Splish Splash

Splish Splash                     March 4, 2017

    The lovely pool at the Barcelo Hotel in Guatemala City.

Thursday, the 2nd of March, was the day for an outing with "our" boys from Safe Passage:  Jordie, age 12 (whom First Parish sponsors); Charly, age 11 (whom we sponsor); his brother, Pablo, age 7 (whom Matt & Izik sponsor).  We had traveled in the morning from Antigua to Guatemala City, where the boys live, a journey of about an hour.  Our plan was to stay at the elegant Barcelo Hotel for just that night so that we'd be close to the airport for our flight to Florida the next day - AND so that we could host the boys at the swimming pool there.  

This idea had been sloshing around in my mind for about a year, since we had stayed at Barcelo last year (pretty soggy idea, by now :). We had checked things out when we were at the Barcelo on arrival in Guate a month ago.  Not only did the swimming pool seem like it would work for the kids, but amazingly, there was a McDonald's next door!  Perfect set up.  My only worry was that we might not be welcome to invite guests.  We had decided not to ask but to just do it.  As it turned out, it was fine - more than fine.  

I had purchased swim suits for the three boys, which was a bit of an ordeal in itself.  Swim suits for boys are not all that plentiful in Guate, especially in my price range.  But, between a street vendor in Panajachel, as well as one of many "pacas" (used clothing stores), and a vendor in the sprawling mercado in Antigua, we got the job done.  

Carlos, the sponsorship worker from Safe Passage, had done his homework by asking the advice of the social workers at SP, who had advised him, of course, to seek permission from the boys' parents. Both sets of parents had agreed.  

It was arranged that Carlos would meet the boys at the Safe Passage project and bring them in a taxi to the Barcelo in time for lunch at Mickey D's. 

           Back row:  Bruce, Ronald McD, & Linda
           Front row:  Charly, Pablo, & Jordie 

Then we'd find our way through the glossy tiled lobby of the Barcelo with its gilded ceiling and past the upscale shops to the pool area.  I had been a bit awed the first time I had seen all of this splendor and wondered how it would affect the boys.  They seemed to take it in stride :). 

   The elegant lobby area of the Barcelo - all gold and glistening!

I also wondered how Charly, especially, would feel about this adventure, given the fact that he had told us last year that he is afraid of water.  He seemed ok with it, and I was hopeful that the experience might help to build some confidence.  It seemed that might not be the case, however, when, within the first minute of getting into the water, little Pablo went under unexpectedly.  I pulled him up immediately, but it was clear that he was scared and was struggling not to cry.  Carlos came to the rescue, as did the life guard on duty, both of whom saved the day by talking gently to Pablo and reassuring him (in Spanish, of course). Within just a few minutes, all three boys were splashing and kicking and trying out various maneuvers that they'd seen somewhere.  

                                               Bruce and the boys

        Helping Pablo to get the idea of swimming

Over the course of the next hour, the boys seemed to evolve before our very eyes!  All three challenged themselves to put their faces into the water.  Charly and Jordie began floating and then trying out some strokes to propel themselves and finally were racing each other (albeit for short distances)!  We were amazed and very, very pleased.  

                Pablo, Jordie, Charly, Linda & Bruce

Carlos didn't join us in the water but kept a close eye on the boys while chatting with the life guard.  He learned that it's fine for guests of the hotel to invite their friends for a swim.  He told us that this had never been done with any kids from Safe Passage - but he felt it had been a good experience for them.  So...how about it, First Parish members, does anyone want to visit Guate and stay at the Barcelo and invite the boys for a swim?  (Carlos will be there to do any necessary translating :).  

            Three tired boys as Carlos calls a cab to take them home.

End of Classes and a Weekend Treat

End of Classes and a Weekend Treat        March 1, 2017

                             Hola! (o-la = hello)    & Adios

Our two weeks of Spanish classes absolutely flew by, what with 2 hours of daily class as well as homework each day, in addition to our other activities such as my teaching English three days a week; movie-watching three times with our friend, Lisa (we've seen most of the Oscar nominations now); my flu bug in the middle weekend that slowed us down temporarily; and the never-ending, it seems, process of arranging for the next steps of our adventure, ie rental of Airbnb's in Florida, Cuba & Alabama; car rental in Florida; plane reservations to Cuba and home from Memphis; financial planning between various currencies, making sure that we have enough quetzales but not too many :); shuttle rides within Guatemala; arrangements with Safe Passage to visit with "our" boys;  etc, etc.  Bruce takes care of most of the details, thank goodness - and then soothes himself with some fiddle playing!  He was looking forward to the end of school just like a kid anticipating summer vacation!

