bombas

it is impossible for me to explain the relationship between bombas and Guatematecos but i will try - the closest thing i've ever seen is the irrational behavior of men around the 4th of July in the United States. illegal in most states [for good reason] men drive hours to buy fireworks from a state where it is legal, in anticipation of the 4th of July and then they HIDE THE FIREWORKS from the women [for good reason]. 

i remember as a child my brothers buying fireworks during summer holidays when we passed through states where selling was legal. the same childlike fascination is celebrated on a large scale in Guatemala.

the bombas in Guatemala sound like a motar round exploding and in Antigua or at the Lake the sound reverberates off the surrounding mountain sides so it amplifies the sound for miles.

this can drive the expats bat-shit crazy especially when they first arrive, but strangely you get used to it to some extent - like living in a war zone. gradually you stop cringing when you hear them.

there is a history behind the bombas that most people don't really understand. when the Spaniards came they brought with them religion and when building their churches they would get the bells from Europe and the bells were used to call people to church for services and celebrations.

the Guatemaltecos got used to the bells as a symbol of celebration but as they drifted from the catholic church the bells were too expensive to put onto new evangelical churches. instead they used the bombas to call people to church. and so the usage of the bombas spread so that everyone began using them as a symbol of every celebration.

it's annoying as shit when those are going off on your street at 5am for three days in a row because someone is celebrating a birth, birthday, death, religious holiday, government holiday or [fill in the blank].

oh and as if the unending fireworks weren't enough ... there is a tradition of putting a firecracker headress on a teenager, lighting it up and letting them run down the street. this is real and totally sanctioned by the adults. 

so you can see why cultures clash when Guatemaltecos arrive in the US.

keeps me humble

This pretty much sums up my experience learning Spanish... 

There are at least 15 large language learning schools in Antigua, Guatemala and many with immersion courses. It fits my schedule best to work one on one with a spanish tutor and there are many to choose from in Antigua. 

The teacher I have used for the last two years is Edwin Vega. He comes round to my house or we meet up in a cafe. He has a wicked sense of humor and a lot of patience. He is fluent in English which helped me when I wanted an explanation of something. He offers classes online as well so it's possible to maintain a class schedule even when I'm traveling.

He's also an expert salsa dancer! You can check out his website here Edwin's Website.

Buying Boots in Pastores, Guatemala

Fabulous new boots .... so happy with how they turned out! Here's everything you need to know to shop like a pro in Pastores. I've been a few times now, so i have talked to several boot makers.

First, find Pastores on a map... it is just past Jocotenango as you head out to Chimaltenango. It's about 30Q [$4] for an uber from Antigua or 5Q if you grab the bus from the mercado.

Pastores has over 20 boot makers and they don't seem to like each other very much - and they are all in competition so prices won't vary much. There are plenty of shops on the main road ... no need to wander further. One of the first shops as you enter Pastores is Hernandez. All the drivers know this shop because it's one of the biggest and it's a great place to start. You can look at what's on offer and get an idea of how much items cost.

You can wander up and down the street checking out the other shops... If you find what you want you are all set!

If you decide you want a pair custom made I'm going to recommend Lorenzo [card below 5985-4185] at El Rancho. It is one of the tiny shops but he does great work, charges a fair price and will get it right for you. I have high arches so I get him to build support for me. He made the first pair of boots I got and they are sooo comfortable - remember this post? 

I've sent some other people to him and they also had a great experience and beautiful boots!

So look for this shop ... and tell him a friend sent you. Lorenzo doesn't have English but I've still been able to get by or bring a friend with better Spanish.

It usually takes around 10 days to get the boots made - but in the past I've always asked for changes so that takes another week. Since there is a La Torre [super fancy grocery store] in Jacotenango I usually combine with a grocery run.

When I finally decided I wanted a pair of boots that incorporate a Guatemalan textile I picked out a used huipil at the NIM POT near the arch in Antigua. [the NIMPOT is a socially responsible business providing artisans from throughout Guatemala access to the tourists and the prices are very good] I love the greens and blues in my huipil but there are hundreds of huipils from 20Q - 100Q stacked along one side. The boot maker used that textile for my boots. The cost for a pair of boots bought off the shelf or made should be around $50.

When I picked up my boots I saw Lorenzo was taking orders for this leather backpack which I loved but thought it was a tad pricy at 650Q [$85].

We didn't find any good spots to eat in Pastores but it's great for a couple of hours of shopping. On one trip I was with my amiga Laura who is a fantastic shopper and she found the shop where the boot makers buy their leather... and of course we both ended up with a half a cow hide. Great for a rug or upholstery, etc. The cost varies but I think it was about $40 for the hide. The owner said the hides come from Huehuetenango.

Most of the shops do close for lunch ... but it seemed like around 2 instead of the usual 1PM. The boot makers don't like people to take pictures so maybe look around online if you have a specific style in mind so you can show a boot maker what you want. 

