Lago Atitlàn

Finally I have visited the famous waters of Lago Atitlàn.

We set out Saturday morning on what we thought to be a direct bus to Panajachel, Guatemala. Panajachel hosts one of the largest markets for Guatemalan goodies - textiles, purses, bags, bracelets, earrings, masks, flutes, food, the whole thing. We were to meet up with 9 other friends who left earlier in the day. To our surprise we transferred buses two times before arriving in Panajachel. First at a cross roads called Los Encuentros in the middle of nowhere. Thirty seconds later we boarded bus 2. When everyone exited at Sololà we followed suit and entered bus 3. This bus whirled down winding mountain roads toward the lake. A roller coaster ride on a bus packed with locals. Many wore their native clothing. Women commonly wear Mayan clothes but not men. This was my first time seeing men in native clothing, an example photo is attached.

Bus 1 - 2 hours - $2
Bus 2 - 30 min. - 30 cents
Bus 3 - 30 min - 30 cents





We arrived in Panajachel and found out the direct bus with our friends had only arrived minutes earlier and they were in a cafe 20 feet from where we exited the bus. What a lucky trip!! We ate lunch, waited for the rain to pass, and caught a bus to San Pedro, a hippie town across the lake. Boat trip - $2.50.

Now this lake is surrounded by volcanoes. Breathtaking boat trip. At the lake we found a hostel for $2.50 and set out exploring the trails around the pueblito (small town). Very tiny, many Guatemalan hippies. After a night of relaxation with Gallo cervezas in hammocks at the hostel I followed friends to the full moon party across the lake. This was more like a freightening halloween rave. It wreaked of marajuana and gasoline. Marajuana from the hippies, gasoline from the entertainment. Similar to Thailand, people swung gasoline soaked balls at the end of a chain, which were lit on fire. Entertaining yet extremely freightening when they enter the center of dancing youth while swinging the balls of fire.. the youth clear out quickly. Full moon however, masked the aweful odors with its beauty over the volcanoes and lake. I myself for the record to not smoke marajuana for reason number one because i am drug tested at my job, which starts in mere moments in Washington DC.

Back to Guatemala, on Sunday I traveled home by car with a Guatemalan friend I have here who lives in Los Angeles. We went with his cousins, uncles and siblings to a soccer game in a pueblo west of Xela (where I study). At the game I ate food served by Mayan women, meat, black beans, rice and tortillas, smothered in spicy runny salsa. This is very typical food if you have not gotten that vibe from my blog yet. It costs under $2 for the lunch. Though I had a small cautious warning emitting from my stomach (food cooked on the street- warning), I ate and enjoyed it.

Some cultural observations-

·on one bus trip a mayan women´s baby was playing with my thai bracelet. While cute, I have a small fear of making eye contact with children. There used to be rumors that foreigners would steal babies. Even in Xela, my 8 year old brother walked a few blocks home by himself after school last week. Mom was not very happy.

·there is no rush in guatemala. I have learned to say I am in a rush, but on public transportation you wait until it is full, really full. Bus, boat and taxi. The buses in Xela are small 15 passenger vans. They fill up to 22. Friday I was resting each leg a small amount on chairs, but mainly in a crack between chairs. This crack IS a chair. On buses, we ride 3 or 4 to a seat (american school bus seat) and people are more prone to sit in the first spot, not fill in the open seats. So moving through aisles is adventurous. I do enjoy this type of travel when I have nothing with me but $15.

Famous Swede

Swedish Great Ingmar Berman passed away at age 89. Have you seen his films?

another photo

found this one and let out a giggle. more to follow with time.

This weekend I visit a famous lake. Ready set travel

Top 9- And the wheels go around

1. Enrique and Yuly - The married couple who are the directors of ICA, the Spanish School. They are so energetic that they raise an already impressive school to a through the roof experience.

2. The unstoppable bus that carried me around Guatemala, and nearly home.

3. Inside the bus - the blond in the front on the right is the other student in my house.

4. A snap shot of how the 45 of us looked in the back of a pickup truck for an hour. The man on the left is Edwin, a benevolent spanish teacher. He will visit the states and most noteably Wisconsin this September with a nonprofit children´s organization this September.

5. Views driving in the pickup truck to Semuk Champey.

6. Views from the top of a lookout named Mirador overlooking the Lagoons that are Semuk Champey, one of if not the most critically acclaimed as secluded and beautiful destination in Guat.

7. Can you see me? I just finished cleansing my cave wounds in a rafting ride where 20 of us linked to each other in tiny floating devices.

