March 25 2007

Went to Dallas (OR) today to celebrate my sisters 74th birthday. I have two sisters both are older than I, in fact they are over 15 years older. Was nice to visit with them and one of my nieces and nephews.
Went to Safeway after the party to get some vegges for a salad. Still going through price shock. Was going to get some limes but they wanted 50 cents each. We were paying 5 cents in Mexico. Tomatoes are $1.99 a pound, along with green peppers and cumbers. I keep telling my self that I want to keep eating the good food and while here I will have to pay the prices for it.
We have more sun today almost feels like spring is here. I know that the calender says spring is here but I won't feel that way until the weather is warmer and more flowers are blooming.
Another price shock for us is gas. The lowest I saw today was $2.88 highest was $2.91 for regular. Won't be doing much driving.

Sat March 24 2007

WOW, I did not realize how much we would miss our cat. He died while we were gone. John who was taking care of our home barried him by a tree just above our home.
Both of us still see him, doing the things he did. I could swear that I hear him comming into the hose through his door. Larry says he see's him in the corrner of his eye jummping onto his chair by the dinner table. I see and feel him in our bed room. he would jump on the bed, and lay down by my head.
I put something on his chair and looked to make sure he wasent laying there befor I put the paper down.
Today when I shouk open a garbage sack I said "Grey" then I remmered he wont be fritened from the sound of the sack.
Larry wants to get a new cat. I don't, I don't want to get a new one, and leave it here this winter just to die on us.
I know Grey was old, 14 years, I just don't want to louse anything else that I love.

Fri March 23 2007

We have been home over a week now.
The first day here we had to fix a water pipe, then when I was running water for my bath, toilet started to overflow. I tried to fix it but broke the flote valve, which caused the toilet to look like a fountian. Larry truned the water off again. We got the water all cleaned up from the floor and put in a new float. Seams to be working now.
We also had a dead cow in the barn. Larry couldent find the keys to his tractor. I looked for them all afternoon where he said he had put them but he finnily found them down in the barn so he was able to bury the cows. Yes there was a second one found dead that he had to bury.
My car did not want to start, the starter, he took it off, fiddled around with it, put it back on and it works, why we don't know.
Today Larry bought a small chainsaw to replace the one stollen while we were gone. He has opened the gate so the cows can come up here, as we are out of hay.
The 3ed day back I wanted to go back to Mexico, but I guess I am ready to wait until Nov, to head south again.

Mon March 12 2007

One last walk to the Mexican beach, a last Torta for Larry. I had a Carl's Burger at the airport.
Plane ride to Seattle uneventful.
Going through customs, Larry had forgotten to put his pocket knife in his backpack, They found it in his day pack, we left it in Seattle.
I got a little upset in Seattle and said some things to the sectary guards there, they could have made it harder for us, need to think more about keeping my mouth shut.
Arrived in Portland on time, was great to see Linda and Jerry.
Cold here at home. Going to be hard to get used the change of staying in one place and the cold.

Sun March 11 2007

Last day in Mexico. We walked around PV. Had pancakes for breakfast. We really didn't do much.

Sat March 10 2007

Up early this morning to catch the 7:30 bus for PV. The bus did not leave until 8:00.
Overcast this afternoon but no rain, still warm for a walk on the boardwalk. Time changes tonight to savings time, not sure what to do about changing my time.
It has changed a lot here, since we were here 10 years ago.
I did find some battery's for my camera.

Fri March 9 2007

We both had eggs this morning at Wala's. We walked down to find the house I had found yesterday.
Back at the Casa we sat and read. Afternoon we walked down to the beach so Larry could swim. He had drank a little too much and I was not happy with him. Was really glad to get him to eat something when we got back.
In the evening we went to the park and talked with Norm and Janet, about next year, and the passably of us wanting to have a place for a month.
We got back to our room and I discovered we had no hot water. They had ran out of gas, after they changed it, it did not take long for the water to heat up.

