The View from Up-Stairs

One day, we climbed up to the second floor porch of the Palacio del Ayuntamiento (constructed in the 17th  century) to get a different view of central La Antigua. Here's what we saw.

An unobstructed view of the cathedral

A peaceful view of the fountain in Parque Central.

A majestic view of Volcán Agua,, looming over La Antigua.

and a view of the front door of the bank (Citibank), where I cash my monthly living stipend check.

By the way, there is an armed guard just inside the door who determines if you have any reason to enter the bank.

Catch-up Time

Our NGO is closed for Semana Santa, like most businesses that don't exist to serve tourists. Therefore, we were very busy trying to get some things done before the holiday arrived. During the week and just prior to it, we had meetings with United Way of Guatemala, the International Committee of the Red Cross, GERD (a disability organization from Spain that visited for two weeks), the Minister of Health and representatives of other ministries (like our federal departments) dealing with health issues, Faith in Practice (a medical mission) and two members of our U.S. Board of Directors.

I'm going to try to get caught up today, since things really get busy here (procession-wise) starting this evening.

A Humbling Experience

Since Cuaresma (Lent) began, I've been trying to document the many processions we've seen. I thought I was doing good until I found a website today that fully documents Cuaresma 2010. We saw two processions last year before moving on to Xela (Quetzaltenango), but didn't really understand what happens in La Antigua.

Here's the link: http://www.elrincondelcucurucho.es.tl/Cuaresma-2010-.--.--.-.htm

I still have three processions to upload and will do so as soon as possible. Tomorrow the U.S. Embassy is throwing me a birthday party (el numero 63). Well, actually they're having their annual meetings with U.S. citizens at sites around Guatemala and the one in La Antigua is tomorrow on my birthday. It's at a restaurant, so there's a possibility that there will be food, but probably no birthday cake. Things have been crazy at Transitions lately. Today we had representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross (one from Nicaragua, one from Canada and one from Guatemala) meeting with us regarding our prosthetics and orthotics clinic, tomorrow a delegation from GERD (a Spanish disability group) is returning to continue meetings with us regarding a project on which we're partnering with them. Today, I learned that I will be going with Alex (our E.D.) to Guatemala City on Thursday morning to meet with the Minister of Health (think Secretary of Health and Human Services in the U.S.). I'm thinking that Alex wants to show off his pet gringo!

Until I can upload again, enjoy the link above. It is really impressive. Linda will also be uploading some things that were delayed when we ran out of storage space.

Photo Issue

It's hard to believe it, but we've run out of photo storage space on Picassa, the on-line storage service used by Blogspot. Free Blogspot accounts come with 1 GB (gigabyte, i.e. 1,024 megabytes) of free storage on Picassa, which we have filled. There is nothing to fear, however, as I just signed up for 20 GB of on-line Picassa storage for $5/year. If we continue at our current rate, that should last us for about a year and a half. Sorry for the delay. I have three processions to upload. Unfortunately, I have to "work," i.e. do my volunteer development director job and we've been busy. We currently have a Norwegian design team visiting us for 15 months and three representatives from GERD, a Spanish disability group, with whom we are conducting a special project. We are also awaiting word on two USAID projects, one of which we are the applicant and the other in which we are a participant. There are lots of exciting things going on right now.

Parking in your garage can be tough

Part of an alfombra (rug) made

with plant material

Linda

I watched a woman trying to get her car parked in her garage and it was a bit of a struggle. As you can see the front of the house lines the street and there is very little room to swing around to aim your car at the garage. Her home is in back of the garage and the door on the left is probably her neighbors garage. This poor woman rocked back and forth and in and out until she was finally lined up. It looks like there is just barely room for the car to fit inside. At least this garage is not open to the living area of the house. As we walk we sometimes see motorcycles parked next to the table inside a house. They use a ramp to get the things inside. From the street all you can see is the wall and the huge doors and you cannot even guess what is behind that - business or home. The electricity meter is way up high at the top of the door. Makes you wonder how it gets read. Sometimes you can see 5 or 6 meters which means there are apartments behind those big doors.

Need a Taxi? You can find taxi's lined up next to the cathedral on one side of central park. These are cars and some look okay while others have been rattling up and down these streets for a very long time. They wash these cars with buckets right where they stand.

