Is it better to travel safely than to arrive?

Well, first of all a big thank you to those of you who have written asking why there has been no blog for a few weeks.  This last four weeks has been a time of personal adjustment and realisation.  This blog is in two parts: part one -  more rambling thoughts on the subject  of “direction”, which I want to share with you and part two what’s been happening over the last few weeks!(out in a few days!)

The pics in this blog arein and around Santiago Zamora,San Antonio Aguas Calientes and aspects of the SZ project.

The performance group with our donors

So ……. If you want to skip my “navel gazing” await part two and read no more!

I am adjusting to life back in a developing country, although to be fair living in Antigua, one is hard pushed to see much sign of the poverty and difficulties that face most of the population. 

Two El Plan Infinito "angels"

I moved to Guatemala, as a conscious decision for (yet another?) life change, but I certainly had one hand metaphorically tied behind my back and I was definitely heading for harder times as I applied for jobs that I either really didn’t want or knew that I wouldn’t get being either too old or having a CV that was too reflective of my somewhat varied career! My solace during the most part of 2010/2011 had been the emotional support of close friends (thanks bro!), learning to paint and the cats!

Now, I want to be clear that I don’t regret my decision to move out of the UK, I do however, now fully realise just what an irrevocable step this has been AS I feel that there is no way I could afford to return to the UK to live, without having to a live off my “pension pot” which would last all of a year maybe two! 

So here I am. I am relatively happy….. but, I am dissatisfied.

Finding the right channels for my interests and abilities is still proving to be difficult.

Girls in Santiago Zamora

Letting go of my work experience in consulting and in enabling and helping organisation develop is very hard, particularly when faced with some pretty dysfunctional “helping” organisations.

Living in Antigua, I think will prove to be a mistake longer term. So I am looking to move out. Even moving 5 - 10 kms from Antigua takes you to towns and villages that definitely reflect the real (developing) Guatemala.  Live is tougher, but life is also simpler.  Most people are subsistence farming and hoping to build a little house on a small plot of land. Whereas, Antigua is all colonial architecture, restaurants, bars, boutiques and travel agencies (all wanting to take me to Volcan Pacaya- which is relatively inactive at the moment- so a big disappointment awaits!) They only place that reflects Guatemala is the market – which I love!  

One of the famous weavers of San Antonio!

So. . . ..  I have been feeling increasingly dissatisfied with life in Antigua as it is expensive and although stunning and amazing, should probably be the place I go too for treats (concerts, films, art, restaurants) but not the place I live, especially as I am not the ex-pat type and avoid most Gringos [foreigners, especially resident ones] like the plague.

Jossefet and I have been looking at places to rent out of town!  More space, smaller garden and a rent of around $150(US) compared to the $350(US) that I pay in Antigua for 250 sq feet and a huge garden.  With the saving I could/would buy a scooter  - brand new for $900(US)- Life in the fast lane. Or simply be a Guatemalan and take the bus!

About £600

The project in Santiago Zamora also presents its own challenges as does the running and management of it. So I have gone from being offered the opportunity to coordinate the project, to resigning from the charity, to now working for it “simply volunteering my time” two afternoons a week mainly running art projects, whilst a big line is drawn in the sand around the future direction of the project and new ideas are tried out. If things go well an offer is “hanging in the air” to coordinate the project from June (but many things would have to change in order for me to feel happy to do that!) AND actually running the arte stuff is very rewarding AND I did promise myself no more responsibility!

As one door closed another opened. I have been associated with the Cima del Mundo (CDM) – “On the top of the world” since 2006, having at various time studied some Spanish with them including an intensive month in 2008 and of course daily lessons during my first three months here now.  CDM has over the years developed a strong association with the Korean business community here in Guatemala offering Spanish lessons. Increasingly, over the last year or two Erick (the Owner) has received requests to provide English classes/lessons.  Consequently has asked me to join his team of Maestros and start teaching but more specifically to develop the offering sin English.  I will have my own classroom and the opportunity to develop and deliver courses individually and in groups of up to four students. And income will be shared on a 66% / 33% basis.  I could supplement my pension by around $US 125 a week for around 20 hours work more if I deliver courses at the weekend and take my days off during the week!   I never realised just how useful my hurriedly taken TESOL qualification would be prove to be (the cost of which was such a thoughtful gift from Martin and Jean!)

