"Tres Chocas"

You know how i said that the house we live in is right by a main street where big buses and fast cars drive by. Well today after coming home from a nephews martial arts belting ceremony, we parked the car by the street and rushed to the front door ducking one big bus after another. Rushing to get the kids safe indoors, my Dear Husband dropped the car keys on the seat inside the car and locked the door.

Come time to bring the cars into the garage, he noticed that the car keys were missing. We searched all over the, emptied our pockets and my handbag only to discover the keys on the seat inside the car. We tried picking the keyhole, using a wire hanger to lift the lock, inserting a machete between the glass window (like what they do on movies) but to no avail. We had most of the relatives and neighbors try their luck but all grunted and swore and cursed... still the doors wouldn't budge. DH's brother and nephews called friends and "cuate's" but either they're not home or out dancing or too drunk to come (it's Flyday... I mean Friday by the way).

Finally DH's cousin arrived from a prayer meeting and hopped in her son's "moto" to get someone. She came back 10 minutes later with another guy in another "moto" closely following her. This guy... quite young probably late teens or early twenties, then proceeds to pull out a long machete and a coiled wire, wiggled both expertly through glass and rubber, held his breath and click... the lock is lifted. He grabs the handle, opens the door and voila! Problem solved. " Me gusta un hombre de pocas palabras...quanto te debo?" asked DH. "Tres chocas" answered the guy. I looked inquiringly at my niece and she said "Setenta y cinco". My DH counts out the money, hands it to the guy who then shakes DH's hand, walked to his "moto" revs up and drives off. I tell you... all these happened in 2 minutes!

Sunday Morning Glory

I woke up this morning with bright sunlight streaming through the jalousie windows by our bedroom, the fan whirring in front of my face and kids giggling in the background. It was 7:05 am. As usual I was the last to wake up. I could hear the kids downstairs already playing the Wii system they got before we left Chicago. I could also smell coffee. It was unusually bright that time. The sky was already so blue and cloudless. I tiptoed out of the bedroom and opened the door to the balcony. What a sight! I had to grab my camera.

The majestic "Vulcan de Agua". I wish I had a better camera. This picture does not show the real beauty of this volcano. On a clear day like today, one could see the crooks and dents where the lava once flowed. The trees are visible. I wish I know how to photoshop. I could have brushed off the cables and street lights. I know a very good friend who is into photography and could easily make such eyesore disappear with a few flicks of her dainty fingers. But that would be misleading and hiding the real purpose of this blog. I want people to know the simplicity and grandeur of living in Guatemala. I should add some more photos.

A "senor" delivering bags of fresh cream to a neighbor. When I first got here i was blown away by the heavenly taste of sweet and buttery fresh cream. I have never tried such delicious cream in all of my travels. The "senor" also delivers fresh "leche", "queso fresco" and "requizon" thrice a week.

The vending carts of "granizada" (or "helados"?) being prepped and loaded. "Granizada" is a frozen treat like "Italian Ice". It is shaved ice with fruit marmalade of your choice and fruit syrup. Yummy! "Helados" are ice cream! Remember this is 7:00 Sunday morning. As you can see, styrofoam cups and bottles of fruit essence are in place. I didn't see anyone nearby. These carts were probably being readied for pick up by the vendors heading off the catch the rush of churchgoers. This is the street where I live. You can see the colors of the houses. I love it.

Escuintla, like the whole Guatemala is very colorful. I haven't really explored much of this country yet but with the little that I have seen, I find it breathtakingly beautiful. Yes there are sights that one wouldn't care about, like a drunk splayed over by the sidewalk or the ginormous sized potholes, but my oh my... the volcanoes, the colorfully attired native Mayan women with equally colorful baskets of wares they sell, the lakes and ruins... and last but not least... Antigua! Before I got here, I read somewhere that Antigua is like Spain and Paris poured into one. I've been to both and I totally agree. But that's another story...

"El Flashiador"

I finally got my cell phone to work yesterday! When I first got here a month ago, I almost right away wanted a cell phone. For what, I don't know. I didn't even have a single friend to chat with. I just have that feeling of vulnerability, like being totally naked or helpless when I didn't have a cell phone. So since day one, Dear Husband had been trying to get me one.

At last yesterday I finally did. Woohoo! (yeah, like I have a lot of callers!) I brought with me a few cell phone units when I first moved here over a month ago. These were the ones I have saved over the years of subscribing from T-mobile. They give you a free phone when you renew your contract. The newest one i got thought was given to me as a mothers day gift from my Dear Husband. The Wing! Its an amazing phone with camera and internet browser just like The I-phone! The little thing is like a little computer that fits in the palm of your hand and is very sturdy. It cost him over US$400 new at that time. Now its not worth shit (excuse my language) because nobody could unlock it... what they call here "Flashiar". It would sure cost me over GTQ200 to "flash" it if someone could. Oh well, I couldn't use it here anyway. They say that phone wouldn't last me a day on the street due to thieves and robbers. I'd rather send it back to Chicago and have it sold there, get a little cash back... or just have it stashed in my drawer and collect dust. That's another story... the amount of dust my closet collects!