             Jabel Tinamit Spanish School in Panajachel

On our last day of class, last Friday, the 24th, there was a little celebration to say good-bye and thanks for attending Jabel Tinamit Spanish School and for helping teach the teens. Several students were honored with thanks, including Bruce and me.  The owners of the school, Candelaria and Gregorio, have a talent for making each of us feel special.  Never letting pass an opportunity to expand our cultural knowledge, Candelaria also offered everyone tastes of various exotic Guatemalan fruits that we would never have tried otherwise, I'm sure.  These included the sweet, orange-fleshed zapote; the purple, slippery-fleshed guandura; the seedy, delicious granadilla; and the red plum-like jocote with its thick, stubby stem.

Bruce and I and our teachers, as well as other "graduating" students. 

Not only have our Spanish language skills improved (still not fluent, by any means), but we've also had an uplifting experience at this school!  Being surrounded by ambitious, cheerful, forward-thinking staff is very pleasant.  The reality of life in Guatemala is that it is extremely difficult, more so for Mayans than for anyone else.  And yet, the Mayan owners and staff at Jabel Tinamit make the most of the opportunities that they are given, make sure to express gratitude for those gifts, work hard to improve their lives and give back to their community - and laugh a lot.  The school radiates an infectious sense of upward mobility.  We are lucky to have crossed paths with all of them for three years in a row!

That evening, back at our home-stay, Ana had prepared a simple but lovely little adios celebration, too.  She had marinated black olives and made a big bowl of guacamole from the avocados in her front yard;  fellow housemate, Juan, a nurse/artist who comes from Luxembourg, contributed some really good bread and cheese, as well as chocolates;  and we contributed white wine, corn chips, and a tiny rum cake that Tiffany & Ross had given to us for Christmas.  Housemate, Elizabeth, a 25 year old from NYC who has come to Pana for 2 years to work for a small American textile company, also joined us.  So we had a little fiesta!  We have so enjoyed Ana's company and her wise reflections on life.

How is Guatemala doing, in general?  We have heard from several people that violence in this country is endemic, especially in Guatemala City, although our world of tourism is relatively sheltered from these realities.  The violence grows worse every year, as gangs and drug cartels gain more and more power.  Government and police corruption continue to be serious issues.  The current president is a former comedian who has been in office for only a year but, during that time, his brother and son have been charged with corruption and are now in jail.  At the same time, health care is shockingly limited to anyone but the wealthy and to foreigners who can pay the price.  It's a burden to bear, the anxiety and the worry, and yet one goes on, trying to make a living and to enjoy the small laughs, the occasions for a happy gathering, the kindnesses of friends and family, the hope for a better future, and the inspiring beauty of art.

Out little fiesta at Ana's house to say good-bye and thanks to her! (Bruce is wearing his parrot mask.)  

Speaking of art, Ana's daughter, Eloin, had her first art exhibit on Saturday.  She has nearly completed her nurse's training and is working in a rural community about 6 hours from Pana.  But art continues to be an interest, too.  So, she hopped on a bus and arrived at Ana's mid-morning in time for us to have a quick chat before we had to leave.   The four pieces that were shown in the exhibit were all fancifully & symbolically-envisioned parts of the body.  Very cool.

                                       Bruce and Eloin

As a treat for us, Bruce had booked a weekend at Casa del Mundo on Lake Atitlan.  It had been over five years since we had been there, but it had remained a wonderful memory and we were looking forward to relaxing in its beautiful embrace.

We were not disappointed!  What a labor of love this place is.   Over the past twenty years, the American/Guatemalan owners built the basic infrastructure of stonework paths and walks, little patios and sitting areas tucked here and there, beautiful gardens everywhere, pretty decor in the rooms using Mayan textiles and carved wooden furniture.  Their palette was an incredibly steep piece of land, accessible only by boat or a narrow dirt path.  What they have created is a magical shangri-la sort of place, with a view of the lake and the volcanoes that is stunning!  To add icing to the cake, these folks use sustainable practices:  lots of recycling bins everywhere; solar-heated hot water for showers that were the best ever; not a scrap of styrofoam anywhere!  Ahh, my little heart sang!  (This is certainly not the case in other places in Guate, where plastic bags, especially, are a scourge on the environment, as in so many other places in the world.)

