgotten he nailed a big one.

In the midst of Bruce’s catching his quarry, another fish was on the hook.  Tracy was up and she fought and brought in a dorado.  For those who don’t know what that is, it’s called dolphin fish in the Atlantic and Mahi Mahi in Hawaii.  It was a keeper.

Next fish was mine.  It started out great, I had a sailfish on the hook. But just a few minutes into it, something happened and I had a searing pain go through my head and had a full blown migraine.

The pain was too intense so I turned the rod over to Darren.  Then Tracy finished bringing him.

I was down for the count but it was still fun watching the fishing madness on the boat.  By 8:30 we had six fish.  Two dorado and four sailfish.  It was going to be a great day.

Manolo and Omar cut up the fish and made delicious fish sandwiches.  We were eating Tracy’s catch. Later he made ceviche.

After lunch the excitement continued.  More dorado and more sailfish.

 

We had moved way above the double digits.  None of us had ever been part of such a catch.  This was not a relaxing boat ride, catching a few fish.  It was hard work and some fatigue was setting in with intermittent adrenaline.

By 4:00 pm we had scored 18 sailfish and 6 dorado.  It’s was a very successful day.

Wow what a day!!

Monday night our friends, Tracy and Darren, arrived from the US.  It was late and they had a long journey traveling, so we went to bed early.  We have a lot to see during their short visit.

We awoke yesterday morning to cloudy skies which is quite rare this time of year.  Generally the weather is sunny and between 75 and 80 degrees during February and March.  We had breakfast at Cafe Escolonia which is a nursery but also has an outdoor cafe.  Tracy and I had crepes with fruit, yogurt and granola and Bruce and Darren had a typical Guatemalan breakfast.

After breakfast we headed to the park where Tracy and Darren bought a beautiful table runner from Ruth.

We had coffee with friends and then we walked around the city admiring the ruins, and checking out restaurants and many stores.  We stopped at Nim Pot – sort of a KMart of local textiles and odds and ends.

We stopped by the park and checked out the cathedral, where I photographed Volcan de Agua.

Our six mile walk took us to La Merced, a beautiful renovated church.  It looks like it is a wedding cake.

For dinner we ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Mamas.  It’s a Mediterranean style restaurant.  Bruce and Darren had Mahi Mahi  and Tracy and I had chicken kabobs.  We also had a delicious appetizer.

Up early today for a fun and relaxing day at Santa Teresita Spa.  We began this adventure by first going through a thermal circuit which is supposed to help circulation.  The first pool was over 100 degrees but felt very nice.  As part of the process we had to completely submerge.  That was great until we had to go in the 75 degree pool.  This one felt more like 50 degrees.

After that 10 minutes in 98 degrees and 10 minutes in 88 degrees.

Then we had to start all over.  Most was wonderful with the exception of the frigid pool.  I’m not sure if it improves circulation but I definitely felt relaxed afterwards. As part of the spa package we were given warm, cozy robes.  Instead of Laing in the sun, we walked about the spa and climbed to the highest level.  Great views of Pacaya Volcano which provides the waters to the spa.

After a nice lunch we all enjoyed a 75 minute massages.  What a way to spend a day.

For dinner we ate at Las Farolas, just down the street from our apartment.  Tracy had pasta, Darren and I had a combination of Guatemalan food and Bruce had the Guatemalan lasagna.  All served with fresh baked bread.

To bed early tonight, we have to be up at 4am to go fishing!