Conquering Pacaya

We took several hikes in preparation for this volcanic beauty and felt that since elevation was similar all of us would be fine to hike the 4km to the top ( or as close to the top as we could get). 

What we did not count on was the fact that our guides would move at their pace and have little desire to go ours. In retrospect I think this is a way to support the local economy.  You see as your turismo (tourism) bus makes the final trek up to the trail head the local boys with hiking sticks and men with horses run to greet you. We knew this and were prepared to rent hiking sticks.  We did not prepare our horse loving youngest daughters for the fact we were not planning to rent a horse. 

As it turns out we convinced a gentleman to rent us un caballo por dos hijas ( one horse for two daughters).  Thankfully Y is very persuasive when pouting. We headed out with seven hiking sticks and one horse and the rest of our group. 

What they also don't tell you is that hiking trails, much like the roads, in Guatemala go straight up. No joke. While we are used to hiking switch backs there are none that we encountered on our two hikes in country. So basically you head straight up at a very quick pace. Never fear! Because your friends who tried to rent you horses in the parking lot are FOLLOWING you with horses.  

My special amigo was Herman. Here's how our conversation went for the first kilometer or so. 

 "My name is Herman. My horse is very good, amiga. You want to ride?"

"Mucho gusto, Herman. No graciás no necesito su caballo".  Through my labored breathing, this conversation went on and on repeated probably 20 times. Herman also reminded me that the walk was 4km and asked me to remember his name (How,dear Herman,could I forget?) Finally, I gave up talking to my amigo and just let him quietly ask again and again if I wanted a horse. About 3km up, Herman asked one last time "Amiga, so you no want this horse?"  "No, Herman. Estoy bien, no necesito un caballo, muchas graciás". And he left to walk down and find a new potential customer. I wish I had a photo of Herman and his horse. 

We did at some point get a horse for J (from the man following Rob). And I'm glad we did. I'm not sure I could have handled a hike full of Herman's whispered questioning and small child complaining. One or the other was enough. And in all fairness it was a much more difficult hike than we'd practiced. 

There were beautiful vistas along the way. 

And a geothermal power plant. 

We finally reached the top (or as close as we were going to get). 

And then we descended down to the lava field created by the most recent eruption four months ago. (The dark colored lava is the lava from this recent eruption). 

On the lava field we shopped at the lava store

Roasted marshmallows and enjoyed Guatemalan s'mores. 

(Yes, the lava had hot spots that were very hot, sometimes so hot you had to move because your feet and shoes were getting toasted. Surprisingly there was no sulfur smell on the lava field). 

And we had a picnic lunch. Some folks heated/grilled their sandwiches near the hot spots. 

And then it was time to go down but first we had to climb up out of the lava field. 

The trails were a mix of sand and tiny lava pebbles and sometimes more compact earth. 

Overall, a great experience! Something I never imagined doing but J has wanted to do since he was about 3 years old. Mark that one off the bucket list! 

The locals talk about the number of volcanoes they've hiked like Coloradoans talk about the number of fourteeners they've scaled. Who knows which volcano we'll conquer next time. There are 33 to choose from in this beautiful country!!

Chichicastenango Courage

On Thursday morning we met our guide, Sam, at the hotel in Panajchel.  Sam is a Mayan man from the Kaqchikel people.  His wife is an American woman and they are expecting their first baby in September.  He is a great guide and taught us a lot about the Mayan people,Guatemalan history, and current day Guatemala.  The next time we come to Lake Atitlan we will be sure to support him in the tour guiding business he has begun (you can find info at Sam's Tours Atitlan on Facebook). 

The point of the day was to go see the large open air market in Chichicastenango.  In the center of el mercado is la Iglesias de San Tomás. There are many photos of the steps of this church during market day out there on the internet.  It is here on the steps that the women sell their flowers and candles for the ceremonies that the Mayan Shaman practices on the upper steps.  Interestingly, it is the only church in Guatemala that allows Mayans to practice their offerings. We learned that the church is built on a sacred place for the Mayan people (some say a Mayan pyramid). It is a simple, beautiful place to witness the peaceful practice of two religions. 

St Thomas church in Chichicastenango. 

I have only a very few photos from this day. First, because the market is crowded and keeping track of everyone even when trying to stay together was difficult.  Stopping to take photos meant losing track of someone (seriously this made sticking together at Disney World a breeze!) Second, while this market place certainly had items catering to tourists it is definitely the market for the people of the community.  Most of these people are Mayan and do not like their photos being taken (can't blame them, I'd freak out if tourists were taking my photo at my grocery store too!). Wanting to be respectful, we did not take many photos. As it ends up, the most important part of the day was not something that could be captured in a photo anyway. 