Thu March 8 2007

Coffee and eggs at Wala's.
Walked to the beach in the morning but the bugs drove us off the beach. We have decided that the time to go to the beach is early afternoon, less bugs.
Went to the Internet cafe to e-mail everyone. Got some e-mails from Linda and Andee.
I walked in the wrong deraction but saw some houses that I might be interestaded in renting should we decide to come back here.
We didn't make it to the park tonight, went to bed early. We also checked on the bus schedules for Saturday to PV.

Wen March 7 2007

We had coffee at Wala"s this morning, I also ordered some poached eggs. They come with hash browns and toast. They are just like eggs over easy.
Larry wanted to buy me a lobster dinner so we started the long walk to the bridge. His back gave out before we got down there, I know if we could have made it he would have had oysters.
The bugs seem to be worse today, I don't know if I can adjust to them.

Tue March 6 2007

It's a little cloudy this morning. We had been told that the Library would let you use there computers for the Internet for 1 free hour so we walked to the library but you have to be a resident of San Blas to use the computers and have a library card.
Went to an Internet cafe, e-mailed everyone to let them know where we were and that we were OK. Spent most of the day at the hotel. Tried to take pictures of the pelican that lives here but my camera battery is completely dead.

Mon March 5 2007

We were down to the beach early this morning. I ordered a fruit salad and a Lemonade, Larry a beer. Cody and Loran showed up, they had rented the plapia in front of the place we were eating at on the beach, called Stoner's. They have the use of the kitchen and have bikes to use. This is a great place for bikes, it's flat.
Cody and Loran also had breakfast, Larry decided that the pancakes looked real good so he had some too.
We also noticed the bugs that were flying by. Thousands of them, looked like sand blowing in the wind. Was told that it was like that after a full moon.
We had walked on a different road this morning to the beach. Larry saw a large snake on the road, he said it covered half of the road, must has been over 6 feet long.
We walked to the plaza this evening, we talked with Norm (he has lived here for 41 years) his wife and Rafiel, who Larry meant 2 years ago on the GT trip. They all said the bugs were bad because of the moon.

Sun March 4 2007

We went for an early walk and had coffee at McDonald's. Not the McDonald's we have here. We went to the beach for a swim, Larry swam and I watched our bags.
I bought some chicken for our lunch/supper, Larry ended up giving what we had leftover to some woman that came in and told him she was hungry.
Went to the park and watched the moon rise.
We sat out in the patio (lobby) and talked to a young couple until early morning.
Learned that the eclipse happened in Canada at 4 this morning.

Sat March 3 2007

I slept in this morning as I was not feeling good. Larry had gone for an early morning walk and had locked himself out of our room.
We wanted to show me the things he had found this morning so walked all around this afternoon.
We went to the central park this evening, had some great Tortas. We were told that their was going to be an eclipse of the moon tonight but we did not see it.
Doug and Ann left early this morning.

Fri 2 March 2007

Larry went for coffee early this morning while I slept in and showered. We had a time zone change, from centrea to Mountain but I don't want to change my watch as we will be catching our plane in Central time.
We walked up to the fort, early this morning. We had been in San Blas 10 years ago but had not made it to the fort. We also walked out on the bridge and watched some divers that were looking for oysters and lobsters.
Doug and Ann asked us to join them at the beach. It is quite a walk to the beach, we had not made it to the beach the last time we were here ether. It was great, we went swimming, I had a salad, and we meant another couple that are staying in a house rental.
I am starting to get a black eye from when I fell. I couldn't take off my sun glasses but people are noticing it.
Their are bugs here, they bite, they are like no-see-ym's but smaller, and bite harder.

Thur March 1 2007

We went swimming at Chacala, water was great.
Cost for the colectivo was up 2 pesos from what we paid in Dec.
We caught a bus from Las Vergas to San Blas. Found a room for $200 a night ($20) We meant another couple from Canada, from the east coast, Ann and Doug. A very nice couple.
They had been there for three weeks. Doug had to have a root canal done or they would have been gone a week earl er. They had been traveling foe 2 months and will be starting home on Saturday.
She gave us some real good ideas on were we want to eat.