8. Tikal! Mayan Ruins in the rainforest. Humid, historical and horribly facinating.

9. Tikal - one of the many ruin ascents. This one has wooden stairs. Others were the actual ruin stone climbs.

This leaves room for picture #10, that will likely appear as a new album in the near future.

Sentenced to 4 Weeks

Yesterday I served my first day in women´s jail. I will serve two or three days per week for 2 hours a day, for four weeks. This is a service opportunity through my school.

Eleven women are in the jail. They are serving for petty crimes, such as crossing the border without paying border fees or stealing small things. Unlike in US prisons and jails, the women have packed up their lives and moved into this place for up to 2 years. The women have suitcases, televisions, perfume, children, scissors and knives for cooking and sewing, and anything else you could imagine. It is an open space in the middle with side nooks of bunk beds where women have hung sheets for bedroom walls.

On my first day I chatted with a middle aged women named Sarah, older quiet women and young snappy women. We participated in a Christian serve hosted by two men from the church. The message about prostitution really touched some women who cried in the end.

Another student and I will be visiting the women for a few weeks. We can host classes in aerobics, sewing, dancing, basketball, english, massage, all sorts of things that I do not know but will soon teach.

The main issue for me is the spanish. I have a difficult time communicating delicately what I mean, and understanding the women for that part. Que horrible! I hope this changes with time.

Yesterday was also an emotional day because I listened to a man´s story about the civil war in Guatemala in the 1970s. The man´s father was involved in the war so this man fought as well starting at age 15. He grew up with the so to say guerrilas in the mountains and was engaged in the war for 17 years. His story was one I had read about in books but to hear it first hand in spanish gave me a pause. Today this man has a copy of the first guerrila radio broadcast. I guess the government was or is looking for this but so far has not found it. I did not actually hear it but other students purchased it on cd.

In other news, there may be pictures soon from the famous country tour in the unstoppable bus.

Reprise - Climbing Acatenango

Photos to follow!

Two weeks ago I climbed Volcan Acatenango. The friend with me on the summit used to work for a fancy hairdresser in California and once shampoo-ed Madonna´s hair. Also of note is the darker smoke, being smoke from an erruption on the neighboring Volcan Fuego (fire). The man raising his arms is our guide.

Today I climbed a small volcano to lago chicobal, a crater lake where Mayan people perform ceremonies.

American Cooking

Today the other student in my house and I cooked an American lunch for our family. This included cheeseburgers, pasta salad, cole slaw and rice krispie bars. The family had never seen our salad conconctions and enjoyed the rice krispie bars. Also, the american cheese slices were a hit with the kids.

I walked to the grocery store with the middle daughter age 7, Daniella. The large grocery store is in a mall like area. We rode the glass elevator the 3 floors just for fun. There were other adults and children also riding it for fun because everyone gasped every time the elevator started.

Last night the school hosted an international dinner. My contribution was cole slaw there, too. I was tempted to bring jello jigglers. Besides pumpkin pie and cassaroles (midwest) I am at a loss for American foods. Perros Caliente? Hot dogs??

Happy Saturday!

Guatemalan Winter Olymipics

Last night I played my very first game of football. All people except Americans understand this to be soccer. I played soccer!!

I was one of the student stars on our all spanish student team prepared to aid a real Guatemalan women's soccer team practice. We were all stars. That means we wee students played a real team with jerseys. It was quite the racket. My stretch pants and favorite teal shirt with bleach spots made a perfect uniform. Since I do not know soccer regulations, it was lucky that the game had very few. No off sides, just do not touch the ball with your hands (manos) and run a lot. So I did. I had many missed goal shots.. showing skill, not lack there of.. and two falls. One time I fell when I was running real fast ready to kick a goal with no one around when mid run a girl cruised up from behind and in a tangled mess we fell, hard. I know this to be true because the audienced gasped. A second time I tripped myself up on the sideline much to the entertainment of a family eating hot dogs on the other side of the fence. I lost some flesh over this one and obtained two new black and blue spots.

Better than my superstar soccer start was my teammate who did not have shoe laces. Her shoe flew in the air every time she kicked. It was over 6 times. Ahh soccer. After the game we teammates from Germany, US, and Guatemala celebrated the near win. (3 to 1 loss, only because we made a goal for them in our own... otherwise 2 to 1, not bad for scrappy students) One teacher named Gato joined. Gato, spanish for cat, is his nickname.

We drove to and from the game in the classic back of the pickup truck. The field was astroturf and quite a large impressive complex. This experience was strangely American feeling. Perhaps Xela is turning into a temporary home.

This end of the week marks 4 weeks into spanish, with 4 remaining. Today I figured out how to say in Spanish... I was going to say that we should leave early today. That was a victory.

