Travels with Kila: November 2005

Sweet Baby Precious Heart

As of Today I have another nephew... (and a namesake)

Benjamin Kelly Flinn was born today at 10:50 A.M., 7 lbs 6 oz, 19 inches and huge feet.

Paige, John, my favorite 4 year old, Mac, and Baby Ben are all doing well.

Steve, Brighton & Debbie

Steve, Brighton & Debbie
Posted by: kilastravels.

Welcome to the World Baby Brighton

Tuesday, November 8th (Debbie's birthday) we welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Little Brighton Callen Toland, into the world weighing 3lbs 9 oz and just under 18 inches long.

Guatemala and the Rooster Race

I wasn't able to keep up my blog this time because I was stuck at 10,500 elevation, a blister on my lip and a burned and pealing nose later I returned to the United States. I have to say that there was not as much awe this time, i guess one gets used to their surroundings but I still believe in the beauty of Guatemala. After arriving in town Norm and his girlfriend picked me up in the Capitol and we headed back to Comalapa for the evening. The next morning Norm agreed to head to Antigua with me for the morning and then off we went to Hue Hue to meet up with some Peace Corps volunteers for the evening. What should have been a somewhat long trek became an extremely long trek because of the mud slides. I was amazed to see piles of dirt and roads that had fallen into the ravine, and when I say fallen I mean washed out and gone. Adam a Canadian volunteer at Norm's project had helped dig mass graves in San Juan de Atitlan, and just the word mass graves gave me the chills. Guatemala was different than when I last visited. The corn was spent, the hillsides were brown and the feeling I got was all together different. The people as resourceful as they were had set up carts along the bus routes to sell good s to the people stuck in traffic. We were stuck many times due to the fact that often times there was only one lane of traffic and I noticed more police presence than I had in the past.

After a couple of days of travel we made it up to Siete Pinos where I had been before and had a relaxing time. I could not turn off my brain as easily this time, because of new house and new work and all the things I had left behind in my somewhat fast paced life in the United States. Everyone seems to relax, lying in the sun, drinking litros of warm Gallo and sitting by the fire but I instead made a haven of my bunk bed and pretended to sleep or read much of the first few days. It was after playing with the local Mayan children, teaching then to climb up my legs and flip over that I began to relax.

The next night a marimba band played and I ventured out once again from my haven to dance the night away. I cannot resist music especially the music that reminds me of home. First Mateo from Siete Pinos asked me to dance and then other followed. I put on my red skirt over my jeans (it was freezing cold) and began to dance to the marimba, everything slowly melted away and I had a wonderful evening. I joked with Mateo :Do you always have Marimba bands play at your parties?" Well yes I guess I do since this is my first party he replied. I laughed and he laughed and as I said all my thoughts melted away. Norm finally asked me to dance and that was when the real fun began, linking arms and trading partners. I even pretended to know a few steps after Kyle and I attempted to folklorico for a bit. I guess growing up in the valley has its benefits. I can most certainly dance better to Latin music than the girls from Wisconsin and Montana.

The next night we played cards and rested up for the short truck ride to Todos Santos. I was excited and had no idea what I was to expect. Liz, Adam's fiancé invited me to the ceremony where they sewed on the pieces of fabric and plumes of feathers. I felt excited to know, although the pomp and circumstance was low, that I was one of a handful of Gringos that had ever witnessed this ceremony. As the head of the team laid in bed snoring and the women brought in warm gallos, I watched as two men carefully and methodically sewed on the regalia bit by bit. First the feathers a plume in from and in back, then the long fabric on the back of the Todos Santos hat. Next the folded bandanas were attached, looking a lot like French cuffs, then the red cross piece of fabric was attached across the chest. Next they attached the cape that would flap in the wind. When finally he was done we headed outside, where the men of the race would stay up all night dancing the marimba awaiting the next morning where at 8:00 AM the ride would begin. I headed home as the beer was freely flowing and the men were asking us to dance (we had been explicitly told we were not to dance with the men and that the marimba that night was only for the riders). We could watch but not participate. I was told that the race was to celebrate a good rainy season and in hopes that the gods would give them another one next year. That the riding of horses symbolized the end of colonialism because the Mayans were not allowed to ride horses under Spanish rule and that the roosters were symbolic of the blood spilled for sacrifice.

I have always loved the traje of Todos Santos and I wanted to take pictures at every turn, however the weather was bad and the Mum people do not like their pictures to be taken. Something I had not been prepared for. Instead we had dinner at an Italian restaurant owned by a goofy expatriot with coke bottle glasses and a very large book collection.

The next morning I decide it was time to celebrate. We headed down to the area of the ride and I started snapping away, a couple of hours later I had my first glass of wine, it is 12:00 somewhere isn't it? We walked around and ran into people we knew, we sat on the balcony of the Spanish school and I was reminded somewhat of Mardi Gras, celebration, balconies, drunken people wandering the street...

That night we decided to head back up to the Mountains and I decided to stay at Kyle’s house with Trish and Mateo because I was tired of traveling with the same people, tired of the dynamic, tires of the large group. My biggest mistake was that I froze that night where I might have ad a warm bed if I had headed up the mountain another 45 minutes. 2 hours( I am guessing) of sleep later... I did sleep next to the kitchen fire on the concrete floor... I decided to get on the road. It was Dia de los Muertos and all the indigenous children flooded the cemeteries flying kits while standing atop the tombs. I had to walk for an hour before I got to the main road (the 7:30 bus to Hue Hue was not running that day) and finally after a bit of help I found my way to the National Highway. Within minutes a bus was barreling down the road and I flagged it down, hopped in and 4 busses and 6 hours later I ended up in Antigua. I did get to have two wonderful chili rellenos along the way and did finish my book (I have started rereading the Tom Robbins books)... the one I had been pretending to read so often to avoid the crowds. I thought about all the people I had met or run into again, Cassie, Mateo, Trish, Mary, Suzanne, the volunteers from Norms, the Peace Corps folks, Joe, Nate, etc, etc. It was nice to return for a while even though I was in a different place in my head. I liked being alone for the first time in days. I had finally had some good conversations, or at least what seemed to be more that the random conversation that leaves you with nothing. Ah now back in Antigua, back to civilization, the city I know so well, the hotel I know even better, the food, the drink, the color, the shopping, the warm shower, the warm temperature. I waited for Norm and his friend to show up, we had a nice dinner at the Isralie place I love and we all fell asleep rather early.

The next morning I rose early as always and headed back to the city to catch my flight. I said goodbye to Guatemala, but this time knowing that for sure I would be back, it is only a matter of time.