thefouramigosblog

After two days of a lot of exercise, it would have been nice to sleep in but the cleaning lady was coming at 8:00 so it was rise and shine.  Off we went with reading materials in hand to Cafe Barista to spend some time while the apartment was being cleaned.  We ate breakfast there and then after an hour or two headed back to the apartment.  We did make another stop for more food – this time pastries – at San Martin.  With Barbara gone we still keep on eating.

In the afternoon, I scheduled a tour of the Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados and Casa Jackson.  I decided to do some volunteer work at Casa Jackson, a temporary home for infants to five year olds who are malnourished and need specialized care.  To get there Bruce and I took another tuk tuk ride because the center was a bit out of town in the suburb of San Felipe.

 

The organization, The God’s Child Project, is based out of the United States and provides education, health care, and housing to people in need.  The Association in Guatemala has a sponsorship program without a minimum contribution amount. If anyone is interested in sponsoring a Guatemalan child, you get to pick the child from photos, and communicate with him or her.  Kendall, the director, said the children feel very proud when they get sponsored and that encourages them to get better grades and work harder.  All children are treated equal, however, whether they are sponsored or not or if they are sponsored by someone who sends $500 a month or $10 a month.

The center is a wonderful place.  For many of these children who live in homes with no windows, dirt floors and minimal food, they are fed breakfast and lunch and they have a very beautiful place to come every day.  The mothers can come here as well and go to groups which address parenting issues as well as life skills.

They are currently building a soccer field and gardens.  Casa Jackson is temporarily located down the road from the center until the end of the month when they have the grand opening at the centers location.  At the current location they can only accommodate 13 children but at the new location they will be able to accommodate up to 40.

On Thursday I begin holding, bathing, feeding and just doing anything I can to help out with these adorable little children.  My biggest obstacle will be my limited Spanish.  I will just have to keep working on that.

The rest of the day was pretty restful.  We had a smoothie in the afternoon at Cafe Barista.  I know it sounds like we are spending a lot of time there.  They do have good wifi and good coffee.  For dinner we had Bruce’s leftover pasta, an avocado-tomato salad and bread.   It was nice staying home , allowing our muscles to rest from the last couple of days.

Life is good in Guatemala!

 

I must say I have been feeling dread and trepidation over the whole climbing a volcano thing.  Not that I’m getting too old.  Never that.  But in my 30s I developed asthma and sometimes when I exercise I have difficulty breathing.  So that being said, I decided to go for it anyway.  Armed with my inhaler and a scarf to cover my nose and face if the dust or lava ash was too much, I was ready to go out and face Pacaya.  Bruce, of course, is in great shape for “an old guy” and I think Barbara had her own concerns about making the climb.  We all wore brave faces as we walked to Old Town Outfitters, hoping no young, energetic people were going to join our group.

Our group consisted of two younger couples, one from Chicago the other from Holland.  Luckily neither couple was too young although they did prove to be in far better shape then us.   Our guide was a young Guatemalan man named Diego.  He proved to be kind, patient and helpful along the way.  We drove over an hour getting acquainted with each other.  Everyone was excited about the climb.

Our first part part of the climb was very steep.  My fear and trepidation raised to new heights.  I took about 10 to 15 steps and I was already out of breath.  Meanwhile the guys on horses waited patiently for me to fall victim to failure.  But I’m not a quitter.  I wasn’t ready to give in after a few steps.  So what if the younger couples were so far ahead I couldn’t see them anymore.  I was going to enjoy this climb and I didn’t have to make it a marathon.  I wanted to take pictures, enjoy the moments and feel satisfied that I accomplished climbing a volcano.  I slowed down, stopped when I needed to and kept my breathing under control.  All the time the views were amazing.

Edwin (mono), the other guide, knew a lot about plants.  At one point he painted all our faces with orange material from a plant.  After reaching a split in the trails, the group decided to break up.  The “younguns” decided to take the longer route with Edwin and Diego stayed with Bruce, Barbara and I.  Guess which way the horses went? They lurked behind waiting for us to give in.  At one point, another party went by, all on horse back.  They didn’t look bedraggled but very relaxed.  Again I started rethinking this horse idea but it became a matter of pride and I wanted to prove to myself I could do this.

Once we were on our own, I really started feeling more relaxed.  I no longer had to worry about holding up the others and I could take my time and enjoy the moment.  At one point, we passed a woman cutting up oranges on the trail.  Barbara bought one and shared with Diego.

