Jess and Stacey’s Travels

Antigua Pix-click on photo for more pictures

Since we returned from our hiatus Stateside, we have been staying in Antigua, Guatemala.  We are each taking two hours of private instruction.  The Spanish is coming back for both of us.

This is the rainy season which will continue through October.  It rains at least once every day now.  Although, we’re not sure what is normal versus what rain is the result of hurricanes Dean and Felix.  As you can see from the picture, sometimes it comes down faster than the drainage systems can handle.  This was taken outside our door.

Let it rain-click for more pix

Also, the temperatures are much cooler than when we visited in May/June. We are wearing our sweaters or fleeces at night and during the day when the sun doesn’t shine.  It is nice to walk around the town in cooler temperatures.

We are living in a place where we’ve stayed before.  It is a small ‘compound’ of apartments called “El Rosario” in Antigua operated by a women named Olga.  There are rooms and apartments that are rented out for long-term and short-term stays.  Olga rents to travelers, the majority of which are associated with Spanish language schools.
Staying here is a great value and a good way for us to practice our Spanish.  Every renter with Olga has the option of paying a couple extra dollars a day for 3 great meals that are eaten communally. Olga has a young woman, Francisca, that helps with the cooking and cleaning.    Spanish is spoken during meals which is good practice for everyone.
Dinner conversation is usually interesting given the diverse cross-section of people.  Olga eats with us and is extremely patient and good at correcting our Spanish without seeming critical. 
Right now there are 6 other guests and the two of us.  Leo (22) is in the Coast Guard and is spending 6 weeks here to learn Spanish while he awaits his helicopter pilot classes to begin in Florida.  Char (?) is down here to fulfill a life-long dream to learn Spanish.  She is a retired assistant dean of students from a major university.  John, a retiree, vacations here frequently to improve his Spanish.  His brother and sis-in-law are here too.  A young woman, Gina, is here on her way through from Costa Rica. She is returning to the states on Wednesday.  We recommend this place for the hospitality of Olga and Francisca, as well as for the food. 

(Comments on the food for Betsy’s benefit)–
The meals we get in the morning between 7-8am always include coffee/tea, a fruit platter of papaya, watermelon, pineapple, bananas, and other various fruits, and toast with jelly.  In addition, we’ll get one of the following: an omelette with red peppers and onions, or pancakes, or yogurt and granola.
Lunch, at 1pm, varies as well.  Somedays it is grilled beef, mash potatos, vegetables; sometimes, rice and vegetables with chicken; spaghetti; plaintains, beans and a meat, lentils, etc.  Whatever we get is always very good and always includes lots of veggies.  They make vegetarian meals if requested.
Normmally, dinner is lighter than lunch.  We have some sort of vegetable soup, salad, beans,
or tamales and always accompanied by tea.  Last week, Olga’s daughter came to visit with her two children, ages 2 and 10.  She cooked vegetarian lasagna which was excellent.  We got the recipe from her and hope to duplicate it when we get home. 

We’ve not done anything eventful in the few weeks since we’ve come back.  We’re focused on learning Spanish again and spending time exploring Antigua.  We did go to an art opening for of a photography and painting exhibit.  It was ok, and interesting to see the expat crowd out in force.
Olga’s grandchildren have been here a couple of times and We have spent some time with them.
The 2 year old girl was afraid of Jess; we think because of his beard.  Not very many Guatemalans have beards. 
She would walk by him and with a smile and her tiny little voice she said over and over in Spanish, “I’m afraid, I’m afraid”. 
She must not be aware of his reputation as the baby whiperer. 

Unfortunately, Jess’s back went out recently. There is an American woman, Deet (70), a massage therapist who lives alone in one of the apartments.  She moved here 12 years ago from Chicago.  Jess got a message with her that seeemed to help his back.  Deet ocassionally eats dinner with us at Olga’s table.

This weekend was the big election weekend in Guatemala.  About 30,000 candidates ran across the country for various offices-mayor, congress, president.  Due to the tension that mounts around politics, this weekend was a “dry weekend”.  It is illegal for anyone to sell alcohol.  However, it is not illegal to buy  it beforehand and drink it in your house.  One bar owner told us that he would be fined 50,000 Quetzals (~$6500) for every drink he sold this weekend.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 10th, 2007 at 3:29 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.