Last note, I don't consider the chicken buses from Chimaltengo to be safe so I usually don't ride that route... I know plenty of people who have ridden that route safely. I'll debate that in another post.

If you go to Pastores for boots leave a comment below so this post stays current and has other feedback.

move over pope

there has been a very significant shift away from catholicism in Guatemala.  while previously it was the only religion the country is now split and 50% of those practicing religion are catholic - the 50% are called evangelical.

i have no idea what the evangelicals believe or don't believe.  i can say that there are missionaries all over Guatamala and i did overhear this conversation at a local shop in Antigua.  clearly, this youngish [20 something] guy and slightly older woman were missionaries i'm just not sure which flavor.

him:  someone asked me about the cross and i didn't know what to say
her:  we don't ever talk about the cross or crucifixion because they are symbols associated with catholicism.

ummm.  ok.  i didn't wait around to hear more.  

one day on an hour-long ride to Santa Teresita where there are hot springs we got to speculating about this shift away from catholicism.  urbanization and economic decline were early factors and but it was the catholic church's alignment with the guerrillas during the civil war that opened the flood gate of evangelicals.  from there it seems the catholic church wasn't 'tending it's flock' and that led to the massive exodus.  

more on the religious practices in Guatemala.

chruch crypts

One of the other practices the Spaniards brought with them is the burial of the wealthy and influential patrons under the flooring of the churches.  

The deceased were buried under a dirt floor inside the crypt with lime and eventually moved into an ossuary in the same crypt. Coffins are not common and it was very rare to have a tombstone. 

The cathedral in the main park has some of the few crypts visitors may visit including one under a chapel that is currently used by mayan spiritual guides for ceremonies. Under the main altar, the remains of the conqueror Pedro they Alvarado and Bishop Francisco Marroquin are believed to have been buried. The remains are excavated in 1943 And put in a box in the local courthouse.

A beautifully excavated crypt is below the Santo Domingo church and has an exquisite mural painting from 1636. 

built from cacao money

fun fact.  there are about 26 catholic churches in one square kilometer [half a mile] that is considered the city of Antigua.  this is the cathedral at the central park [don't call it the square or the center - people will say they don't know what you are talking about] -  only a portion of it is still used.  like many ruins in Antigua, massive portions of the structure are left where they landed during the earthquakes.  

the architect who designed one of the rebuilds of the cathedral is credited with the ability of the superstructure to withstand additional earthquakes.  it provides a spectacular view of the sky on a clear day.

so, what does this have to do with cacao? one of the crops highly valued by the spaniards was cacao from which chocolate is made. much of present day guatemala was planted with cacao that was exported to spain. it is the cacao trade that funded the origninal cathedral. 

havana, cuba

Growing up in Florida, just 90 miles from Cuba, I had a fascination about Cuba that is finally satisfied. I was due for a visa run so I talk my brother, sister and another friend into a trip. Here's a snapshot of the craziness that is Cuba. 

true devotion

there is a rich and vibrant history behind the processions during lent.  the reasons for these processions are in line with the catholic themes of introspection, devotion and penance.  what the processions have become are quite a distortion of those original concepts.  

participation today is based purely on economics.  participants carry the floats for a set distance [about a 1/2 mile].  the cost to participate is based on where during the route you carry [higher visibility areas cost more] and where on the float you stationed.

devotional is not a word i would use to describe this ritual.  the participants are on average as devotional as a two year old in church.  introspection? not when you can't put your cell phone down for your 20 minute shift.  penance?  yep, walking in the hot sun carrying a float that weighs up to 700 pounds is brutal.  

makes you wonder what would jesus say?

angels

then a saint

mayan + catholic practies in Guatemala

when the conquistadors arrived and introduced catholicism there was resistance by the mayans.  the spanish built over the existing religious sites and did other crappy things which are pretty standard 'art of war' practices.  and the mayan did adopt catholicism.  they also kept their old mayan practices as well and often you see the practices side by side.  these colored candles have a lot of significance for the mayan and there are separate altars just outside the entrance of the catholic churches where it is acceptable for the mayan catholics to light their candles.  they just can't go inside the church where only traditionally white candles are used.  

red - love, clarification and represents the east.  black - cuts negative energy and represents the west.  white - purification of the mind and represents the north.  yellow - the energy of life and represents the south.  green - hope.  light blue - fortune.  purple - removes illness.  pink - fixes love

there are multiple combinations that enhance specific intentions, like mixing the white and blues will give you spiritual powers like intuition and vision.  more here.

first the romans

day processions

night processions

going to a procession

cuaresma

lent.  it's been around for a long time - like 2000 years.  it is called cuaresma here.  most people know what ash wensday is but the significance here is amplified.  this year the begining of a time of austerity and internalization for catholics lands on a day otherwise known best for a celebration of lovers.  february 14. so a bit awkward.

mardi gras isn't really a thing here but they give lent a whole new meaning.

