Our Cactus Elena

We bought this cactus last december in nursery in San Miguel Dueñas a town just outside Antigua. I highly recommend this place to buy flowers they are considerably less expensive and they have a great variety.

Anyway I have to blog about this interesting cactus which is an Opuntia Rufida and we have named Elena (like the daughter of Zeus from the Iliad). Just recently it grew this sprout we are waiting to see what will happen next!

MR. COLUMPIO

The word porch was a word I learned in my US elementary textbooks but could not experience it. At least in the city, where I grew up, back then there were no houses with porches. Porches always seemed so romantic particularly with a swing on them. 

Later I moved to the US and in every house we lived I thought "ok as a house warming gift lets put a swing in our porch", but I guess we were never long enough in a house to get one or as a dear friend says -it was just not the time then- .

Three weeks ago going to Peten I saw this place in Sanarate, El Progreso and my childhood/youth/adult dream kicked in again!!! So Friday going to Cobán I stopped and met this man who calls himself "Mr. Columpio" ( Mr. Swings). I gave him and advance payment and agreed to pick up the swing on my way back on Sunday, that he was to do over the weekend. Here we are in my new swing… never to late to make big and small dreams come true. 

BTW the swing was $60.00… pretty good right? It is a little rough quality but we shall apply some love to it to dude it up a little bit!!!

 PS. Still in the dream list the swing in the porch of a quaint yellow house.

Meat Vendor

Meet vendor in the fork going left to Playa Grande Quiche and right o Chisec Coban km 258.
Saturday and Wednesday are market days.

Güisquil with egg

OMG there is something abou this dish that I just love!!!!
The güisquil grows in a vine and is mostly water but I just love it, as a salad as chilaquilas (watch my video on how to make them) or like this with egg.

San Pedro Pinula

San Pedro Pinula is a town in the eastern land of Jalapa.
The church surely dates back more than two centuries
The big town square has a basquetball court and an area for sitting or holding gatherings.
The market is behind the church it is small yet busy and quaint.

Jutiapa Quesada and Juan Chapin

Pristine church at the town of Jutiapa Quesada a surprisingly fair size town off the highway. 

Investigating and asking the locals we found out this was at some point of time home to the famous literarian Jose Milla y Vidaurre who went also under the pen name Salome Jil.

I had forgotten he was the creator of the character "Juan Chapin" in the book "Un viaje al otro mundo pasando por otras partes" here is the link to download it: http://ia600403.us.archive.org/22/items/unviajealotmun03jilsguat/unviajealotmun03jilsguat.pdf

Jutiapa

View of Jutiapa from the third floor of the Regional Offices of the "Ministerio" of Education.

Road construction

In Guatemala a road construction is a disruption for some and a blessing for others.

One lane is closed so one direction is halted giving the opportunity to vendors to sell their goods. It is a wonderful chance to taste the local food. In this stop in Santa Rosa going to Jutiapa we savored "Pacayas" battered in eggs.

1 Billion Standing

At Central Park Zone 1. Dancing against violence towards women!

San Franciso Peten

San Francisco, Peten, is a town about 15 minutes south drive from Flores.
We swung by it yesterday for work and I was impressed of how clean the town is, in addition there are at least 3 private schools and a big technical training center run by the government.
Because of its proximity to the "cabecera" capital of Peten, main work and commerce is done in Flores.
In the picture the well maintained central park. One could just pitch a tent and live in the middle of the soccer field!

My heart grew two sizes this Holiday

This is my third January in this house, yet I have not noticed these flowers.

I am so excited!!! It brought me back to my first spring in the USA. Since in Guatemala we live in eternal spring I had never seen spring coming. I was so sad I couldn not stand winter anymore so when signs of life started appearing I noticed everything! First the tulips and the the "fake pear" trees... which looked very similar to this one outside my window in Guatemala.

I think either my heart grew two sizes this Holiday and that allowed me to notice this sign of life or it is in fact a sign of a new era. Spring is in the air!