The chicken buses are also washed right where they stand. It just takes a bigger bucket and more of them. For the most part the chicken buses are clean at least in the dry season. This guy popped the hood for ease of washing. We are seeing more buses that have not been repainted. We wonder if that is due to money being a little tighter these days.

A lot of people get around on motorcycles and scooters and motorbikes. There are sections of street for them to park. Sometimes you will see one that has been in use for a long time and the seat will no longer have a cover on it or it will be taped up or left alone for a different look. At night these things are extremely noisy (our bedroom is two feet from a very busy street).

Central Park - a green space in the center of the city.

Linda

Growing right outside my door

 Central Park - a green space in the center of the city.

These are photos of Central Park taking from the balcony of the municipal building which borders one side of the park. This is what the park looks like Monday through Thursday. Starting Friday afternoon people start pouring into the city and this park looks like a disturbed ant hill. The traffic in the streets triples both vehicular and foot traffic. Shopping at the grocery stores becomes a real trial and even the mercado has too many people. Surprisingly all of the 'tourist' shops are never packed full of people. I would be hard pressed to say that those small shops really make more money on weekends because I never see that much traffic increase IN the shops. Restaurants seem to flourish as well as hotels, hostels and apartment leasing increases. The sidewalks are packed with people.

I have never seen park maintenance mowing or trimming the green space in the middle of the city. There are other smaller parks including one near us that has blooming flowers in it and is cared for and watered. Most of Antigua is covered in cobblestone and if I had to speculate I would say that is done to deal with the rainy season. The cobblestone is also historic and cannot be 'paved' as other cities have done.

The cathedral borders Central Park as well and is the noisiest church to attend. If there is an event planned they just go right ahead with it and do not hold off until AFTER church services. Ice cream vendors are a particular annoyance  as they ring their silly little bells until you are ready to throttle them. We do not buy ice cream from these vendors because there was a time last year when people got sick from them.

Dispensa Familiar - Small Grocery Store

The small grocery store is just around the corner from the larger bodegona. It is somewhat easier to find what you are looking for here but still no peace of cake. Most trips to the store means that we have to go to both of them because they sell somewhat different things. One thing they have in common is the armed guard at the door. Yes the gun in his hand looks like a sawed off shotgun. He has to stand there for as long as his shift lasts to be sure no one starts anything or leaves with stuff not paid for.

Dispensa Familiar

Small Wal-Mart Grocery Store

 Inside the store is another guard. He is standing just inside the door watching the checkout counters. He also keeps an eye on folks entering the store with backpacks (and occasionally other bags) which all have to be put into a locker before you can shop.

These are the lockers. I have some doubts as to how secure they actually are. It helps that the guard stands there for his whole shift watching the people come and go.

This is the checkout at the front of the store. The yellow flags on top may list the sale prices of items in the store. Do you see Don in this one. You have to sack your own groceries in una blosa (plastic bags you buy or bring with you.)

Below is a checkout counter. It is tiny and difficult to use for all concerned. They do have bar code scanners but have to walk across the store to weigh fruit or vegetables (one scale).

Fruits and Vegetables  -- can you tell from the photo what sells the most???

Tomatoes are a hot item in the stores and in the mercado.


This cold unit is the entire selection of chicken. We have bought some meat here but we really watch the dates on the packages. They will keep chicken in there for a week. In the marcado chicken just sits on the counter with no refrigeration. Not brave enough to try that.

Here is the entire selection of beef.

We have beef often in our lunch but I would be hard pressed to identify the cut of beef. Even this chart does not help much. Sometimes it is as tough as a boot but generally it is well cooked and taste good.

Next are some general photos of items to be found on the shelves. Many things come in plastic bags such as the laundry soap below.

Toilet tissue is an extremely important item here and comes in various extremely light weights. Here in Antigua most public places have a tissue dispenser on the wall. In Xela you have to be sure you carry some with you. The sewer system here cannot handle tissues put into the toilet so they have convenient trash containers for that purpose.

Dish washing soap in a tub. It is actually easier to use this type of soap.

There are no hidden or under the counter shelves for extra stock. This is stacked above and there is more in a room next to the store where deliveries are received.

This is another sample of products sold in plastic bags. Even salt comes packaged this way.