Additionally, thanks to the economic climate my pension payments have already reduced by 15%!

Will I have to start weaving?

Also Jossefet has come into my life and the last two months with him have been great, he however, with much encouragement from me, has decided to take up an offer from a close family friend of his, to go to Brussels and work as a trainee designer in his friends very successful interior design boutique, for six months.

So, during the last month I have been juggling with all these bits and pieces.

Town Hall - San Antonio Aguas Calientes

Where am I now? 

I think that starting during the next two months:

- I will move out of Antigua, and will probably try to live in the town of San Antonio Aguas Calientes, a 20 minute bus ride away, and only 3kms from Santiago Zamora.  I can rent a house, have a bit more space, giving me room to start painting again seriously to write a bit and simply to enjoy life!

- I will work 25 hours a week for CDM, and am already developing a whole range of courses.  I just hope my new found knowledge of English grammar does not affect my idiomatic writing style!

- I will develop the art projects in Santiago Zamora and adjust what I do for the project according to how things develop (especially as I may be living close by)

- I will try to save a bit of money in order to travel more in Latin America

- Continue to develop things with Jossefet ( even if long distance for a while)

- Get back to trying to be “semi-retired” and enjoying a simpler (stress free?) life!

Your views ideas and support all greatly welcome.

So, as  John Ebden (ancient radio four announcer, raconteur ) used to say “if you have been ….. thanks for listening.”

Blog 2 follows very shortly inlcuding   “British Day” with Fish and Chips! - Processions – International Jazz Festival – Los Ninos Anniversary – Food – art, Art  ART in Santiago - More Processions – The Cumbre del Presidentes de Central America in Antigua – y mucho mas- and …..  probably by the time I finish writing yet more processions!

Lent - Antigua style! [or in Spanish “Cuaresma” ]

I feel that this special blog on Lent captures some of the conservatism of Antigua,especially its outward religiosity . . . . . .   the VIDEO is a must  (only viewable from the blog itself not via email - if you are reading this as an email then click the title of this email to go to the blog!) 

Lent or in Spanish “Cuaresma”  

My own words plus information from various sources. It is incredible to a secular European to see buildings, shops, offices decked in purple flags and banners to signify this penitential season ~ and the fact that Lent is taken very seriously here with people  participating in many acts of penance! And Antigua is the centre of the action in Guatemala!

Even the trees hace turned purple in the Central Park!

Cuaresma, or Lent, refers to the 40 days leading up to Holy Week in Guatemala. Traditionally, people give something up for Lent, but this is not a common practice in Guatemala, though fish is more commonly eaten during this time in place of meat. Instead, the Guatemalans work on repentance by signing up to carry in the processions as cucuruchos, or float carriers. 

Abandon all hope all ye who enter here!

Was the impression I got from the Lenten display in the Cathedral, as I have written elsewhere, I is SO conforting to see that the RC church's attitude has moved with the times (not!) ~ well at least the good people of Antigua enjoy the spectacle of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ,saytheir prayers, make their confession and then go outside to the food stalls and consume vasts quatities of completely un-lenten food! Especially red meat and loads of chocolate cofections!

The sound and light display was pretty chilling, lots of soudn effects, screams, rushing winds, booming voices proclaiming damnation everybody seemed to be lapping it up! And obviously (hopefully) with their tongues tucked firmly in their cheeks ......   But this is the firsttime I have seen a high altar in a cathedral used in such a way!

THE VIDEO ..........   sorry for poor quality!   But worth it for the sheer "Cecil B deMilne"ness of it  all   -remember this is the Cathedral's message to the people for lent!

