I chose a different route back, which skirted the eastern edge of Antigua. Very different vibe, just a stone's throw from the town. Quite rural, and no cobblestones...yet. There was roadwork going on, so perhaps they are extending the cobblestoned area.
The church has an amphitheater in front of it, and is sometimes used for performances. I have been to a beautiful folkloric theatre/ dance/ music performance there.
On December 7, a huge crowd gathers to watch the burning of the devil. First they drape him with hundreds of firecrackers, so the fire is full of explosions. Very scary, especially since the spectacle takes place in front of the only gas station at the edge of Antigua.
I didn't attend the burning this year. Too scared last time. The tightly packed crowd is almost enough to put me in a panic, and when I think about what would happen if there was an accident...well. I don't want to imagine.
Last night we had a view of Fuego erupting as we were eating dinner at Toko Baru. Quite spectacular.
Then today we have news that the airport was closed for a few hours due to the ash. Flights have been delayed, but we're hoping to still arrive home tomorrow, as planned. Fuego has settled down.
Our friend Mike (second from the left) was singing in a choir in the spectacular ruins of San Jose El Viejo (Old Joe). The acoustics in there are great, and the surroundings are spectacular.
I hope these videos work.
The first kid I saw was my favourite little girl from three years ago. Now she is six; then she was three. She didn't remember me, but her mum did. I read to Maria for about an hour, and she was fully engrossed the whole time. We would start each book by talking about each picture. Often Maria only knew the K'akchikel name for animals and common objects, so this was also a Spanish lesson as well as a reading experience.
I showed Maria's mum photos I had taken of Maria when she was thŕee. She thought they were photos of younger daughter, who is now three, and looks just like Maria. She was astonished when she realized that it really was Maria. I realize that photos are not part of their lives.
The next day I had about eight kids. A few read on their own, or to a younger sibling. I'm back in action!
The most remarkable feat was this German guy, Alexander Schultz, who walked a slackline 15 metres high, no pole. His goal was to do it 175 times in two days, but I don't know if he achieved his goal.
I'm having trouble uploading my video of when he fell. You can hear the gasps of horror. His harness did its job, and he was able to quickly climb back on the slackline, quite a physical and emotional challenge I would think. Lots of applause.
And then there is the tree guy whose progress we have been monitoring. He does a few branches each day. We figure the tree is about 90 feet tall. There is a length of bamboo attached to the upper trunk, perhaps for strength and stability. With climbing up and down, tying himself off and on, and handsawing branches and hoisting bundles of them down, this looks like a job that could be more efficiently done by three workers.
People came from El Salvador, Honduras, and of course, Guatemala City and surrounding towns. Antigua was packed, but everyone was in a good mood. Lots of families of three or even four generations out enjoying themselves.
First of all, the weather! I've been coming since 2001, and I used to be confident there would be no rain from the end of October until April. Now we are still getting the occasional shower in mid-November. That, presumably is due to climate change.
It is also so busy!! There are a lot more people and a lot more traffic. It seems there are more wealthy Guatemalans and fewer foreign tourists. That might be an effect of the pandemic. It has only been since the beginning of November that they lifted mask regulations. As at home, some people still choose to wear them. I was amused to see a family of four on a motorbike, all wearing masks, but no one wearing helmets.
They have cracked down on some of the road regulations. They are very strict about the one way streets, and taxi drivers will not risk going even a few metres in the wrong direction. When we arrived from the airport, our driver had to go a couple of km around a big block to get to our door.
They must also be stricter about stopping at stop signs, which used to seem optional. Now when you step off the curb at a corner, you don't take your life in your hands.
There is a lot of work going on: Road cobbles are being dug up and leveled in many spots. Plaster walls are being scraped and smoothed and painted. Trees, vines and other plants are being pruned.
Christmas decorations are starting to be seen. They have strung the lights on the trees in El Parque Central, but they haven't turned them on yet. It is spectacular when they do.
There seems to be something going on every weekend in the park. Last weekend was the display of the huge kites from the Day of the Dead. I posted those photos a few days ago. For many generations, kites have been flown in cemeteries to commune with their dead family members. These giant kites, up to 18 meters in diameter, have messages for the living, concerning education, women's rights, and mental health issues. There was a very touching moment when they hoisted a kite dedicated to migrant Guatemalans whose dream of a new life ended in death. We had a moment of silence.
That was a lovely day in the park. There was a variety of good live music, including a really good saxophonist, and a fantastic marimba band. Lots of locals were dancing to the marimba music.
This is also the time when 15 year old girls celebrate their "coming of age". Families save for years to pay for the celebration. The girls dress like princesses for the occasion, and we see them posing for photos around town.
We still see many familiar faces around town. Most of the vendors have been here year after year, and sadly, so have the same beggars. I haven't started reading in the park yet, because I have only seen a few kids there. Some are still in school until the end of this week. I hope to start then.
Most of our friends have returned, or stayed right though the pandemic. We went to hear our friends Joe and Grace perform last Saturday, and met many of our friends there. This weekend we're going to a bonfire with a bunch of friends.