The only indoor piece of the market. This smelled of fresh vegetables and fruits and soil. It reminded me of farmers' markets when I was small. I wish photos could capture smells! 

The colors in any market in Guatemala are amazing. The shear size of the Chichicastenango market adds to that intensity. Before entering the market, Sam explained how to bargain. And so we had a go at it. What fun! Sam helped the kids but simply watched Rob and I as we stumbled through our Spanish and the uncomfortable feeling of not having a set price.  I think Americans make one of two mistakes when they shop here. Either they accept the stated price and pay (what fun is that? And totally not expected by the vendors) or they try to "get a deal" for themselves. Personally, we were not here to try to get a bargain but to experience a culture and to pay a fair price. And so we learned the fun in reaching the fair price and had many laughs as I can not get my numbers correct above 100. The people were always gracious and sometimes just grabbed a calculator to show me the number. :). It was a day of working past being uncomfortable with a different way of doing business which led to lots of smiles (and some items I'm not sure we intended to purchase but the people here are great sales people!). 

Sam asked what we wanted for lunch and we asked for typical Guatemalan food. I think that surprised him but it makes sense to us that we wanted to experience Guatemala not Italy (there are lots of Italian resteraunts here). So Sam walked us away from the market through some streets to a very small comerador. We each chose one of the four menu choices and waited for our meal. We were in a back room which we had to ourselves. And we were the only foreigners there. It was a good experience to be away from the tourist piece. The food was amazing. The fresh vegetables and simple but tasty preparation along with the staple of freshly made corn tortillas was great. We had a leisurely lunch for maybe a couple of hours. And there was more food than the kids could eat just sitting on the table (we couldn't do take out). 

A Mayan woman probably in her 40's came in with her sweet baby boy strapped to her back in the traditional style. She spoke to Sam and he gave her money (he himself is not well off). Rob of course gave her money as well.  She then asked for our leftover chicken. It was this moment that can't be captured as I think it taught us all more about what poverty is like.  For her to ask for money and then our leftovers (some would call scraps) took courage. We gathered our plates of left over food and put them on the table behind us.  J made faces at the baby and had him smiling and playing peek a boo as his mother ate. As we left the restaurant I spoke to her in broken Spanish I hope saying may God bless her and her baby. She thanked me and explained that the food would help her be able to continue to nurse her baby.  She set aside her pride and came to not just strangers but foreigners to put the good of her child first. She was eating for him. God blessed her with a meal that day but He blessed our family with so much more.  We came away as witnesses to what true hunger is, what true love of a mother for her child is, and deeper understanding what it means every time we throw out food. I pray we take this lesson with us to the USA. Surely we can waste less and share more. Surely there are people just like this woman in my own backyard and while society and politicians are busy judging whether they are worthy of this or that, surely my family can put aside our greed and wastefulness to share all that we have with those that have nothing. 

On a side note as I have been reflecting on the experience, I wish I would have done more. By that I mean that I don't think we respected her dignity as we should have. Rather than place the food on another table, we should have welcomed her to our own. We should have treated her as a guest at our table. We are growing and learning. So next time perhaps we will have the courage to reach out more beyond our comfort level. 

Iximche'

We stopped by the Mayan ruins of Iximche' today on our way from Antigua to Panajachel. 

Short history lesson (or cramming hundreds of years of history into a single paragraph):

Iximche' was populated during the post classical period of the Mayan empire. The Spanish entered Guatemala and made contact with the Mayan people living here. The Mayans at Iximche' helped the Spanish to locate the other groups of Mayan people throughout the region (it is easy to see why anyone would need help with all the lush vegetation!). Iximche' served as the first capital of Central America. Once the Spanish conquered these groups, they began to demand more of the people at Iximche'. The people of Iximche' revolted. That was the end of Iximche'. The Mayan people were scattered or enslaved and the Spanish moved the capital a couple of times until they settled in Antigua (after 2 huge earthquakes the capital was later moved to Guatemala City). 

Our guides were two Mayan young men probably in their early 20s. They were humble about their English, but it was excellent. They were fluent in Spanish as well as two of the 26 current Mayan  dialects.  It was neat to hear quiche' (one of the dialects). It reminded me of hearing Navajo. 