TE QUIERO: TE CHIRREPECO

The fun play of words when someone asks coffee or tea?  Café o té? Then a witty reply is "Te quiero" which can be interpreted as "I want tea" or "I love you".

The Chirrepeco Tea, is a "traditional" black tea grown organically by a coop in San Juan Chamelco, Alta Verapaz.  It is named Chirrepeco because the first plantation was near a cave and in Queckchi language, "chirrepec" means "beside the cave". I have to say it is also very exciting to read in coop's webpage that they seem to be very intentional about gender equality.

The original packaging of the tea is almost magical. I was given two days ago the two boxes in the picture and as I am writing this post I am boiling water to prepare what it evokes an image of a magic potion, sold by a merchant with an unstoppable sales pitch and bought by all with faith that will cure all pains and perhaps even bring love!

I have yet to visit,  seems like a fabulous trip, the ECO TOUR of the plantation. I will make it a point to go this year as I go out and venture into my new projects in that region.

Water is ready.... Let's see what magical things this day will bring as I start it with a cup of hot Chirrepeco tea!

Public Bus self description

Feeling, elegance and evil are the words written on this bus.
Public Buses and transportation in Guatemala are a total disaster but can't argue with the owners' creativity to decorate them. I wonder what this bus driver concept of elegance is?

Santiago Sacatepequez

Santiago Sacatepequez is a windy town know for the gigantic kites flown in November 2nd but in my last and recent visit I discovered another highlight of Santiago: It's soccer field/stadium with probably one of the best views in town.
The picture does no justice, do check it out if around. Every time I run into these magical places I think again what a a privilege it is to live, play, work and love in such a beautiful country!

Erick Barrondo amongst Convite's famous Characters

At San Lucas Toliman the New Year's Parade (convite) is put up by a company of dancers dressed up as cartoon characters, super heroes and amongst them a first: A Guatemalan Olympic Super Hero.

There ate of each. The two Erick Barrondo's in the pic! (Erick Barrondo won the Silver Medal 20k race walk in London 2012)

HOME MADE FLOATIES

There is a saying I love: "No necesito tecomates para nadar" I don't need gourds to swim, meaning you are self sufficient or confident to do your own thing. The expression comes from using gourds as floaties to swim.

In this pic a boy en Santiago Atitlan swimming with modern gourds: two empty double liter bottles of soda tied with a string.

Chow Mein Tostadas

I have heard about them but never eaten one. Yesterday I ate two. They have become a staple to be found with street food vendors. They are cheap, filling and easy eat... no forks required. This one was prepared by Blanquita was gracious to feed us at the posada she received her house!

17 years old in Guatemala.

Yesterday I went to purchase my Christmas tree at a farm and met this boy in the picture.

The story: He is from Alta Verapaz works in Chimaltenango (about 9 hour travel going through the city). He has been working in the farm for 1 year (and seemed contet with it) They do about three 3-month engaments. He lives at the farm with 50-100 men, they plant, trim and cut trees.

He finished 7th grade and says he wants to study but with this type of work he can't and probably never will.
I talked to him about a high school program on the radio and he seemed interested, since in his dialect he yelled at his friend the frequency of the station. Will he be driven enough to find out? Will he be encouraged by his peers? At work will they let him go register?

It takes a personal commitment of everyone in Guatemala to raise the level of education of our Nation. We all know someone who is not schooled and some of us, if we have people working for us, do even more. Ourselves and our companies need to commit to setting the conditions to raise the education level of those who work with us.

Echando el Lustre

At corner in Zone 1..... Morning ritual. Some start the day with a Starbucks others with a shoe shine.

Breakfast at Central Market

Guatemala city is a very often skipped destination for most tourists, yet there are many places to enjoy and experience the local feel.

In the picture having breakfast with friends at the multilevel Mercado Central in Zone one Guatemala city. Women call in customers as they pass by people, lottery ticket vendors walking through the aisles and an athmosphere of commerce!

Great way to start the day then walk through produce vendors sorrounded by color, then move up one floor to the handcrafts level.