Have a great weekend! I am enjoying Xela perhaps seeing friends and studying. A deserved break after last weekend in a bus.

Shoe Update

There has been some concern that I climbed an active volcano in sandals. Only in heels... nah. For clarification, I climbed in strong Reebox. In other shoe news, pumas make great water shoes in caves.

Beware of mosquitos in jungle regions. I have bad luck with bugs. When I was young, no doubt every summer we visited Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, a spider or something would bite my ear. My ear would grow large enough to guarantee me the only non-camping, huge pillow. Last weekend somehow biting bugs found my legs. Therefore I have now purchased preventative malaria medication and anti itch medication in Spanish. That speaks loads about how far I have come... at least if I keep writing. We have a free doctor at school so don't worry, I clear my purchases through him.

Buses

First I will further elaborate about the bus last weekend.
The bus is an old American greyhound like bus the driver purchased and drove here from Washington State. Yes, the bus is on its last leg in the US but here it is spry and young with a bright future. During the weekend trip, it indeed broke down 1 time during the second night, and 2 times during the trip home, at which point we abandon 'old reliable' for public transportation. This bus, however, is a first class privately hired bus for our school. My spanish teacher tells me there are bus problems every year when the school takes the country tour. Tis life in Guatemala.

Today the school activity began on a chicken bus bound for Zunil, a small town-pueblo nearby Xela, the large city I study in. First we saw a large Catholic church, then a fair trade cooperative of Mayans who sell Mayan textiles all over the world, and finally a home housing Saint Simon. This requires explanation.

Saint Simon moves to a different house in the city every year on Oct. 28. He is physically a statute who changes clothes everyday and is seated for people to pray to. Additionally, people feed Saint Simon alcohol and offer cigarettes, actually lit, to keep Saint Simon satisfied. When he is satisfied he can fulfill the wishes of visitors. People visit him and ask for miracles. Actually, these are smaller miracles, for example, asking that a good looking person you know falls for you, or for your restaurant to succeed. In asking, people wave a towel to cleanse themselves, light candles of different colors and put the Saint's sombrero on for safety. If you want a larger miracle, you have to go upstairs and burn various offerings. For examples, waive an egg in front of you to soak up bad spirit then burn the egg and the bad spirits in it. Or, today, I witnessed a live chicken being offered. First it was slaughtered and the blood dripped into the fire. Then piece by piece, burned with sugar, seeds, candles, cigars and cigarrettes. If I were Saint Simon I would fulfill this wish for such a grand offering!

Trip Day 2-Bus Day 2

Day two of the Guatemala country tour with my Spanish school began when we arrived back to the bus after Semuk Champey. The bus had taken a bad mood. I was unfortunately sitting by the bathroom, fortunately by extremely pleasant people, but unfortunately by a now smelly bathroom in a bus with no air con. After 6 hours we were to arrive at an island city in the north for a night of fun and sleeping in a hotel. This did not come to fruition because the bus driver was alerted of dangerous conditions after 3 hours at which point we turned back and took a longer route.

We arrived outside the island city at a different hotel at 8am for a shower and breakfast. Menu: chicken or bistec, beans (frijoles) and rice. Deliciously refreshing.

Moving forward from the stinky night on the bus, now clean and satisfied from breakfast, we arrived at Tikal, the largest most famous Mayan ruins in Guatemala. We hired a guide who ended up speaking in english instead of spanish, dang. But he was well worth it. We climbed around 5 ruins and learned a lot about the early civilization. I took a picture to submit to the Minneapolis magazine on top of one ruin. I can only hope to win the monthly picture submission.

some history of Tikal to follow in a future blog.

After Tikal, we ate dinner. On the menu, chicken or bistec with frijoles, rice and tortillas. This was meal three of the same menu, satisfying but oh how I longed for grilled cheese instead.

That night we did stay at a hotel. Our group filled the entire hotel. So we swam and were merry until early in the morning. After little sleep or food, but two days of great adventures, the pool could not have been better. This mixed with some lime flavored peanuts and chocolate cookies.

The next day we viewed Rio Dolce, a city with an african vibe on a beautiful tropic lake. That was most of the day... due to time and the bad mood of the bus. More later. Time for frijoles and beans!! Or, I hope my host mom has changed the menu!

On the trip I made great friends and memories and loved the destinations. I am happily back in Xela where I will study for up to the 5 weeks I have remaining here. Thanks for all the emails from home. They are refreshing as well.

And..
Happy Birthday to my sister Jenny!! She´s one year older, sassier, and cuter. Big hug!