              Casa del Mundo's gorgeous views from one of its little patios.  

We did nothing for the whole weekend except read and nap and gaze on the lake - and eat great food.  www.lacasadelmundo.com.  Evening meals are served family style by candlelight.  This practice offers a great way to meet other travelers and share stories:  the Danish couple, our age, who know Central America quite well; the two young American women, former college roommates who now teach kids at an eco-camp in Connecticut; the American woman who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with her Guatemalan husband and two little boys;  the Korean-American doctor here on a medical mission; the young woman from Toronto, alone on her first trip to Guatemala and her first vacation in three years.  We ate and chatted and then retreated to our quiet sanctuary overlooking the lake.  At night, the stars sparkled overhead while the lights of the Mayan villages twinkled around the lakeside.  We'll remember this enchanting scene for a long time.   

                                     Our breakfast nook. 

Monday morning came all too soon, and we boarded the launch for our ride back to Pana.  On the way, we met a young American film and television writer who lives on the lake with his wife and small son.  It's pretty interesting to encounter a variety of people doing creative things in a relatively remote area like this.  He loves his life here and hopes to be able to stay long-term.   After our 3 hour shuttle ride from Pana, we arrived in Antigua - which is where we are now.  

A launch like the one that took us for the 20 minute ride back & forth to Casa del Mundo.  

Last evening we attended a free concert here in Antigua, outdoors on the plaza of a 16th c. church ruins, next to the Spanish Cultural Center.  Chairs were set up facing the temporary stage.  Colored lights turned the ancient church facade from red to blue to gold.  The headless saints in the niches of the church, looking down on this scene, seemed so incongruous with the most discordant "jazz" music that I've ever heard.  However, we were reminded that Antigua is a pretty sophisticated city.  These musicians were a trio from Munich, who had arrived that day by way of Paris and Mexico City!  Maybe the music was more appropriate than I had at first thought, what with all of the tensions in this society. 

This is the concert venue, the day after.  Imagine these dignified, headless saints looking down on the action, bathed in rotating colors.  New & old.   

Tomorrow we leave Antigua and return to our fancy hotel in Guatemala City for one night, prior to leaving for the next phase of our adventure.  Part of our reason for wanting to go to the Barcelo is to be able to host our Safe Passage boys at the swimming pool there.  That experience will be my next post :).  Stay tuned.  

Day of the Chapin

Day of the Chapin                 February 22, 2017

To our surprise, yesterday was the Day of the Chapin, which is a name that Guatemalans call themselves.  At public schools, children dressed in typical dress, put on dances and musical performances, all to celebrate the indigenous culture.  The indigenous Mayans make up 60% of the Guatemalan population and are especially visible in the area surrounding Lake Atitlan.  Around town, marimba music could be heard floating through the air;  bombas (firecrackers) exploded now and then.  A public performance took place on the church plaza.

At Jabel Tinamit, our Spanish School in Panajachel (pana-ha-shel),  the female teachers - which is most of them - had organized an amazing display of the typical Mayan dress.  Each staff member wore a different outfit, because each Mayan town has its own pattern of dress, rather like a uniform.  Most women still wear the outfit of their own town, making their origins easily identifiable.  In fact, I read that the tradition began during colonial times when the Spaniards required each town to have its own distinct outfit so that residents could be identified more easily.  Although the tradition included men, as well, most men have stopped wearing tipica as time has gone on.  But the women still do - and the custom is one that makes Guatemala so colorful and visually charming.

The brief show yesterday involved each teacher naming the town where her outfit is worn and an explanation of the significance of the designs and colors.  These trajes (trah-hays), as they are called in Spanish, include a skirt, a blouse, and a woven belt/shash to hold the wrap-around skirt in place.  There is often a headpiece, too.  The whole outfit is VERY expensive to buy, costing hundreds of dollars, though many women weave their own fabric and make their own trajes.