So anyway, I decided to just use my old hot pink "Razr" phone. We went so several "Flashiadores" but nobody could! They say they don't have the code for it. We asked around and some of them wanted us to leave the phone behind and they'll try to do it on their own time. That was scary after hearing some stories where the "flashiador" would call ahead some thief and they"ll wait in a corner and ask for the phone at gunpoint. This happened to one of DH's niece.



We finally found one highly recommended by DH's brother. His shop was in a little dark room right off the sidewalk of a busy street (parked illegally, I had to stay in the car with the boys). Iron bars from floor to ceiling guarded this little nook, and the guy had a gun within reach. We got there at 10 in the morning and was told to leave the phone and be back at 1 pm. So we did our little grocery shopping, drove by the "mercado", fed the pigeons by the old cathedral and took the kids to McDonalds. One o'clock sharp we were in front of his shop but was told that the guy is still "toda via flashiando". With my little Spanish I know that means "still unlocking". We had to come back at 3pm. This made me nervous already. The little hot pink razr phone was another gift from DH 3 mothers day ago and I'd hate to lose it. But come 3 pm, we got back to the shop and the guy handed it back to my husband all polished, unlocked and working with the new sim card!

I know it was a scary and nerve racking but hey, for 100 Quetzales (US$12) which is about 1/3 of what I would have paid in the US, a little sweat in the brow and illegal parking with blinkers, I'm happy. So if you guys ever have a collection of cell phones, make sure you have it unlocked before leaving town, or suffer the consequences of meeting the "El Flashiador".

"Empachado"

Two mornings ago my dear husband woke me up early. "I have to go see Dona Licha. Have to get there early to get a number", he said. Apparently, Dona Licha is a famous "sobador" ("Hilot" in Filipino) or naturopathic massage therapist. Sick people from near and far come to her for help. Because there is always a lot of people needing to be seen, one has to get there early in the morning to avoid waiting in line for so long.

Husband Dear has been suffering from sore throat and indigestion on and off since he got here 2 months ago. We live in front of a little medical clinic here in Escuintla and he has been seeing this doctor on and off. He's had shots, gargles, pills but the infection keeps coming back after being dormant only for a couple of days or so. HD has blamed the water (which we buy in 12 oz bags, 24 bags for 5Q... about US$0.60 ), the scorching heat (he lived in Chicago for 20 yrs before moving here), the smog and pollution (the house we live in is in the main road and our bedroom is about 3 feet from it, directly above the garage... motorists 24-7 non-stop, (we could smell the burn of rubber tires when they step on the brakes) and the "atol de elote" (corn porridge) that we had from the market the day before. He's been in and out of the bathroom, his body trying to get rid of the infection from both ends... thus the sore throat and bottom.

So off we went to Dona Licha with my 2 sons and HDs aunt. The house was in a quiet neighborhood about 10 minutes away. There was a long line and since they don't give out numbers anymore, we had to wait for our turn. After getting us all situated in plastic chairs that DH had to ask from someone , my 6 year old announced "I'm hungry, can we please go to McDonalds?. The four year old then said "Me too". Let me tell you, its amazing the convincing power two little boys can do. There's the doe-eyed "pretty please sugar on top?", the "please pleeeeaaaaseee pppaaahhhhllleeeaaassseee I'll never stop loving you", or the one my four year old pulls and knows he can "Mommy do you want me to die?" followed by tears and quivering lips.

So off we went to McDonalds with dear aunt, leaving DH behind promising to get back in half an hour. McDonald's was only about 5 blocks away but since that was my first time driving in Guatemala (I just got here from living in Chicago where most people follow proper driving rules), it took us 15 minutes, me all sweating, nervous and furious at a large bellied woman in native mayan clothes with a child strapped behind her and a huge basket of whatever balanced on her head who refused to walk on the sidewalk... i had to blow the horn on her several times. She stopped walking, turned around, gave me the dirtiest look, and continued on her way in the middle of the road!!!

By the time we got in, ordered and sat down, it was time to get back to the "Sobadors" house again. Mothers with little kids would understand how difficult it is to separate Kids and McDonald's playplace. After a few "Five more minutes, mommy", or "I wish Honey didn't have to go to the "doctor" " screams, (my sons call their dad "honey") i finally stood up and started clearing the table, only to see my husband walk in, waved a hand and walk straight to the bathroom. Apparently, after being seen by Dona Licha, who asked him to lie down on a kid sized cot, examined and massaged his belly, declared "Empachado!" with a flick of her finger and ordered him to drink a tall glass of "purgante" which was this whitish creamy oily yucky stuff she concocted, my husband got tired of waiting and decided to walk the 5 or 6 block distance to McDonalds. Because we only had one cell phone, (mine still needed to be unlocked) there was no way for him to call me. I could just imagine him swearing and sweating trying to hold it! He finally came out of the bathroom with a sheepish grin saying, "We have to go home". We did and he stayed close to the bathroom that whole day... and night! The next morning... he woke up like a new man. No upset stomach, no runs, no pain... no "empachado"!!! Now for that sore throat...