Cucuruchos

While the word cucuruchos now refers to the men who carry Semana Santa floats, the word originally meant a piece of cloth, paper or card that formed a cone, like the traditional hoods used for the processions. Its meaning has evolved over the centuries and is now used to talk about the actual person doing the carrying. Women who carry their own floats at different times are called Las Dolorosas.  (See note later on)

The heavy floats have to be carried through the streets and people pay for the privilege. It's considered to be a form of penance, to wipe away your actions of the previous year and start anew. People come from all over the country to carry the floats in the larger cities.

Everyone who signs up to be a cucurucho will be measured at the shoulders and assigned a turno, or shift. These shifts last for one block. Since the floats weigh up to 7,000 pounds each, with anywhere from 40-140 people carrying them, it's very important that they are well balanced and everyone is replaced frequently.

The typical garb for the cucuruchos is a purple tunic which includes a white or purple headdress or hood. On the morning of Good Friday, the headdresses used are white. Then, from Friday afternoon, everyone switches to black robes and headdresses to symbolize mourning. A black lantern is also part of the costume. The tunics are custom made by seamstresses or tailors during the weeks leading up to the processions.

The tunics used today are influenced by those used by Christian pilgrims in Central Europe in the 9th century. The tunic design was made official in the 1100's thanks to San Francisco de Asis (St. Francis de Asissi). In the early days in Guatemala, during the 16th century, these special tunics were only used by monks and were quite similar to their every day habits. In 1596, in the procession Jesús de la Candelaria, the first cucurucho tunics were used by common folk. Not much has changed over the generations and tunics today are still very similar to those used five hundred years ago.

Las dolorosas

It's important to note that las dolorosas, the women who carry in the processions, are not dressed the same way as the cucuruchos. While there is not actual costume or specific dress code for women, they traditionally wear dresses or blouses and skirts, black or white, depending on the day, with scarves or veils covering their heads. However, many younger carriers wear slacks or even jeans to the processions and don't cover their heads.

 As long as the code of black and white is followed, no one minds what they wear. Many women opt for high heels, which can be treacherous on the cobblestones, particularly with the swaying motion of the float. Women from the hermandades will usually add a cape to their outfit, but there is no standard in existence.

The women carry Mary, who trails behind the main float. Mary's float is usually smaller and less decorated. She is still an impressive figure, however, dressed in impressive robes and trimmed in gold in some processions. In some cases, she is accompanied by other female figures.

Hermandades

Hermandades, or brotherhoods, are separate from the church. There are male and female hermandades and these operate independently. These groups are formed to create elaborate floats and processions. They are the people responsible for just about everything you see in a procession. 

Each hermandad is named after the figure that the group works with. For example, La Hermandad de Jesús de la Caída de San Bartolomé Becerra is responsible for the procession which features Jesús de la Caída.These elders work year round in preparation for the elaborate celebrations. Their efforts include the following:

Fundraising

It takes a lot of money to elaborate the floats for the procession and arrange everything. All the statues taken from the church are fitted with new robes, fresh flowers are used to adorn the church and floats and alfombras are created in front of the church and altar. Fundraising is done through various drives, as well as charging people to carry the floats. They measure people's shoulder heights and organize them by shifts to ensure that everyone on a particular shift will be the same height for carrying the float. Other methods of fundraising include holding a kermesse, or a food fair, and sales of photos and soundtracks from previous Semana Santas.

The members of the hermandad often go door to door, as well, if they are in need of more funds for the santa semana. The floats are very expensive to decorate and costs can go as high as Q200,000. (£18,000)  (equivalent to £80-100K in UK terms!) They also have to pay the bands that accompany the float and Good Friday is particularly costly, with higher payments for bands and much more elaborate décor.

Float Preparation

Designing the floats is a long and complicated process. Each church has its own procession, with a specific theme, so the elders have to come up with a new adaptation of this theme each year. The actual floats take nearly 12 months to complete in most cases. When the processions are in progress, the members of the hermandades are the ones who make sure everything runs smoothly.

 

And to get over the shock . . . . . .

A lenten dish for you to try!

