thefouramigosblog

Today we had the good fortune of being able to sleep in.  I didn’t realize I was going to need the extra rest – how hard is it holding babies and changing diapers?  Our day started off very slowly.  Bruce caught a great shot of Fuego, which had made a few booms in the night.

We went down to the park looking for Hernan, the cab driver.  Bruce wanted to set it up to have him take me and pick me up at Casa Jackson.  He wasn’t around so I hopped into a tuk tuk for the short ride out of town.  I arrived at Casa Jackson just before 2 to a lot of chaos and confusion.  Babies crying, little ones running around and I don’t know Spanish.  An American woman was teaching English and she stepped in to help get me started.

My charges for the day were two sisters and a brother ages 3, 4, and 5.  Oh my!  My first thought was what did I get myself into.  I couldn’t even communicate with them.  So what did I do?  I put them in laundry baskets and started pushing them around.  All giggles and smiles.  I think I won them over.  We counted in Spanish, played paddycake and did some coloring.  And it wasn’t even 3:00 yet.  I was exhausted.

Next thing I know I was handed a bottle to feed a little one who doesn’t want to eat.  She is extremely malnourished but hopefully she will start to eat.  I changed her, held her and she fell asleep in my arms.  That was a very sweet moment.

Oh yes and one child had head lice.  And I know from experience if one child has head lice all of them will if they don’t get treated.  I’m not sure they are aware of this and I tried to convey this to the person in charge.

It was a rewarding day.  One little boy who was probably 10 months old, was crying a lot.  I started playing with him and I put him in the window.  Someone walked by with two dogs and he started smiling and waving.  I gave him little kisses on the back of his neck and he giggled.  There is nothing like a baby’s giggle.  Precious moments.

They need a lot of help at Casa Jackson, and will need even more when they move to the new location.  I plan to go back after we return from our week travels around Guatemala.  And by the way, I went to a pharmacy and treated my head for lice.  Not taking any chances.

Bruce and Hernan picked me up at five.  Bruce and I went to Cafe Barista for a smoothie and for some time to unwind.

We met a friend for coffee and then had dinner at Dona Luisa.  For dinner we both had 3 egg omelets with tomatoes, onions, and avocado.  It was delicious.

Thursday night and a lot is happening around town.  We stopped by Compania de Jesus where a jazz band was playing.

At San Jose el Viejo, an engagement party was taking place.  They were setting off heart shape hot air balloons.

It was a busy night in Antigua.  For me, I spent ten minutes with  medication in my hair hoping to prevent lice.  Such is life!

 

 

Santa Teresita is a hotel and spa offering thermal pools heated from the volcano Pacaya.  Wasn’t it fitting that we would ease our weary bones at this lovely oasis.  

We bought a package that included the use of the pools, the thermal circuit, towels, and a 75 minute couples massage using volcanic rocks.

The first stop was the thermal circuit.  It was wonderful entering the 105 degree pool for 10 minutes, and we had to submerge our heads every minute, but then we had to go into the 75 degree pool.  Holy cow was that cold.  Bruce being from Maine seemed to get in much quicker then me.  Each inch on my body sent shudders up my spine.  After a very slow start I finally made it in and then begrudgingly I put my entire head under.  And I was paying to do this.   Yikes!

10 minutes and next stop was 95 degrees and then another 10 and 85.  I could feel my legs tingly when I went from one pool to the other.  All of this is supposed to ease muscle aches but also help with circulation.

Then  back into the 105 degree pool.  Unfortunately, we ended in the cold pool.  But the second time around it seemed easier.  And I was able to dunk my head under – no problemo.

We had lunch with a couple, Deborah and Corey, whom we met on the shuttle to Santa Teresita.  I ate a salad which was wonderful.  Unfortunately, I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture.  But it had avocado, hearts of palm, tomatoes, mixed greens, olives, and chicken.  Yummy.  Lunch finished we were off to our massage.  Bruce was not looking forward to it because he doesn’t like massages, but the hot stones made him a convert.  What a wonderful way to spend a day.

We forgot to take take a selfie as well, but I took a picture of Deborah and Corey as we waited in the massage waiting area.

It was a lovely spa day and hopefully we will get a chance to go here again.  The total cost to do all that including lunch and tips was $86 per person.  What a deal!

 

 

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!