Our trip trip up had quite a few stops and Diego was extremely patient and encouraging.  Finally the horse guys gave up, realizing we weren’t going to give up or give in.  With one last steep hurdle we made it to the top.

Well we didn’t actually make it to the top.  It’s not safe since the volcano is very active.  We made it to a crater and now began descending into a crater with lava rock.

We met up with the other group just in time to roast marshmallows on lava rocks and to have lunch.

After a delicious lunch that Diego and Edwin prepared, we were ready for the hike back.  Walking through the lava fields was what I would think it would look like walking on the moon.  There was something surreal about it.  And with the giant Pacaya constantly spewing molten lava it was a sight to see.

The trip down was much easier and faster then the trip up.  The only thing was if you miss stepped you could go sliding down on your butt.  The lava rock and dust was very slippery.

We we made it down safe and sound – proud but tired.  We felt like conquerors. I nodded off with the bouncing of the van on our way back to Antigua.  When we arrived, I barely could stand up.  My Fitbit for today read over 20,000 steps and 167 staircases.  That too me is an accomplishment.  I may not have sprinted to the top but I made it on my own two feet.  A nice, warm shower and a change of clothes, I was ready to go out to dinner for Barbara’s last night.  We went to the closest restaurant which was Italian and had pasta.  She’s leaving at 4 am so we said our goodbyes tonight.  I’m going to miss her but we sure did have some exciting moments while she was here.

 

 

 

 

I’m not an early riser.  That’s an understatement.  The only time I see 4 a.m. is if I can’t sleep or I am pulling an all nighter.  But to rise and shine before the suns up or the birds are singing is a novel event.  Same goes for Bruce although he did go to work earlier then me before we began this life of leisure as retirees.

My friend Barbara, she likes those pre dawn hours and today’s event is, I believe, one of her most favorite things to do.  Bird watching.  Yep. Bird watching which appears to be an early morning activity.  So up and out, we waited on the street for our driver from Finca Filadefia to show.  Pick up time was scheduled for 5:15.  As 5:20 approached I felt the beginning of panic start to rumble within my psyche.  But before it became a major eruption, I heard the clankety clank of the giant Finca Filadelfia 4 wheel drive tankers.  Actually their kind of cute but big, and you get a birds eye view of everything around you.

Saulo, the driver, introduced himself and informed us he was going to be our guide.  His English was excellent and he had us climb on board.  We were heading up the mountains.  Wow!  There were awesome views but the road was rather terrifying if you have a fear of heights.  We climbed to an elevation of over 7000 feet on a single lane dirt and cobble stone road with hair pin turns and no guard rail.  It was dark so not so intimidating yet.

We made it to the top and proceeded to a viewing area. Saulo, the wonderful guide, brought along coffee and cookies to get us going.  It was about 6 in the morning – usually time for me to roll over.

Our first siting was a Rufus Collared Robin.   From a distance it looked like a plain brown bird but I put my 70 x 300 zoom on my Nikon and I was able to see there was a whole lot more to this little bird.

We were able to observe quite a few birds from this viewing area. I was thinking this birding isn’t too tough.  We saw a clay colored thrush and stellar jays.  We also saw a rabbit and a few more Rufus Collared Robins.

All seemed great until Saulo said, “Ready to go?”  Of course, I thought, thinking we were getting back in the truck and going someplace where he was going to give us another cup of coffee.  But that wasn’t his plan.  We were setting off on a four kilometer hike, in the cold without my requisite 4 cups of java.  Well, the views made up for the lack of artificial energy.  They were breathtaking.

We hiked for four hours but the time passed quickly, especially after the sun started peaking through and the gusts of wind settled down.  Saulo pointed out many birds and was great at identifying sounds.  Barbara was pleased that she saw a few birds she never saw before.  I was happy that some of my shots came out.

The blue bird in the trees above is a Stellar’s Jay and the other bird I believe is a Greater Peewee.

After this birding trip my thoughts are, let the birders be birders.  I liked the landscape, the flowers, and yes, a bird or two.

Later in the day, the first Sunday celebration of Lent was taking place in Antigua.  A procession leaves from a tiny church on the outskirts of Antigua and marches into the Cathedral on Central Park.  The streets are packed and it is an amazing Christian Celebration in Antigua.

It was a great day, seeing and doing new things.  But tomorrow comes quickly and I’m climbing an active volcano for fun!  What have I gotten myself into now! Stay tuned!