LENTEN FISH - AN ANTIGUA SPECIALITY!

For 8 to 10 portions
Soak 2 pounds of good dried fishin plenty of water overnight.

The next day throw the soaking water and wash the fish.

Leaving the fish in as many portions as needed.

With enough water to cook the fish for 10 minutes.
Fish should be cooked but still firm.

Drain and dry.

Beat until stiff: 4 Egg whites and then add the yolks.
Gently stir them. Flour the fish pieces and wrap them in the egg.
Fry in oil. Put the fish pieces on paper towels to degrease it.

Sperately fry in:
1 tablespoon oil

1/4 cup sliced ​​green onions
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 castile Peppers
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup peas tender
2 cups cubed squash or marrow
When it starts boiling put the fish and 1 pound of potatoes cut into thick slice.

Check the seasoning, add salt if you are missing. Boil all together for 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve!


I will be serving up more Lenten details during HOLY WEEK) (SEMANA SANTA!

"All about ASH" Volcanic and last Wednesday's!

This weeks Orchids!

“If only”

The Scriptures “moveth us, in sundry places” these words are part of the opening exhortation for the ordering of Evening Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer.  I heard them beamed across the ether to Guatemala direct from Hereford Cathedral for Choral Evensong for Ash Wednesday.

Hereford Cathedral

It was odd listening to Cathedral Choral Evensong whilst lying in my bed at 9:30 in the morning being “moved, in sundry places” thanks so to some very dodgy food yesterday!  I have been “moved in sundry places” for the last 18 hours and am about ready for it all to stop! (sorry, if that is all too much information!)

The rather grey looking noodles with a lump or two of “meat” were served to me by a very sad and obviously poor young woman, desperately trying to eek out a living by not quite running a “comedor” (food stall) based around a two ring burner and a barely functioning fridge!  But having committed myself I felt I could not back out of the set lunch!  “If only” the one good thing about the lunch was the piping hot tortillas which had an amazing taste.  With the meat I kept thinking “lamb” but then Lamb is not available here ( or when it is is VERY expensive) and it wasn’t pork or chicken and yet the bones seemed to small for Beef ……………… so was probably Goat. The biggest shock to my system (before being moved that is)was the Q.18 (£1.60) is was charged!

Shame really as last Thursday in my usual “comedor” (in the same town of San Antonio Aquas Calientes) I had an animated discussion about food and the women agreed to cook a really nice fish soup/stew with lots of camerones.  Seeing the shop barred and locked I can only assume some family problem had befallen them….. I really hope it is nothing too serious.  I miss my Q.13  lunch  (£1.25).

“If only - part II”

Here is not the place to go into details but “if only” somebody had chosen their words more carefully I would not have spent 48 hours in turmoil over my future role here, suffice it  to say that somebody had found just the right way to “light my blue touch paper”  and the fireworks were spectacular!  Still now things have simmered down maybe it will lead to a better solution!

Today “was” Ash Wednesday

Hence being moved in sundry places by the Dean of Hereford on Radio 3! (Hello Michael [Mr.Dean] if you are reading this!) and Antigua is starting to get geared up for its orgy of processions leading up to the biggest display of religious procession for Holy week IN THE WORLD!  The five principal churches in Antigua kick off by each having a procession on the five Sunday afternoons leading to Holy Week.

Numbers have mysteriously appeared on some of the pavements, which are the allotted spots for the 80 or so men required to hoist each float into the air.  Every things builds over the next 5 weeks to a gory re-enactment of the Crucifixion in Front of the Cathedral on Good Friday. 

I will be posting pictures of the various processions over the next few weeks and special Lenten blog in a couple of days!

“Kak Ik”

I am pleased to report that my first venture into the truly traditional Mayan dish of Kak Ik was a success, and will be posting the recipe shortly!

Talking of things Mayan…… all you all prepared for the end of the world on 21 December, 2012?  As Guatemala was/is the epicentre of the Mayan World everybody is expecting a huge influx of tourists this year drawn by all the hype over the calendar.