Wen Feb 28 2007

A fast taxi ride got us to the bus station in time for the 7:45 am bus to Guadalajara ($378). We are not going to be able to go back to Playa Azule.
Guadalajara to Las Varas $360 ( $36.00 us) taxi to Chacala $30 ($3.00).
No one was home at Scorros, they were gone on a vacation day. Found Karnnia on the beach. Andde was gone to Guadalajara, (she on on her trip to the states to get a new visa for 6 months).
We found a room at Casa Concha for $250 ($25).
Was told by one of the people staying at Concha's that the people of Chacala are trying to get rid of Andiee.

Tue Feb 27 2007

Up early to catch the bus to Urupan. I don't remmeber what time we cought the bus, all Can can say about it is that my head was hurting.
We went to Patronato del Parque Nacional, a nactional park, in the middle of the city. This park has one of the clearest rivers we have seen in Mexico. The waterfalls and the fountians are so wonderful. They also have a small fish farm with rainbow trout and salmon.
We stoped at a cafe just outside of the park to eat.
I made it through the soup, but when my pasta came I started feeling ill. Larry ate the rest of my pasta and beef.
The owner of the cafe became worried about why I wasen't eating the food. We finely got him to understand that I was feeling ill. He brought me some tea to help my stomich.
I hate to say it but when I left the cafe I throw up. Luckly for me their was a garbage can there that I used so nothing ended up on the steat.
Our hotel was just down the streat from the cafe.
My camara battery died.

Mon 26 Feb 2007

We walked to the bus station to check on busses for the morning. Then we cought the colectivo to the lake and a launch to the Isla de Janitzio. Just like the busses the vendors come on board to try to sell you what they can. We did buy some candy coated peanuts. We also decided that we would not worrie about what we wanted to eat today and just buy from the vendors to try out whatever we wanted to. Also a band came on the launch to play to us, coulden't get away and they wanted a tip for their music. We gave them something.
Leaving the dock and heading toward the island, their is a statue on the top of this island. My thoughts as we head toward the island is that it looks like something out of the movie the feloship of rings. Mystical, yet I know that this must be a very important person in the history of Mexico for such a large monument.
Another thing about this island is that most of the people here have always lived here, never leaving the island and don't speak spanish.
Larry bought some of the small fish they have for you to eat. They cook them in hot oil, they still have their heads, but have been cleaned of guts. The smell of this fish is everywhere, I just can't even think of eating them. I wish I had been there when he bought them it would have been a great picture, but the walk from the dock is steap steps up to the top.
We did climb to the top of the statue, I had some problems with the climb. The Statue is of General Don Jose maria MORELOS y Pavon. A city is also named after him, called Morelos. So this indead is an inportant person in the history of Mexico.
I am feeling really bad about my language skills, I was really hoping that my spanish would be better by now.
On the launch back we again had a band, and vendors. We did tip the band but bought nothing to eat on the way back to the mainland.
The lake is very brown, to dirty to swim in (for us). We think is maybe a swollow lake. The fish that they get here are very good for eating, but becuse it is a lake the fish was almoust fished out so they only alowe the natives to fish part of the time. Like our fishing seassions.
Larry stoped to have a torta on the way back to our room. All I could smell was the small fish that the vendors had for sale and coulden't get anything to eat in the market. Oh ok I did get some freash strawberrys.
We had talked about staying here for a week but today we decided that the nights get to cold. We have a bottem and top sheet along with a blinket and a bedspread. We were also told if we needed another blanket we could get one.
This is a verry clean town. The frount of all of the buildings in the main part of the town look the same. Wish I could get my pictures to upload to show you what I mean.
Our last night here, I was mad at myself, I did not eat anything all day, I drank to much rum.
Larry found me laying on the floor of the bathroom, was cool, he put me back into bed. The last thing I remmeber him telling me was to remmeber to step UP to go to the bathroom.
I woke up on the bathroom floor. I had got up, forgot to step up, fell, hit my head on the sink, knocked myself out.