Trip Day 1-Running for Frijoles Negros

Hola and Bienvenidos - I have just returned from a wild trek around the country.

It all began innocent enough, loading 30 students and 15 spanish teachers onto a first class bus at 9pm. We were heading to Semuc Champey, with arrival time set at 8 am. We hit that target time at which point we woke up and loaded onto the back of a pickup for a 1 hour trek on a dirt road (45 people in the back of a pickup). At the end we arrived at the national park of Semuc Champey. This is said to be one of the most beautiful places in Guatemala and my most anticipated destination on the trip. The two activities at Semuc met expectations.

First we hiked 30 minutes straight up to a view overlooking blue lagoons cascading into blue lagoons. Then we hiked back down and swam in the lakes. One waterfall led to another lake, and to another. Very clean, secluded, and gorgeous.

Our second activity was at the cuevo, the cave. We toured a cave, one hour in and one hour out, by candlelight! Yes, we had small candles to guide our way. It started by entering the cave with bats flying about. Soon we were far enough in to avoid bats but enjoy a cold swim holding the candle above the water. We climbed over rock formations by small ladders and over waterfalls by rope. At one point we lowered ourselves onto a rock with water flowing over it, dangled and dropped into a dark abyss. The abyss contained a pool so no real problems. The rock formations and darkness, combined with a cold swim make the caves my favorite most incredibly unique adventure to date. I left the cave with one cut on my chin, one on each knee, and on one hand. Evidence of great fun.

At this point we returned to the start and our leaders asked if we wanted to tube down the river.. Ok. We linked to each other with our legs and tubed in a row for 15 minutes downstream. This was the 15 minute ab exercise portion of the trip. Then we took the pickup to a small town for a 4 pm we deserved lunch. This was the first food.. we had a choice of chicken or bistec, with frijoles (beans), rice and tortillas. Delicious menus need not be expansive. All 45 of us ate these 2 choices.

I would like to amend the earlier statement that I do not eat a lot of black beans. I eat a lot of black beans and tortillas. There, I came clean.

The rain began on the last 45 minute leg of the day and we covered the back of the pickup to stay dry. A little hot, yes. A bit like secret mission, yes. A fantastic first day with little food or sleep, absolutely.

I highly recommend Semuk Champey.

Running for President

While still in Antigua I experienced an unusual political event, from my bedroom. I was sleeping early on a Friday night in preparation for the early Saturday morning climbing the volcano when I heard a lot of honking. Now honking in the streets is not unusual early in the morning. Carpool vans come around and start honking for riders starting at 530 am. But this honking was from 2 motorcycles at 930pm on a Friday.

I opened my window to see that following the motorcycles was a political parade for Victor Hugo, a presidential candidate. Elections are in September here. Here is the parade line-up.

First motorcycles ride up and down the street waking everyone up.
Second a man walking with a microphone connected to huge speakers in the back of a pickup says, Goodevening!! to the neighborhood.
Third, people carrying a banner announcing the candidate.
Then tons and tons of people wearing the candidate info on their shirts, carrying torches and flags, yelling, singing, screaming hello to the neighbors they know.. because by now neighbors are in front or on top of their houses watching.

The parade circled twice. It took 30 minutes. I was luckier than my friend who heard the parade at 1130 pm that night.

La Mapa- An overview of Guatemalan landscape

Here is a map of Guatemala.

Neighbors--Mexico (west), Belize (east), El Salvador and Honduras (southeast)
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Green Numbers - Cities Where I Study, Plus
1. Antigua
- a small city with 40,000 people in the city and surrounding pueblos--where I first studied--ancient stone streets, a volcano at the south of the city--one hour ride to the east is Guatemala City, the capital

2. Xela
- the 2nd largest city in Guatemala, 120,000 people-- where I study now---higher in the mountains, close to small Mayan villages
--Between 1 and 2 is a blue dot, showing Lake Atitklan, a popular lake surrounded by volcanoes--purple dots show mountains in the east


3. Copán Ruinas
-small city just inside the Honduran border where I visited Mayan ruins 2 weekends ago

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Blue Numbers - Follow the Pink Path starting in the west..Places I will visit this weekend with my school field trip.
1. Cobán - (central Guatemala) beautiful lakes and caves to explore

2. Flores- (northern Guat) a small island city in the north

3.Tikal - (further north) the most famous Mayan ruins in Guatemala. They are set in jungles and many are yet to be uncovered.

4. Rio Dolce - (eastern Guat) a city where you can take a river cruise through the jungle to another city Livingson, on the ocean bay.