I have started painting again! (First effort after a year or so!)

“Mayan Art Project”

 The art project continues to gather steam, next  week we start to put the story together as all the masks will have been completed.  Santiago Zamora is in the highly and volcanic region of Guatemala (as is Antigua) and was/is the region of the kaqchiqel (pronounced kah-chi-kal) speaking Maya. 

Despite it being required by law the schools are not teaching the children their own native language and so they children are loosing touch with their incredible heritage.  I am hoping that starting with this project they can start to explore the stories history and rich, rich tapestry of their culture in more detail.  I am starting by reading the “Popol Vuh” which is the Maya holy book.  It is sad to think that traditions are still being lost, just as missionaries are still “encouraging” Mayan-folk to turn away from their heritage and embrace evangelical Christianity, I really hope that in Santiago Zamora I can encourage the children to treasure their heritage a bit more.

The art project is a start!  And the Calendar will be a great excuse for further work on this – as nobody is expecting the end of the world soon.   Which leads neatly back to being moved in sundry places and explosions!

“Back to explosions”

The prospects of Volcan Acatenango erupting could be on the cards in the next 20 years as small explosions have occurred twice in the last 90 years!

Santiago Zamora sits nestled in the foothills of the volcanoes Acatenango and Fuego!

In the crater of Fuego!  (Obviously it is not me!)

A typical cloud of smoke- seen most days!

“The only known historical eruptions of Acatenango volcano occurred in the 20th century, between 1924 and 1927 from just north of the summit peak (Pico Mayor) and again in December 1972 from the saddle between Yepocapa and Pico Mayor. These phreatic explosions generated ballistic volcanic bombs that fell near the summit craters and fine volcanic ash that fell up to 25 km away.”

The three volcanos visible from Antigua

Volcán de Fuego ("Volcano of Fire") is an active stratovolcano in Guatemala. It is close to the city of Antigua Guatemala. It has erupted frequently since the Spanish conquest. "Fuego" is famous for being almost constantly active at a low level. Smoke issues from its top daily, but larger eruptions are rare. On August 9, 2007 Fuego erupted spewing lava, rock and ash. Guatemala's volcanology service reported that seven families were evacuated from their homes near the volcano.^[1] The volcano is joined with Acatenango and collectively the complex is known as La Horqueta.

This is my foto of Fuego on a typical day!   A puff of smoke every 20 minutes or so!  Some days more, some less!

A major eruption of either of these volcanoes would be truly devastating!

I have decided to devote my next blog (out in a couple of days) to all things Lenten – it is so seriously observed here that it deserves special investigation!

Finally back to Good ‘ol mediaeval Christianity

Jossefet and I decided to go for wander round the town Friday evening to see what was happening and my word it was jumping!  Everybody was out the street outside the Cathedral was full of food stalls and their was a carnival atmosphere! It would appear that everybody was out to visit  the cathedral and see its “sound and light” presentation for Lent – the four horsemen of the Apocalypse – with sound effects booming voices and certainly designed to give everybody(but especially the kids) a good foretaste of what eternal damnation awaits if they fail to keep a good Lent, fail to go to confession, fail to keep the rules of the Catholic Church and probably refuse to eat their greens! A great demonstration of the “Love of God” and Yes ~I am being ironic here!

More pics in my next blog "LENT ANTIGUA STYLE"

But the “atol de elote” and the “platinos in mole” from the food stalls were great ~ am hoping this is a weekly Friday night event!

Caminando

Sunday 26 Joseefet and I went for along walk as we were thinking of changing abode for somewhere cheaper and larger ~so we took a bus to Ciudad Vieja  (3miles from Antigua) and then strolled back through several small pueblas looking at churches and life on the way!   This weeks gallery is from that walk.

The Cathedral in Ciudad Vieja founded 1543

Untitled sculpture - very interesting metaphor!

Garden of the Cathdral

San Miguel Escobar

San Pedro de las Huertas

Hope you enjoyed this weeks whitterings!

Hasta pronto amigos!