Since this is a Mayan staff, all of these teachers wear trajes every day.  It doesn't matter what the job is, from menial cleaning jobs to professional office or teaching jobs, the traje is still worn.

This event was especially exciting for me, as it gave me an opportunity to take pictures to my heart's content.  Out on the street, where I see trajes being worn in daily life, it is not polite to take photos.  Here, photos were welcomed.  I have a lot!

            Candelaria, the school's co-director, is on the far left.  Carmelina, my teacher, is second from the right.  

It is amazing and wonderful to me that this tradition is so strongly maintained. While homogenization of the world's cultures often seems inevitable, the Mayan women of Guatemala are proving that it doesn't have to happen.  No Levi jeans for these proud women!

School Days

          School Days                        February 18, 2017

This was our first week back at Spanish lessons.  We are signed up for 2 hours every day, M-F, from 10 am -12 noon.  I'm lucky to have Carmelina as my maestre for the third year in a row.  Along with classes came our move to Ana's house, again our third year in a row.  The folks at our school, Jabel Tinamit, as well as Ana, have become dear people in our lives.  For those of you who are thinking that we must be pretty fluent in Spanish by now, the answer is a resounding NO.  Despite the one-on-one lessons and the immersion in our home stay with Ana, who speaks only Spanish with us, we seem to fumble our way through any conversation, saying "maduro" (mature), for example, when I want to say "madera" (wood), and using the wrong verb tenses.  An 85-year old fellow student, a Canadian originally from Britain, asked me the other day why we were taking Spanish classes.  Good question.  Trying to keep the brain a bit limber, I guess, as well as giving our days some structure here in Guatemala.  And the whole school community is interesting, offering the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, such as the fellow just mentioned.   

Scenes from our route to school, along a narrow alleyway.  We pass a couple of small tiendas (stores) and a tortilleria  (women cooking tortillas to sell) and lots of metal doors leading into living spaces.  The walkway is littered with dog poop and trash, in places - but most everyone who passes has a smile and says  "buen dia" or "hola" to us.  
On Monday morning, I was asked if I would be willing to teach English to adolescents, as I had done last year.  When I agreed, I was asked if I could begin the next day. Yikes. When I agreed, I was asked if I could teach every morning AND in the afternoon.  Whoa.  I said yes, even to that request, figuring that it's only for 2 weeks and if I couldn't handle it, I'd just say so. As it turns out, it hasn't been quite that "full on"  - but busy enough!  

The adolescents are kids that Candelaria and Gregorio, owners of the school, have identified as being kids of promise. They come from poor Mayan families but, like C & G themselves, have a spark and a desire to improve their lives, and they have family support.  Among them are two brothers whose parents have died and who live with an older sister. They are so bright and ambitious and eager to learn. Another sweet, serious 15 year old girl wants to become a doctor and run a clinic in her town.  It's a pleasure to play some small part in their lives. 

my English students working hard

Tuesday was Valentine's Day and Jabel Tinamit takes the opportunity every year to hold "a fiesta", a pot luck luncheon with the whole staff, featuring Guatemalan foods.  It's a great chance to meet some of the other students, such as a German couple (our age) or some of the young staff members.  

           Candelaria introducing the Valentine's day lunch

One of the delights of returning to a place, of course, is reconnecting with friends from previous years.  Lynn and Greg, the couple whose house we shared last week, are from Portland, Oregon, and share many of our interests, including music, politics, and international travel.  Another friend, Lisa, is a retired pediatrician from Colorado who comes here to study Spanish and work in a clinic, as well as to make art and watch current movies that she buys from street vendors!  We saw both Loving and Silence with her this week.  I enjoyed Loving.  Silence was a bit too violent for me. 

On Wednesday afternoon, I went with Lynn to an NGO called Mayan Families, very close to school.  Lynn has been meeting with a few children there once a week to do some enrichment activities, like playing games and doing art projects.  I have gone along to help.  

                   Playing "duck, duck, goose".

One afternoon I went on a walking tour of Panajachel with one of the school staff.  It was part of their activity offerings for the week but I was the only person who wanted to go.  Elisa, a knowledgeable young woman who works in the school office, was my guide.  I had already seen most of the sites that we visited, but it was good to go with a native and to hear her descriptions (as much as I could understand :).  