Sun Feb 25 2007

After our late night we slept in until 8:00 am. Our room had a smell, I think it was what they used to clean the room with, so we opened the windows. They could have been doors to a terrace. That is the name of this Casa, Casa Terrsa.
We walked downtown to find some coffee and a cheaper room. Acording to larrys book and the map we had their was a hotel that should be cheaper by the police station. Ok so that was the Casa we were staying at.
We went up to the top terraces to get a good look around when we noticed a room, door was open so we took a peak in. One bed, TV, and bath. A newer room than what we now have.
Larry asked about the rooms on the top floor. We were showed two rooms with one bed tv and bath for $250 a night. ($25 us) right in our budget, and better rooms than we had here for $300 ($30 us). Yes we movied to a room on the top floor, with a privete terrace. But then it really had two terraces one privete and one just out the door.
We had been talking about staying one more night but now it's two nights.
After moving to our new room we decided to rest for the rest of the day.
We did walk downtown to eat and to find something to drink. Only the place were we had found that they sell rum at was closed. It's sunday and any place close to the park closes early that sells rum.
Larrys back was hurting so he went back to the Casa while I went to search for rum. I was able to find some.

Sat Feb 24 2007

Bottle rockets going off all night, along with the band that played after each hour. Not to mettion the bells, at 7:00 they became more frenquent, but then we were up getting ready to hit the road again.
Our frist bus ($256) leaving Oaxaca at 9:00 am to Puebla. We had thought about staying in Puebla but decided it was to early to stop. 2ed bus left Puebla at 2:10 (wish we had stayed here) for $96 to Mexico City (I don't want to go to Mexico City).
Was supeized at all the pine trees that are in the mountians. Mexico is not always dessert lit so many people think.
We were not at the right station in Mexico City so we had to go to the subway. Ride to Mexico City Observaorio $4.
Looked for a hotel but couldent find one so 3rd bus (first class primera) $270 to Patzcuaro at 6:30 pm. We arrived in Patzcuaro at 11:30 pm. With the help of another couple that arrived at the same time and the taxi cab driver we found a room by 12:30am for $300, more than we really want to pay but it's late and we can look for a cheaper one in the morning.

Fri Feb 23 2007

The church bell started ringing at 6:30 am this morning. We thought that we could tell time with the church bells but it has not worked yet. This morning they are being rung every half hour along with the bottle rockets. The firerockets started at 7:00 am.
We had breakfast at the casa (hotel) with joan who is also staying here. Her friend works as a tourest guide and has some problems with the RV park that his group are having some problems with. We asked Joan if she wanted to join us on our morning walk.
We walked downtown, all around the main squair and into the market. Joan found some socks she had been looking for.
Larry had been here 2 years ago and wanted to take us to a Muso that he had gone to. We had some problems finding the enterance to the Muso, we walked all around it before we found the enterance. It is huge more than 4 blocks combined. At one time it had been a Nunnery. We really enjoyed the Muso and Joan said that she was going to try to see if her friend would add it to the list of things to see.
Larry and I walked to the bus station to check on the schedule, we didn't want to have to wait all day in the station again.
When we started back to the Casa Larry found a cafe he wanted to eat in, I didn't want to go in and told him he could and I would head back to the Casa.
He went in and asked this man if he could set at the end of the table he was setting at. The man said "NO". Larry then looked around for another place to set and another man mouthed the word "leave". So Larry started to leave when the owner came and asked him to stay. The owner sat Larry at the seat he had asked the man if he could set.
Larry really felt that he couldn't leave after the owner had asked him to stay.
Everyone in the cafe hurred up to finish their meals. The man that had told Larry to leave had not gotten his meal yet so when another place came open he movied to a seat farther away. I wonder if this would had happend if I was there.
We watched a pariade come up the streat to the church. Was told it is the beging of lint. Their were a lot of bottle rockets and firecrackers going off all night.