 

 

Every Saturday morning a woman named Deet walks to the farm with tourists straggling behind providing information on the farm and the neighborhood and what it was like when she came here 27 years ago.  She’s a wealth of knowledge and if you stay in Antigua long enough you may get the good fortune of meeting her.   When we arrived, Deet introduced us to Alex, the owner and champion of the Caoba Farms.

Many vendors gather Saturday morning selling their goods.  Today we bought some tomatoes from the young man selling vegetables and some sweet cakes from a woman selling baked goods.

Vendors were selling homemade salsas, coconut oils, soaps, artwork and jewelry.  Last week we bought some honey and vegetables.

At the vegetable stand, there were several veggies I had never seen before.  Deet picked it up and asked the young man what it was.  It turns out the black veggie was a radish.

Deet took us for a tour of the fields and the leafy greens were amazing.  There were many different varieties of lettuces and kale.  We saw lavender, rosemary and lemon thyme.  The fragrances strong and welcoming.  Everything lush – growing without pesticides.  There were also goats, chickens, hens and quail.  All free range.

 

After the fields we  did some shopping and then it was time to eat.  The food the Guatemalan women were cooking smelled aromatic and I was compelled to try it.  It was delicious.  It was a chicken stew with vegetables, rice and black beans.  To drink, we had rose hip iced tea.  Marvelous.

Barbara had a meal prepared by the farm which was sausage and eggs.  Here we go again talking about the food – but it is such an integral part of life here in Antigua.

To top it all off, we had live music to dine by.  Not music you would expect in Guatemala but more the sounds you’d here in southern states in the USA.

It was a marvelous way to spend a Saturday morning and a great place to buy some great food and some extras.

Siesta time and we had to pass our apartment anyway so we decided to relax for awhile.  Afterwards, we met up with Barbara and went for coffee at Cafe Estudio. Juan Jose made a bear on my cappuccino.

Saturday is a busy day by Central Park.  Vendors are out as well as street performers.  I love walking the streets taking in the myriad of sights and the bustle of the crowd.  A mime worked the crowd with a comedic style.

At the weaver’s market we saw Clara and Ruth.  Clara had a lovely woven top that she showed me.  I know she would have liked me to buy it but I was not in the market for buying today.  Barbara bought a lovely bag from Ruth.  Then we went to another shop where Barbara bought a nice t shirt.  Less food today.

For dinner this evening we stayed close to the apartment.  We went to Casa Blanca which is a small hotel.  We weren’t sure how the food would be because it was ranked only 223 out of 331 restaurants in Antigua.  But it turned out great.  I had chicken fajitas, Bruce had fish and chips and Barbara had a Mediterranean meal.  I think we were all very pleased.

To bed early tonight.  We are getting up with the birds tomorrow to do some bird watching.  A new one for Bruce and I.

 

 

The last time Bruce and I went to the macadamia farm, we saw quite a few birds.  Knowing Barbara loves her birds, I thought it would be a great place to take her.  Besides, the Macadamia pancakes are awesome and Lorenzo the owner of Valhalla is quite a character.   Our favorite cab driver, Hernan, was waiting to take us this morning.  It was a cool, crisp morning with bright blue skies and a steady breeze.  The volcanoes surrounding Antigua looked majestic.

We arrived at the same time a group of 15 showed up so I was concerned that the birding would not be as productive.  However, the pancakes were fabulous and although each order was huge we all finished everything on our plate.

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Barbara did spot a tiny yellow bird that I don’t believe she has seen before.  It put a smile on her face.

We wandered around the farm and Barbara and I had mini facials.  We spent some time talking with Lorenzo but unfortunately we did not see Emelia today.  By the time we left, I was ready to take a nap.  And it was only noon.

An afternoon rest was in order and then out for a little shopping and touring the city.  We met up with Clara and Barbara negotiated a deal.   I also want to see behind every door so I dragged Bruce and Barbara into several hotels.  Of course we needed an afternoon pick me up at Cafe Barista.

We headed home to clean up and then get ready to go out for dinner.  Looking out the window, el Fuego just peaks through the swirling clouds and you can see a faint outline of Acatenango.

For dinner we decided to eat Guatemalan.  We found a wonderful place, Restaurante Fonda de la Calle Real.  Bruce had Pepian with chicken and spices.  Barbara had a free range hen dish with a tomato based sauce and I had grilled chicken and vegetables.  The restaurant was much larger then it appeared to be.  We sat at a lovely table not far from the grill where we could watch the cooking. A woman flattened tortillas with her hands slapping them together rapidly, then placing them on the grill.  The waitresses were dressed in Guatemalan clothing and the waiters wore colorful vests.

