a Zunil con Nery

Nery and Lindsey
Originally uploaded by sparkypants.

Nery was my spanish teacher and a cute old man. he was very sweet and a good teacher and always wanted to take us places. we went to Zunil on sunday the 15th to visit San Simon. San Simon is a non-catholic saint who is worshipped by locals. they go to his shrine to perform ceremonies and light candles. his shrine consists of a life-sized manaquin who looks vaguely like Michael Jackson - gold chains, scarves, sun glasses and gloves. he is fond of smoking Payaso cigarettes and drinking Venado rum. people light different colored candles to get different things (i.e. red=love, green=good crop). click the picture to see photos of the vegetable gardens of Zunil.

Las Cuevas de Juan Noj

Marvin and a view of Almolonga
Originally uploaded by sparkypants.

Yesterday, on our last outing with Escuela Utatlàn, we went to visit the spirit of Juan Noj. He lives in a cave just outside Xela and is the spirit who can grant you lots and lots of money. Local come here to burn offerings and ask for success in business and lots of money. Marvin, the director of our school, told us that about a year ago the family that takes care of the cave discovered and rescued a child that had been left as an offering. I´m not sure if this is true or not, but we saw remnants of chickens, doves, and sheep at the cave altar. I didn´t go down in the cave, but Lindsey did. Click the picture to see more photos on flickr.

las aguas amargas

volcan santa maria
Originally uploaded by sparkypants.

yesterday we went to las aguas amargas - this is the view from the hot spring-fed pool we were relaxing in (well, almost). it was a short bus ride from Xela to Zunil, then a short pick-up ride to the springs. the water is really hot! muy caliente. after swimming in the large pool for a while we went into the semi-private baths where it was too hot to get into the water. click this photo to see more pictures at flickr.

trip to Abaj Takalik

on saturday we took a trip to the archeological site called Abaj Takalik with Marvin, the director of our spanish school, and the other students. it was our first ride in a chicken bus - old american school buses converted and used for transportation all over Guatemala. i didn´t get any pictures of Abaj Takalik or the chicken bus, but there are a few pictures from the traffic jam we got caught in on the way back. there are many sections of road that just got washed away during hurricane stan, and quicky detours have been constructed to go around them. on the way back a semi and a tow truck towing a chicken bus got stuck on a narrow curve and traffic stopped for a good hour while it was all sorted out. the chicken bus is a really cheap way to travel, and they pack as many people as possible in them. you are lucky if you get to sit two persons to a seat. they are all painted bright greens and reds and blues and the music is blasting constantly. it was as interesting as, if not more than, Abaj Takalik. The archeological site that is available to the public is small because most of it is on private land, but is interesting in that it contains three types of monuments: Olmec, Mayan and a local type, the name of which I can´t remember.

street in xela

street in xela
Originally uploaded by sparkypants.

en Xela

we had a couple of long travel days but made it to Xela just fine. we are staying at Casa Argentina and had our first spanish class today at Escuela Utatlan. more later (hopefulle), must go find some food and coffee.

we leave in two days

almost done packing - time for a drink