Thu Feb 22 2007

We arrived in Oaxaco around 8:00 am this morning. Our bus was a first class, we were given a drink, in a can, and a package of cookies when we got on the bus. We also had two movies to watch, only one was in english with spanish sub titles. I may learn how to speak spanish yet.
We found a good room right away, Casa Arnel @ $220 ($22.00) a night.
We went to the ruins of Monte Alban.
It covers a huge area, while there a man tried to sell us a figerane that he said he had found there when he was a child. Only he had a lot of differant ones in his bag. As we walked around we saw more men trying to sell items trying to tell you that they were some that they or someone in their family had found. We did get some to tell us they were copies. It is agenst the law to buy artafacts, so be careful when someone trys to sell you something that looks like it is an artfact.
We walked to one of the parks in town early in the evening. It was one of the smaller parks in this city only two blocks long. There are still a lot of people using the park. We could hear fireworks going off somewhere in the city.
I can't get over how much the parks are used, they all seem to be an evening meeting place, a place where the family comes in the evening. The childern playing, without, it seems, worring about beeing harmed or kidnapped. How I wish we could see this going on in the parks at home.
Their is a church right next to our hotel, that's were the fireworks or bottle rockets are going off.

Wen Feb 21

We were up early this morning to get to the bus depoe. Larrys book says two busses leave here a day foe Oaxaca. So we are her at the station at 7:00 am, the first bus leaves here at 7:15 pm and the second one at 8:00 pm. This station is for first class, so you have to go through a gate just like they have at airports. We had to decide if we were going to wait there, no place to put luggage, and puy tickets so we could stay in the waiting area. So we got tickets for the 7:15 pm bus. I really didn't want to spend the day walking around town anyway. Larry did go for some walks and took a few pictures of the area.
The town we are in is Tapachula, it is a larger city, we just didn't spend that much time here to have much to say about it.

Tue Feb 20 2007

Cought the launch to Panachel at 7:00am. Rode a chicken bus to the border, and what a ride. He , the driver had to prove he was the best driver and the fastest driver over the mountians. It did not matter that their was speed bumps, lets see how fast we can hit them whitout lousing anything or anyone on the bus, but did it really matter if you lost anyone? This was the first bus, the second bus, I think the driver really didn't know how to drive as we could smell the cluch and hear the throw out berring. I was praying all the time, on both busses.
Then whenwe got to the border to get back into Mexico, we were given the option of riding a Pedomad. Did we really have the option? Dumb Americans, cost us Q100, to get to the border from the bus station. Then the Pedomader driver said it was only Q50 to cross the bridge to the Mexican side, yes we rode the Pedomad, then he said it was Q50 for each, another Q100. Stupid Americans.
Tapachula this evening.

Mon 19 Feb 2007

Sunny but windy this morning. The landlord thought that this was our last day here, but we were able to show him that we had one more night here.

We diden't do much just relaxed and got ready for our departure tomorrow.
Their was a group of people playing their drums and dancing in the streets in the evening. I could hear them moving through the streats long into the evening. Thise were not native people.

Sun Feb 18 2007

Windy this morning which has kept the clouds away, even into the afternoon. We had breakfast at Chilies again. We had french toast but still not the same as home, no butter, we found syrup, but not what we really wanted.
Larry was watching a boat of tourist coming in while I was watching this small brown bird trying to steal his french toast off his plate, wish my camera could have caught it.
We spent most of the day on the roof of the hotel, taking in the sun, got a little burned. Had laundry done Q26. Bought some shampoo for Q26.
Went to this place that was a Venetian place, I had a salad, Larry had a meat dish.

Sat Feb 17 2007

Up early to catch a launch to Santiago. Much bigger city, lots of booths for things to buy. Larry found some shorts to buy. We found a cafe that had sunny side eggs on the menu, thought we could get some good over easy eggs right, wrong. Oh and the sauage is really hot dogs. I also noticed that most of the people that live there had ahard time watching people eating breakfast on a terrice, as we were doing, they would stop at ogle at us, Larry never noticed this.
This evening we had dinner at the place were we had our first free movie, Larry had a hambuger, he said it was the best one he has had here.
Their was a lot of drumming going on through the night.

Fri Feb 16 2007

I was up early to watch the sunrise from the roof. We went to the dock to have breakfast. We decided to rent horses for a ride, 3hour trip was Q180.
It was a great trip. The guide was Mayan and told us about the plants and of the area that we did not know about, He took the time to make sure that we saw everthing we wanted to see. He never pushed us to hurry along. If we decide to take another ride we will go with him.
We tried to go to a differant place for a movie but the place was very full and they were having problems with their DVD, so we left.