On our way home we heard music around the park.  It is the beginning of lent and much happens in Antigua during the next 40 days.  A band was playing, there was an exhibition of religious  posters pertaining to the crucifixion of Jesus, and their were street vendors selling food along the street.  Everyone is celebrating in Antigua.

We went through the gallery and joined in the festivities for a short while and then headed home.  But before reaching home we stopped at San Martin for some baked goods.

Another day of eating our way around Antigua!

I’m not big on fast food and I usually don’t go to McDonalds in the United States, but Antigua’s McDonalds was ranked second fanciest in the world.  It used to hold the first place title until one was built in Chile.  So what was so special?  Well first of all I ordered a cappuccino medium and it was quite large.  Bruce ordered a Frappe which was quite good.  We sat outside with A volcano as a back drop.  Need I say more?

The place was clean, elegant and the it appeared to be frequented by both foreigners and Guatemalans.  There were fountains and statues adorning the inside as well.

The McCafe was separate from where one orders a main meal.  There was a children’s play area as well.

I also need to mention that they had an ordering kiosk which maybe a step above what we have in the US.

Our next stop was The Training Center of The Spanish Cooperation in Antigua.  This was part of the Compania De Jesus ruin on 4th Calle Poniente.

There was an exhibit about the world, the environment, people, etc.  Unfortunately, it was all in Spanish and we could only pick up a few words.  Another good reason to take some Spanish classes while we are here.

This training center housed a library, training rooms, a theater which is showing Charlie Chaplin films this month and a cafe.

We strolled back to the square where I ran into Clara and Ruth, two wonderful women who make beautiful scarves and table runners.

We ate in tonight.  We picked up a loaf of bread at San Martin and had pasta with sauce and an avocado-tomato salad.  It was a great dinner.

 

 

It’s funny but today I was without my camera.  Bruce and I headed to the Scandinavian Gym.  I’m really not sure why it’s called that since I was the only Scandinavian there.  In fact, I think we were the only foreigners in the place.  That being said, it was a good place to workout with a large grouping of fairly new equipment and nice free weights.  We worked out about an hour then headed back home.  I was going to try the spinning class but it wasn’t scheduled when I was there.

Instead of eating out, I made scrambled eggs with scallion, bananas and strawberries, and a half an apple pastry.  Yummy.

I met this lovely woman, Deet, who has been living in Guatemala for 23 years.  She does a number of things and one of them is massage.  It was a very relaxing and much needed massage.  We chatted for awhile after and as usual, I left Bruce waiting.  Luckily he has been married to me so long that he has grown accustomed to this.

For dinner we made pasta and sauce and then went for a walk to the square.  It’s interesting how in two weeks people are starting to know us and call out to us.

We went to Cafe Barrista where Bruce could get his favorite Caramel Macchiato.  I had a cappuccino.  Now we are home getting ready for bed because tomorrow will be a busy day.

This morning we slept in a little late but we were hearing booms from the volcano all night long.  In fact Bruce had a dream we were going to have to evacuate because Fuego was going to erupt.  I think this activity is normal though.  Just not normal for us.

I went to a 90 minute yoga class this morning and Bruce went to the gym.  Then we went to the park to meet up with his good friend Scott, who worked with him at SCANA.

We also met up Martha and Ted,  Scott’s family, who had invited us to Casa Popenoe last week.  Martha also introduced me to Ruth, another Mayan woman who had very lovely scarves and woven cloth that she was selling.

After we made our purchases we headed to a quaint, outdoor cafe  named Saberico.  I passed this place several times and had no idea how far it went out back with tables set up in all these cozy, nooks adorned with fragrant flowers and birds.

Bruce ordered Guatemalan tacos and I ate healthy with a Mediterranean salad with chicken.  My salad was very good.  We enjoyed the camaraderie and I know Bruce was happy to see Scott.

We said our goodbyes after lunch because our next stop was to visit a travel agent to book a vacation within a vacation.  You would think that spending two months in a foreign country would be enough but of course staying put in any spot for me can be a little tiresome.  My mother used to tell me I was her gypsy child because I had such wanderlust from a very young age.

Anyway, we booked a week trip first going to Semuc Champey, which is this place where the pools of water are turquoise and there are caves nearby to explore.  Then on to the Mayan ruins of Tikal for two days and then for a boat ride on the Rio Dulce on the border of Belize.  Those are the three other places we really wanted to see here.

With the deal closed and the dates set, Bruce and I headed to San Martin for cappuccino and cake.

 

It has been another lovely day in Antigua. I’m loving this life!