We began our tour at the nearby San Francisco church, built in 1576.  

New road tiles have been laid on this street that leads to the cemetery.  There was a party to celebrate.  Thus the decorations.  

The cemetery, on the other side of the river and on the edge of town, is very colorful and interesting.  It is the location for festivities on Day of the Dead in November when families bring food to their deceased family members.  The photo shows individual tombs.  

We walked back to town along the shore of Lake Atitlan, passing boats and children swimming. 

Meanwhile, Bruce has been practicing his violin. In years past, he has missed being away from his fiddle for such extended periods.  So, before we left home this year, he bought himself a traveling fiddle which is only about 6" wide and came inside a sturdy tube.  It looked like all was for naught when he unpacked it upon our arrival in Pana and discovered that the bridge had broken.  But being the problem-solver that he is, Bruce got some glue and fixed it - and so far, so good.  

Bruce also has a project with Jabel Tinamit's outreach program, Forma (www.formaguatemala.org), the umbrella organization that is reaching out to kids in the surrounding Mayan villages.  He'll help with their brochure.  BTW, two teens from the program won very competitive international Wal-Mart scholarships to attend college in Arkansas this year!  Wohoo!  (Guess I'd better not bad-mouth Wal-Mart so much.) 

Yesterday was my day of enforced rest after I came down with a bug of some sort.  Vomiting/diarrhea.  Yuck.  I'm on the mend but laying low today.  

So goes our time in Guatemala.  We have only one more week of classes.  It's a shortened adventure this year and is going by quickly.  As always, it's a fascinating experience, all in all.  We hear about massive amounts of snow at home and are glad to be here, though, truth be told, those cozy wood stoves and brisk x-country ski outings sound pretty good, too.  

An Annual Event

              An Annual Event                                    February 9, 2017

                                    Bruce's favorite color rose

Well, it happened again - and we're grateful!  Bruce celebrated another birthday here in Guatemala, the third in a row.  This one was spent with new friends, Lynn and Greg, whose rental home we're sharing for a week in Panajachel.  There were no big plans afoot, no weekend trips down Lake Atitlan to Santa Cruz, as in the past two years.  We had been in town for only 2 days and were just happy to be healthy and upright :), given events of the past year.

Bruce's first big gift was the Patriots' astounding win in the Super Bowl the night before.  Although he had given up on watching them at the local bar when it appeared that there was no hope, he and Greg did turn on the tv back here at the house.  Good thing!  What unfolded, of course, made sports history and was a birthday miracle!

It did seem that an outing of some sort was in order to mark the occasion, however.  Lynn, Greg, and I quickly came up with an idea for a simple excursion:  a trip to the local nature preserve here in Pana, which Bruce and I had never visited, followed by lunch at a lovely resort, Hotel Atitlan, near the nature preserve, with a stroll through their gorgeous gardens afterward.  And, of course, a delicious evening meal cooked by yours truly back at the casa.  Voila, instant birthday plan!

February 6 was a warm, sunny day, as are most days at this time of year in Guatemala, known as the land of eternal spring.   We splurged on tuk-tuk rides to the preserve.  Our innards got shaken up a bit as we rumbled over the cobblestones in town and then the pot-holed road leading to the preserve.   The preserve itself offered impressive amounts of information about the water quality of Lake Atitlan and efforts to clean it, given the deforestation of the surrounding mountains due to the need for cooking fuel, as well as other environmental issues.  Coffee farms cover some of the mountainsides and that is a good crop for sustainability.  Lots to learn.

                                             tuk-tuk

Past the informative posters, the trail led us on a fairly short, steep loop through the forest.  Due to the altitude, Bruce and I were soon huffing and puffing.  High in the trees, we could see black monkeys gracefully swaying among the branches.  Amazingly long vines hung from some of the trees.  We were told that these vines can grow several inches in one day!  A gorge bisected the area, creating the need for several swinging bridges, which were great fun to traverse.

                       our gang walking the swinging bridge

We ended our adventure at the preserve with a visit to the butterfly enclosure, a singularly peaceful, pretty place.  By then, it was time to walk down the road to the upscale hotel looking out on the lake.  Along the way, we passed a small group of workers harvesting onions,  little children scampering on the grass around their parents, the adults wearing hats with neck coverings to protect themselves from sunburn.