i haven't commented on this because i've been watching and trying to understand the unique relationship Antigua and Guatemala has with lent [cuaresma].  also, as an outsider it is really easy to see the rediculousness of the traditions.

when i first arrived i was creeped out by the veneration of the religious statues in the churches.  i'm not sure why, i grew up in the catholic church, i had been around them all my life.  maybe i have spent too much time in the east.  

these religious statues are kept year round is specific churches.  each week during lent there are processions as statues are moved from church to church or on sundays, they are just taken out for a really long walk.  so more on the processions next....

new boots

total gringo thing to do but i love them and they are sooo comfortable.  a pueblo outside Antigua called Pastores is known for making boots.  so about two weeks ago i went out to see about a new pair of boots.  the cream color caught my eye and so i had a pair made.  i went out to pick them up last week and i was really not happy because they were too big.  went back out today and they fit perfect.

i had been resistant to getting some made because they are leather which gives me a twinge of guilt but at at $40US i had to have me a pair.

video of honduras

 

money, recrossing the border, navigation and rental car

$0.20 - twenty cents american

we ended up not changing any money as we were able to get around using our credit cards and american dollars.  i had filled the gas tank in guatemala so i wouldn't have to in Honduras and that worked out great.  we ended up with a few lempira notes as change for coffee in one shop [give them american dollars - they give you a really crappy exchange rate - you get change back in local money] 

driving back to the border the road had dried out enough in washed out places that traffic was moving quickly.  

we all had valid stamps for Guatemala in our passports and since we had not been stamped out [just stamped into Honduras] i drove past the immigration buildings and to the Guatemalan border gate.  i get challenged by someone in the car who was either just thinking out loud or wanted to go stand in more immigration lines.  i say let's see what happens and let's not make it more complicated than it needs to be.  it takes a minute for the guard to walk out of his shack and he lifts the gate and waves us through.  i shout a 'muchas gracias' and it was that easy.  i don't believe we did anything improper but remote border crossings are always unpredictable so someone else might have a different experience.  

the route we took back was not the same because of a navigation error.  i had fallen asleep in the back seat and when i woke up we were off route.  so, not a big deal but driving in remote areas does require both a skilled driver and some with navigation skills.  roads are poorly marked and google maps/waze was not 100% reliable.

when i return the rental car there is of course a final surprise, the contract is in US$ but when you return the car if you don't pay in US$ cash then they convert using a very bad exchange rate and charge your credit card at the much higher Guat quetzales rate.  this pissed me off because it's just a blantant rip off but i need the transaction to go on my cc for coverage reasons.  i told them i would dispute the added costs with my cc company - which i did because i had a contract in US$ and didn't pay the extra amount.

this was a great adventure and i had a wonderful time.  i hope that my travels take me back to Honduras.

violence in Honduras & Guatemala

this topic is toxic but this is my opinion  -  i try very hard not to make it worse than it is but to see it how it really is.

competition to be the most violent country in Central America is fierce.  the top contenders of the moment are El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.  Honduras has been in the news at the moment because of the violence and protests surrounding the recent elections.  in my time there i was cautious but did not see any evidence of violent crimes in the area i visited.

image from theindependent.co.uk

from my short time talking to people in Honduras there are bigger problems than the protests around the elections. it's the narcotics industry that is impacting the country.  due to flight logistics the major drug producing countries of south america need to land their planes in Honduras then move the drugs over land from there to the US.  hundreds of airstrips have popped up creating a new crop of narco warlords.

likewise, the same trends are visible in Guatemala as that money creeps north.  they aren't going to target expats or tourists but it is still possible to get caught in the crossfire.  

the narcotics industry and ultimately poverty are systemic problems that need to be addressed by sustainable economic solutions in developing countries.  

on security, i don't trust expats or other travelers because everyone's security experience, exposure and risk tolerance is different and just as important every culture has it's own nuances.

the real experts on the level of danger in a country are the insurance guys  [and the O&G sector]. they pay people to evaluate the social, political and economic stability of a country to make sure they aren't overexposed.  in my experience that list is far more valuable than what comes out of the state department in the US. 

asked recently by a Canadian about security in Guatemala this is what i said:

death, violent attacks and sexual assault - yes, it's possible but easy to minimize this risk by not going into the specific regions known to have high levels of related activities.  specific zones in Guat City and a few rural areas.

home property theft - yep.  expats are a big target here and the longer you live here the risk increases.  in my opinion, this is usually not random so it's just makes sense the longer you are here to more service providers will be in the house and it's just a matter of time.

street crime - more than most countries and being a gringo i know that i am a bigger target.  i minimize risk by carrying limited amounts of cash, don't wear expensive jewelry, expose my camera or phone on the street, carry technology [other than a phone] or walk alone after dark.  where i live it's easy and safe to use taxis/ubers after dark.  risk goes up during holidays.

in Guatemala i feel more safe here than in Africa, less safe than in Asia or the US.  still, the only place i have ever been robbed at gunpoint or had my home robbed is in the US.