Dìa Uno - Xela - Quetaltenango

I moved to a new city northwest of Antigua. The new city, Quetaltentago, goes by Xela. There is a population of around 120,000 and less tourists. It is further in the mountains and a bit cooler, still nice with t-shirt and jeans.

Today I commence with a new school. This one has 45 students compared to 12 at the old one. This one also has daily activities, a library, a free nurse, free (slowish) internet and free coffee. Heaven! Next weekend the school planned a trip around nearly the whole country. This will use up some more of my old fashion film. Hurray.

My new family is younger, a mother with children ages 2, 5 and7. The 7 year old asked me, por favor, please stay for the whole 6 weeks. For now I am in Xela for 2 weeks but can stay up to 6 weeks if I like I like it better than Antigua.

Last Saturday I climbed Acatenango, one of the tallest Volcàns in Guatemala. The tallest is near Xela. When my leg pain subsides, I will begin planning the next Volcàn ascent.

Hasta tarde (until later)

Photos From Eyal of Volcàn Pacaya - One Week Ago...

Hats in Honduras

Last weekend I crossed a border into Honduras with my schoolmate and fellow Swede. We saw Copàn Ruinas (the city) and Copàn (the Mayan ruins). Met many fellow backpackers and enjoyed the tiny town. Particularly I enjoyed the men in cowboy hats with machettes. Just for work, no worries. Many horses there, too. The ride over entailed 6 hours in a tourist passenger van listening to Spanish dance and jive music. Incredibly unique to be cruising up and around mountainous corners passing other vans, trucks, buses. It was the heat + music + speed + scenary that hit me. This is a lucky summer indeed.

One man I met is worth further description. He is a clown by profession from Wales, though really a wanderer from country to country. Currently he is dating a hippie Guatemalan. She and her friends really reminded me of American hippies, so to say. I met him as I ran home from the ruins in the rain with my friend. He invited us to see his band. We joined him, but he was the band. So I and my Belgian friend played some bongo, sang, danced and dreamt of the first international tour of our new band. Oh the characters you´ll meet.

The many travels are extremely tempting. Optional future travels include seeing a lake surrounded by volcanoes, cave adventures, jungle river rides, seeing tortugas (turtles!) by the ocean, plus plus plus. This Saturday I will climb the largest volcano in the area, Volcàn Acatenango. There are supposely banditos there, bandits, say some. We are taking a guide with a gun, which I always do on hikes around here - it´s typical. Also, I will not take any money or my camera. Just a sweater and rain coat. No worries. The police thwart off banditos around here Banditos are only interested in the lone sheep.. and that I am not.. thanks to the loving advice of family.

Helado Sarita

Have I mentioned that Antigua Guatemala is a great place? Take for example the name of their ice cream store chain: Sarah´s Ice Cream. I go by Sarita here. A single scoop cone is around 70 cents. Yes please!

Antigua experienced two large earthquakes, one ins 1717 and one in 1773. They toppled many of the beautiful buildings so the city boasts many convent, church and government building ruins. One arch withstood mothernature twice. This arch connected two convents and is a place for clichè pictures, says the travel books. This is because through the arch you can see Volcano Agua, the one directly at the south of town. Three volcanoes surround the city. One is active, an by active I mean you can see the fire shooting out at night and the smoke by day. There is no danger to us in town, only dangerous to climb it. There is a central park with a picturesque church and the city streets are cobblestone.

As for my Spanish, school continues to impress me.
--A Field Trip
On Friday we traveled to a neighboring town and observed traditions of the Mayan people. The wedding is very traditional with a lot of sewing taking place. The fiance woman sews a cloak for the mother in law to be. If the mother in law takes off the cloak during the wedding, the marriage is off. After the wedding the new wife receives a sew blanket for carrying a baby. Then the wife goes off to make tortillas, before any other activities. I am not cut out for the Mayan lifestyle. However I can handle the Mayan foods. Rice, chicken, delicious spices, tortillas (this corn tortillas) and plantains.
--Learning important words
One teacher always teases the female students. I recently learned a phrase that is very helpful. Cuidate: Behave yourself. Today he asked me, How are you? I responded bueno, good, or so I thought. But I actually said bueno, I have a good body.. I was supposed to say bien, well. So then I said Bueno y Bien.. I look and feel good. Two points for a sense of humor in Spanish. It is difficult to remember all the humorous errors. It would fill up the blog.
--Can I draw?
Yes. I am the token artist in the group. Don´t ask why. I am drawing a large baby and small bottles for a baby shower that we will host at school tomorrow for one teacher who is due next week. My school is a great one because many students are recruited by word of mouth so students are willing to try new things and enthusiastic to make friends. The field trip and baby shower are little things that make the experience.