Hotel Atitlan is a world unto itself.  Furnished with beautiful wooden antiques and big bouquets of calla lilies, part of the Maya tradition, it sits on the edge of the lake with a view of a volcano rising from the water.  We chose a table on the veranda where the stunning view and the ambiance, including the colorful tableware, set a happy birthday scene.  And, despite the elegance, the prices were not bad :).

    Gardens at Hotel Atitlan, looking out on the lake and a volcano

                                     Bruce and Lynn at lunch

Our dessert was a walk through the gardens, passing one huge, un-caged parrot who sat calmly while we talked about him and clicked lots of photos.  When he'd had enough, he made no bones about it and shrieked a loud "get lost" bird call.  We obeyed!  The toucan had no such power over us, since he was enclosed in a cage.  We gabbed and clicked our cameras to our heart's content, poor fellow.

                                Mr. Parrot, king of his domain

By now it was mid-afternoon and time for a rest back at the casa and preparations for the evening meal.   Sunday is market day, and we had all gone to the outdoor market the day before to stock up on fresh produce.  In our yard, limes had fallen off the lime tree and would lend the perfect tartness to our fresh tomato and garlic pasta dish.  The large, airy rosemary bush next to the patio offered a boldly fragrant touch.

But I still needed a few items, so I went shopping at the Wal-Mart grocery store.  I also stopped at one of two smaller shops that keep the ex-pat community stocked with essentials like good local yogurt and wine and kombucha and pink Himalayan salt (I kid you not!).  The meal came out very well, and we launched Bruce into another year of adventures with a full tummy and warm friendship.

                   Looking to see what the next year will hold??

New York City, 2017

New York City, 2017              February 3, 2017

Here we go again.  We are off for our 2017 winter adventure. We had originally hoped that we might share discoveries of Asia, but, alas, life intervened.  With Bruce sporting a new pace-maker, it made sense to stay on this side of the world for now.  

So, New York City, then Guatemala, Cuba, Florida, and Alabama are on the itinerary - if we can squeeze it all into two months.  We plan to arrive back in Maine by the first week of April.  

The Concord Trailways express bus ride from Portland to NYC was SO easy & comfortable!  We made it in a little less than the expected 6 hours, arriving around noon.  Along the way, we had a lovely chat with a former Breakwater parent sitting in front of us, Patti Daunis, who was traveling to NYC to visit her son, Sam Dunning, who is now an aspiring actor.  We hope to find him on You-Tube, playing Thomas Jefferson in the Patriot series on the Fox channel.  

Sitting across from us on the bus was Peggy Grodinsky, a food writer for the Portland Press Herald.  I have enjoyed her pieces, especially one featuring the relationship between the chef/owner of Back Bay Grill and his dishwasher.  We had lots to discuss!  

Before long, we arrived at our NYC bus stop near the United Nations building.  From there, it was an arduous slog on foot to our hotel, loaded down with heavy backpacks and suitcases filled with books, gifts, technical accoutrements, and clothes for a variety of weather.  We did take a break for me to unload and wander delightedly through a fantastic art gallery where clouds of colorful metal butterflies and huge whimsical ostrich-like creatures offered me the lift I needed to finish the trek.    

Along the way, and throughout the weekend, we passed iconic New York landmarks, including St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, St. John the Divine Church, Times Square, Delmonico's Gourmet Deli, Carnegie Hall, Central Park, and, yes, Trump Towers.  

                                                   Central Park skaters                    

                 Look who was sitting in Central Park!

We were disappointed that Bruce's sister, Sue, and husband, Dave, had been felled by the flu at the last moment and weren't able to join us, as planned.  It had been 10 years since our last trip to NYC, which had been with them.  We carried on, however, doing lots of good eating at a variety of ethnic restaurants, most of them close to our hotel, Park Central on 7th Avenue.  

                     Park Central Hotel on 7th Avenue

These included a meal at a sweet little Japanese noodle house, a yummy New York pizza and a glass of red wine at an old Italian restaurant, Guinness at two Irish pubs, a bagel with cream cheese lox spread that will make my mouth water for a long time, a steaming bowl of won-ton soup at Big Wong's in Chinatown, and coffee at an Australian cafe.  What a foodie dream :).  

