Sunday, July 25, 2010

I woke up at 5:30 to birdsongs and bells ringing. Wow, that sounds a lot nicer than I thought it was at the time! I dozed until 7:30, and then I got up. Enrique had told me that they were going to church at 9, so I thought they would be up soon. I got ready and was anxious to go out, but I didn’t have a key, so I didn’t want to leave because I might not be able to get back in. Elvira and Enrique have lots of caged birds in the walkway. They have a toucan! I went down and watched the birds for a while and enjoyed the sun. Even though it was early in the morning, I was comfortable in a skirt and short sleeves… amazing! I had forgotten how that can feel. I am used to socks and shoes, layers and jackets. The man from Canada who was staying there too, came and talked to me. He offered to let me borrow one of his keys because he and his wife have two. I thanked him and headed out.

July 25 is the feast day of Antigua’s patron saint. For that reason, they were having a parade at 9. Enrique had told me that he thought Jenny’s church started at 9, too. I headed out to find the church. It is held in a café. I couldn’t find it, so I asked a man in a shop and he told me that it was in the café just a few doors down. I walked in and there were a few women mopping the floor. I asked them if there was going to be a church service there and what time it started. They told me 10:30. I was happy because then I got to go watch the parade. I went near the arch over the street because I thought it would be a good place to take pictures. There were many school marching bands. Mostly the parade consisted of school groups. Some of the students were dressed up in costumes and some were wearing really fancy dresses and outfits. I took lots of pictures. Most of the people were standing on the shady side of the street, but I basked in the sun (wearing my sunscreen, of course), and got lots of good pictures because I wasn’t crowded by lots of people. After an hour, I started to wonder how much longer the parade was going to last. I started walking up the street the opposite direction as the parade, so I got to see it faster. I walked up to Central Park and watched the end of the parade. Then I walked around a little before heading to the church at 10:20.

I found it interesting that there was a sign on the wall outside the café with the name of the café on it, but on Sundays, they hang another sign below it that says the name of the church (Iglesia del Camino). It is a bilingual church. I hadn’t seen a group of so many gringos in one place since Texas! The majority of the gringos seemed to be girls in their 20s who were wearing skirts. I sat next to a girl named Kristin from Texas. The main pastor was a gringo who spoke in English and then someone translated. We sang worship songs in both languages. Then a Guatemalan man who is learning to be a pastor gave the message. I was glad because I could understand it first in Spanish and then hear the English version rather than the other way around. The message was about giving God complete control of your life and not being controlled by anything (even “good” things like comfort: “your bed”).

After church, I only had an hour left in Antigua. I left the church and headed to the market. I walked out to the part near the bus terminal and found one thing that I needed. Then I went in the artesian market and asked about 30 vendors if they had what I was looking for. I did not have any luck. It was time for me to head back to the house, so I looked in shops along the way. One man had two of what I needed in his shop. He gave me a very high price and I bartered hard to get a lower price. In my haste, I told him that 90 was “the lowest price” that I could pay. I bet he liked that. There probably aren’t too many customers who refuse to pay lower prices! Hehe! I think he understood me because I got a reasonable deal. I also quickly stopped in some travel agencies to ask about prices for going to the airport. I think it might be better if I spent my last night in Antigua instead of Guatemala City. The shuttles to the airport are only $7 for the hour-long ride and they pick you up at your door. I will have to investigate this further!

I went back to the house and changed my clothes and packed the rest of my stuff up. I talked to Elvira who was sitting on the steps in the sun. I took a picture of Elvira, Enrique, and me. Then I had to leave. I walked to the bus terminal and found a bus to Chimaltenango (Q5). I told the ayudante that I was going to Xela. The bus was crowded and I was near the middle, so I think he forgot about me. After the hour-long ride to Chimaltenango, I thought I recognized the road where I would need to get a bus. However, the bus didn’t stop and the ayudante didn’t tell me anything. I asked a woman sitting near me and she told me that I should have gotten out four blocks ago. I rushed to the front of the bus, and the driver let me out. I walked the four blocks back to the main road. I almost caught a bus heading to Xela, but they left without me. I waited for the next bus with an ice cream-selling man. I had to wait about ten minutes. The bus that came said Xela on the front and so I hopped on. It was really crowded. I shared my seat with two other people. There were three people on almost every seat. I told the ayudante that I was going to Xela when I paid for my ticket (Q25). It was a long bus ride. I was squished between two people for most of the ride and it was a very curvy road. We came to Cuatro Caminos and I was glad because I knew we were near Xela. However, the bus went a different way. I thought that we must be taking a different route. The bus kept climbing up and up a huge mountain. I saw a sign for San Francisco El Alto. The ayudante came to me and asked, “Xela?” I said yes (well actually I said “si”), and he told me to get out. He had obviously made a mistake and had forgotten to tell me to get out at Cuatro Caminos. I had to wait on a corner for a van (microbus) to take me back to Cuatro Caminos to get a bus to Xela. I chatted with a very friendly woman while I waited. The van was stuffed full of people, but they were very friendly, too. I got to ride in the front with the driver and two other people. It cost Q3. The driver was very helpful and dropped me off very close to where I had to take the next bus. I walked over and got on. The bus ride cost Q3 and lasted a little more than a half hour. I recognized the rotunda and got out there. I should have rode a little further, but I was able to walk home without having to go all the way to the terminal and then take a microbus home.

I walked home and unpacked before dinner. I went in the house at 7 and no one was home, so I started doing my homework. Sandy and Roberto came home and we had dinner about 7:30. We had chuchitos and bread and rice and beans. I can’t remember if there was anything else. I told them about my trip, especially the part about seeing Brenda.

I sat in the living room after dinner and did my homework (diary of my trip). Then I went to my room, washed a few clothes in the sink, and then went to bed around 10. I was really tired and I had a headache from the jarring bus ride.

P.S. I forgot to say yesterday that the electricity was only off for about 15 minutes.