Looking into Plaza A. There are 5 plazas that were occupied by 4 royal families. As  Alex, our guide said, the richest governor had the most money, the biggest house, the most wives and the most problems. The other 3 guys had smaller houses, less money, less wives and fewer problems. :)

The Mayan ball court. Rules varied from group to group but at Iximche' it was two on two played with a rubber like ball using only feet, knees and hips.  No human sacrifices of winners or losers. At Iximche' only the royals played so no one died (at least not with the ball game). 

Temple of the moon god. 

Various sacrificial alters (yes, humans included):

With that happy note here's proof we did not sacrifice anyone on this outing!

In all seriousness, the 5th of the 5 plazas is still a religious site for modern Maya people. We were allowed to quietly walk around the area as a family was there. No photos allowed. Human and animal sacrifice is no longer offered ( in case you were wondering). Instead the people offer/burn sugar, corn, honey, alcohol, playing cards, etc.. They believe this pleases their gods and they ask for favor in return. In some ways it reminds me of the Mexican tradition of altars on El Dia de Los Muetros.

It was an extraordinary look back into the depths of history and then fast forwarded to modern day. 

The Days Go Faster Here

J told me this as we settled in tonight (Monday). I asked what he meant. He said that the days in Guatemala speed by but at home they are slower. I asked why he thought that was. He didn't really have an answer. I have my suspicions. 

It's been a blessing to watch his confidence blossom here. We had a hard first night of sleep Saturday night with anxiety pretty high. Then Sunday morning we visited with an organization that helps Mayan children obtain an education (more on that awesome experience in another post). He was shy and reluctant during the visit. We got back to the hotel in time to watch the World Cup finale which is no small thing in Guatemala. During our ride back to the hotel we saw lots of families walking to wherever they were going to watch or listen to the game.  This sparked J's interest. He saw so many men and boys with Argentina jerseys or Messi's Espana jerseys on that he very much wanted one.  I really think his desire had to do with wanting to belong. 

Rob decided to walk to the Parque Central to grab lunch from Pollo Camperos (Guatemalan fast food MUCH better fried chicken than KFC) and bring it back to the hotel. J and then L and Y volunteered to "help" him (yes, Rob is a saint venturing out with our three youngest heading to the Central Park during the World Cup finale).  They apparently had a bit of opportunity to window shop as J returned knowing exactly where he wanted to get his jersey.  

Once the game was over and Argentina had lost J was ready go make his purchase.  He was a different boy so full of confidence and the tiniest bit of swagger as he led us to the mercado where his jersey awaited.  He made his purchase (didn't give us time to work the price down) and couldn't get the tag off fast enough to put it on. The young man who sold it to us laughed (I'm pretty sure it was because of J's enthusiasm and not the price we paid!). We did a bit more shopping and I actually bartered the price a bit on an item. (For the record I find this difficult not because I am American but because I have SO much compared to the so little the people here have). I guess I'm not looking for a bargain but to help support them. 

So here's J right after his purchase. Proudly sporting Leo Messi's Argentina jersey in front of the arch of Santa Catarina (a bridge used by nuns in the late 1600's)

J wore the jersey again today as we had a driving/walking tour of Antigua (he would have slept in it had I not peeled it from his body last night). Today was a day of transformation right before my eyes. The same boy who had been anxious, nervous, quiet, and shy was suddenly getting pats on the head as we walked down the streets. Most typically the men would pat him on the back and say "Messi!" Or ask him how he was in Spanish.  And J's confidence blossomed with these small kindnesses from so many Guatemalan men. By our late lunch at resterante Don Rodrigo, he ventured into using small phrases in Spanish with the wait staff.  Best of all he was full of smiles and his sense of humor is on full force.  

Walking home tonight in the dark from Cafe Anna, he was talking and giggling. When our hotel hosts let us in the court yard, J happily greeted them with a buenas noches!  

In so many respects it was a long day. But hearing him talk about how fast the days pass and seeing his sense of belonging here grow makes the time we've spent seem short as well.  It's this new found sense of belonging that I believe is making time fly here for him. 

Tonight as he sleeps peacefully in the bed next to me, I am so very thankful that we had the opportunity for this trip. It is doing more for my children than I could have anticipated. Tomorrow on to Panajchel via Ixchme (the first capital of Guatemala after the conquest..and site of Mayan ruins). 

Pinch Me Mama

We arrived yesterday afternoon in Guatemala City. The same airport we left 10 years ago. We didn't get much farther than the airport bathroom when L tapped me on the arm. "Pinch me Mama, pinch me!" she said with a huge smile on her face.  So I obliged.  Yes, sweet daughter, this IS real. 