                                   Chinatown

Since it was the weekend for Chinese New Year, we tried to see a parade.  Alas, we missed it.  The main parade had taken place in Chinatown, far from our hotel, just after our arrival on Saturday.  However, there were lots of stores in our mid-town area, offering their best wishes for this Year of the Rooster.  

                              Year of the Rooster

The "must-see" of our trip was a visit to the 9/11 Museum on Monday morning.  It is a beautiful, stately, somber memorial, so respectful of those who lost their lives on that unforgettable day.   On our arrival by subway, we entered a grand, soaring, pure white station that seemed to take one's soul heavenward.  

                        Train Station at 9/11 Memorial

That was balanced by the peaceful outdoor water construction, a deep square stone hole in the ground with water flowing smoothly down the sides.  Names were engraved in the surrounding wall. Such elemental features, rock and water - and the blue sky above - and the names for all eternity.  

                                  9/11 Memorial

Because those horrible events were perpetrated by Muslim extremists, our visit to the memorial seemed to connect to the current news of the day, President Trump's unfortunate ban on travel from seven Muslim nations.  I can't help but think that his declaration makes us more vulnerable rather than safer.  

In fact, this news hung like a cloud over the weekend.  It was ironic to me that we were in Trump's neighborhood, seeing Trump this and Trump that, as we read many different editorials and opinions and FB posts, with him in center stage.  At the same time we were surrounded by immigrants cleaning our hotel room, serving us restaurant meals, driving our shuttle to the airport. We never travel without our laptops these days.  It's a dubious benefit and yet one that we can't seem to let go of.  So, we do stay in the know.  I feel a shroud of guilt that we're leaving our nation in the lurch by vacationing abroad.  And I wonder what social and civic conditions we'll find when we return.  

On a cheerier note, we walked a LOT, averaging 6 miles per day.  Good to get back to walking, which we seem to do, in large part, only when we travel.  

A Cut and a Communist

A Cut and a Communist           February 2, 2017 This first blog post of 2017 just flew off my laptop.  It's a bit out of  sequence, since I haven't yet written about the start of our adventure  in NYC.  Hold on, that one will appear.  But, yesterday I had an  interesting experience at Barcelo, the fancy hotel where Bruce & I  stayed for our first night in Guatemala City.  It's the kind of place  where we never stay - unless we're arriving in a third world country  at 9pm, and the hotel offers shuttle service from the airport.   With "resort" services at our disposal, however, we decided to take  a swim in the beautiful outdoor pool yesterday morning before we  checked out.  When I reached down to remove what I had thought  might be a small pebble on the floor of the hot tub,I cut my finger on  the grout around a water hole. It was not a deep cut but it bled quite a  lot and I immediately warned the life guard about the danger.  Of  course, he leapt to my rescue.  In a flash Sergio, a paramedic, was at  my service, nattily dressed in a formal suit and tie, with a big bag of  medical supplies in tow.  Attending him was a tall, handsome young  man named, oddly enough, Lenin (first name).  Both men were  wearing name tags.   Sergio carefully dabbed a solution that was reddish brown and stingy  on my finger.  He followed up with a spray solution and an abundance  of band-aids. While all of this was going on, Bruce & I couldn't help but tell them  about our paramedic son.  I knew that Matt would be very interested  in this process.  I also wondered if Sergio was employed full time by  the hotel, waiting for just such an occasion, however humble, to jump  into action.   Of course, I had to sign a waiver, complete with my passport number and room number, attesting to the fact that I had been given medical  care.  In retrospect, I wished that they had given ME a document of  some kind, telling me what medications they had used on me. Finally, being curious about Lenin's name, I had to find out the story,  which he freely told me. His dad had been a university student who  was studying economics.  He admired communism and had wanted  to give his son the names of two famous communists, Lenin and  Stalin. His mother put her foot down at the middle name and he  became Lenin Stuart.  With America's long-standing aversion to communism, I don't think I've ever met anyone in the USA who  would want to name their child these particular names, despite  our openness to some pretty unusual names.  It made me wonder  about political conditions in Guatemala thirty years ago, which was the middle of the civil war here.  Hard to escape the reach of  politics.   A day later, the band-aids have been removed.  The finger is fine.   Sergio and Lenin did an excellent job.                   Bruce enjoying the hot tub where I had my mishap.