Yesterday was a restful day.  After a 90 minute yoga class, most of the day was spent walking around or reading in the courtyard.  We ate at the Italian restaurant that was just a block or two away.

I guess we needed the rest because we had an extremely busy day today.  We visited the rental office and peered into a few shops on the way.  By one of the ruins, we saw the floats that they will be using during the upcoming Easter events.  Antigua brings thousands of people from all over the world during lent and Easter.

Several street artists were working on the streets as we walked through the El A de Santa Catalina. We looked in several shops on our way to meet our friends in the park.

 

We met Patty and Chris who introduced us to Clara.  Clara showed me quite a few items and explained the different processes on how to make them.  She explained how to tell if it is machine made or handmade.  When handmaking a runner for a table, it can take up to two months to complete.

 

After a bit of wheeling and dealing, Clara and I made a deal and I walked away with three lovely pieces of Clara’s work.  The table pieces cost approximately $55 and her hand made scarves are about $15.  And they are beautifully made.

Patty, Chris, Bruce and I went for coffee at an off the beaten track cafe – we went through a liquor and electronic store and climbed up two flights of stairs to a lovely restaurant with beautiful views.

On our agenda was to go food shopping after coffee, but we were having such a good time and lunch sounded better.  Lunch always sounds better to me.  In fact it’s been one of my favorite things to do in retirement.  So off we went to the Cafe Sky.

I can’t believe I forgot to photograph our lunch.  Bruce said his tomato soup was the best he ever had.  My black bean soup was thick, robust and delicious.  Patty’s grilled cheese sandwich was chock full of cheese and Chris loved his lentil soup.

Lunch finished we stopped in a tienda or small convenience store for some items we were going to get at the big super market.  With all that effort we then needed a break at Cafe Estudio for an afternoon coffee.

We also checked out a few really nice restaurants along the way.  One was called Elten and the other was Eternal Primavera.  Beautiful to look at and a bit pricey but hopefully the food is good.

On the way home, I saw my little peanut man Emanuel.  He is in front of this hotel every day with his nuts, scale and bags and I usually buy a little something from him every day.  I know he looks for me and we have a little conversation in Spanish.

In the evening we met up with some other friends for coffee and conversation.  It was a very full day in Antigua.

Last Saturday we were late for the market but today we got there to enjoy the hustle and bustle and to buy a few things.  We stopped at the veggie guy and luckily we ran into a friend who could do a little negotiating.  We bought a bag filled with spinach, a green and red cabbage head, avocado, and onion.

Everything looked so fresh fresh and delicious it almost makes me want to cook.  Other vendors were selling sauces, peanut butter, oils, health food drinks, honey, and an assortment of jewelry and cloth products.  We ended up with some coconut oil, a tomato sauce good for bruschetta, and some orange clover honey.

We had planned to eat there but after taste testing so many things, we both felt pretty full.  The food at the restaurant looks pretty amazing though so we plan to go back for lunch another day.

Our afternoon was spent resting – Bruce took a nap which he never really does and felt quite good afterward.  Our cleaning help picked up our laundry this morning but had not brought it back.  We decided to leave for the rest of the day, to check out what was going on in town and to meet some friends for dinner.

I am still amazed at all the wondrous sites to see in this city.  Bruce and I took a walk down a street we had not walked and came upon Interesting architecture.

Our walk brought us back back to Central Park, where there was a show taking place with children dressed in typical Mayan costume.  The colors are so vibrant and although there is a lot of poverty, there is a strong family bond in the Mayan culture.

Many children watched the show some happy, some looking sleepy since they’ve spent many hours at the park today.

The women dressed in colorful Mayan clothing watched on or sold their wares.

Bruce and I stopped in at Cafe Contessa for smoothies.  I had pineapple and he had strawberry.  It’s a lovely little place with great pastries.

While we sat in the park waiting to meet our friends, we heard a lot of loud squawking in the tree above.  We didn’t have to go very far to see some parrots.

Dinner plans were with our new friends Patty and Chris.  They have been visiting Antigua for a few years and have given us great info on the place.  We hustled around the maddening crowd by the park to find this little Italian restaurant we read about.  No luck finding it.  Maybe it closed or the door was just too dark to see.  We ended up across the street in the Hotel Euro Maya.  I had a pollo quesadilla which was good.

After dinner we went back to Cafe Contessa for dessert.  Patty and Chris shared a banana coconut cake but Bruce stated adamantly that he wouldn’t share.  So I had to eat a whole piece of macadamia pie all by myself.  Life is tough.