She told me earlier that she's thought about this day for her whole life and she couldn't believe we were finally going to be in Guatemala. Here we were standing outside the airport bathroom and indeed it is real. 

L kickin back, living out her dream. Two of her loves art and Guatemala. 

We met our driver, Guillermo, who took us the hour or so drive to La Antigua where we are staying at Hotel San Jorge. We opted for the small hotel. And I'm very glad we did. Our other option was the Hotel Don Rodrigo. While bigger and very beautiful, the Don Rodrigo caters to tourists. While the pool is beautiful and the restaurant delicious and elegant, we couldn't be happier with the family run San Jorge.

Simple, lush green beauty. They say you never know what's behind a door in Antigua. It's true. The outsides of the typical buildings are not impressive and give no clue to the beauty inside.

They make breakfast each morning..no large buffet or even a choice,just two people cooking a simple delicious breakfast for all of us. There's a little fountain and a small courtyard(see above)where we eat breakfast.  I think right now there is one family besides ours staying here. There are about 14 rooms total.

Our first night yielded next to no sleep for J. His nerves got the best of him I think. So many new sounds and smells and tastes can be a lot to handle all at once. After a long cuddle and a bout of loud firecrackers at midnight he was able to settle down and was sound asleep about two hours before we needed to wake up for the day. :). Even on next to no sleep it's amazing to watch all of the kids interacting with people and learning so much.  

My heart is so full for L especially, it is like a dream watching her eagerness to soak it all in. No pinching necessary. I know we are living out her dream in this moment and I am beyond thankful. 

Preparing for Pacaya

One of the things J has wanted to do since he was old enough to understand where he was born and that there were volcanoes there is to climb a volcano. 

So guess what? Yes! We will be climbing Pacaya, an active volcano in the Department of Esquintla Guatemala. Unless of course, Pacaya decides it doesn't want to be climbed that day. 

Then we'll get a full refund and a very disappointed little boy.  He's hoping to see this:

I'm sorta hoping we do not! 

 Regardless of what we end up seeing, Rob and I realized we needed to do alittle preparation for this upcoming adventure. 

So in our spare time we took some family hikes. 

An easy one. 

And

One that matches almost exactly the elevation, elevation gain, and length of the actual Pacaya hike. We are banking on cooler weather than the 90+ day of this practice hike, a lot more sharp rocks on the trail (there's not really a trail as the conditions change daily so our guide will determine that) and less greenery. 

Pacaya, here we come!

Goin' Home to a Place They've Never Been Before

In less than 2 days we will be landing in Guatemala City, Guatemala..all 8 of us.  We've known we'd be taking this trip for about ten years now. Ten years of waiting has come down to just 48 hours. 

Why Guatemala?  We are going for vacation, to have fun, and to experience another culture. More importantly, we are going for what the adoption community calls a homeland visit. Our ten year old Guatemalan born children will be visiting their country of birth.   They will get to see a small bit of their beautiful home land, experience some of the rich culture and heritage of their ancestors, and interact with Guatemalan people.. their people. Unlike some homeland visits, we've chosen not to make this about adoption. We won't be visiting past caregivers or searching out biological family. Rather it's about seeing a small part of where they were born. 

Why now?  We decided to make this trip when they were 10 for a couple of reasons. First, they are old enough to remember the trip and to participate in various activities. Second, they are on the cusp of adolescence. We know that the developmental challenge of adolescence is to discover who we are, to develop our identity. We struggle with where we fit in with our families, our communities, and our world. It's no easy task, just ask any parent of a teen!  For people who were adopted the complicated task of adolescence is all the more complex. Imagine being faced with the task of individuating not from just 2 parents, but 4. Now imagine trying figure out your place in 2 families. In the case of internationally adopted teens, imagine finding your place in 2 countries. Not an easy road. It's complicated all the more by the fact that these adolescents often know very little about their biological families and have  lost most of their connection to their original culture when they gained their permanent family.  The tasks ahead of our 10 year olds are not lost on us. So we chose this time to provide them this experience before they are in the midst of  the challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead. 

And so in 48 hours they will be "goin' home to a place they've never been before".  Or at least a place that they don't remember. Perhaps, like the man in John Denver's song, they will notice the beauty of the land..their land, and have an opportunity for introspection learning more about themselves. As their mother I hope that they come away with a greater love for their roots and most of all for themselves.