Thu Feb 15 2007

We went to breakfast at a really nice hotel. We wanted to look into the cost of this hotel as the posted price for a room was $35 but we didn't know if that was US or Guateamalun. But it didn't make any diferance as this place was closed for the rst of the month.
Larry started feeling ill. I did some e-mailing then went to the lake to do some sunbathing.
When I got back to the hotel we took our chairs to the roof to set in and take in the afternoon sites.
We walked back down to the dockes, their was a person, a vendor, someone setting there on the street trying to sell drums, the sound was the same as I had hurd last night. I wish that I could belive that what I had hurd last night was someone,

Wen Feb 14 2007

I was up early walking down the trail to the lake hoping to catch some wild life for pictures. Saw about eight boats out fishing, in their small dougout boats, can't get good pictures of them.
We looked for a place called Luna Auzl for breakfast. Acording to Larrys book this is the bst place to eat but we couldn't find it. We ate at one of the places on the dock. We saw some people swimming in the lake. Walked to the public dock and back to our hotel. Its been sunny and getting hot all morning.
In the afternoon we walked to the beach just below our hotel, Larry tried to go swimming, he more or less fell in. This was not the best place to try to swim. We decided that the best time to swim was before noon when the wind came up.
We went to a movie in the evening. We each bought a drink for Q8.00 while watching the movie.

Tue Feb 13 2007

Yesterday Larry made the arrangements for the collectivo to pick us up at 7:30. we were out on the street at 7:15, they picked us up at 8:05. We were both worried that we had missed it or that we would have to find other transportation.
The bus (Van) was to Panachal. We had rode constriction on the way. One of the riders had no problem with finding a place to use as a bano, which gave way to others git ting out of the van to smoke or what ever needed. The road to Panachal has improved sense Larry was on it 2 years ago, we had one 20 minute delay due to road repairs.
We got off our ride to Panachal and went strait to the docks to find a launch to San Pedro. Q20 to San Pedro. We had to wait until the launch filled up, and what to our surprise but most of the people that rode with us on the van from Antigua had found their way to the boat we were on to San Pedro. OK so two of them got off at a different place, they all went to where we went.
After we found our room the sky turned cloudy, cold. I could hear drums, echoing from the the canyon, firecrackers going off. sounding exoite, Mayan, my imitation?

Tue Feb 13 2007

Yesterday Larry made the arrangements for the collectivo to pick us up at 7:30. we were out on the street at 7:15, they picked us up at 8:05. We were both worried that we had missed it or that we would have to find other transportation.
The bus (Van) was to Panachal. We had rode constriction on the way. One of the riders had no problem with finding a place to use as a bano, which gave way to others git ting out of the van to smoke or what ever needed. The road to Panachal has improved sense Larry was on it 2 years ago, we had one 20 minute delay due to road repairs.
We got off our ride to Panachal and went strait to the docks to find a launch to San Pedro. Q20 to San Pedro. We had to wait until the launch filled up, and what to our surprise but most of the people that rode with us on the van from Antigua had found their way to the boat we were on to San Pedro. OK so two of them got off at a different place, they all went to where we went.
After we found our room the sky turned cloudy, cold. I could hear drums, echoing from the the canyon, firecrackers going off. sounding exoite, Mayan, my imitation?

Tue Feb 13 2007

Yesterday Larry made the arrangements for the collectivo to pick us up at 7:30. we were out on the street at 7:15, they picked us up at 8:05. We were both worried that we had missed it or that we would have to find other transportation.
The bus (Van) was to Panachal. We had rode constriction on the way. One of the riders had no problem with finding a place to use as a bano, which gave way to others git ting out of the van to smoke or what ever needed. The road to Panachal has improved sense Larry was on it 2 years ago, we had one 20 minute delay due to road repairs.
We got off our ride to Panachal and went strait to the docks to find a launch to San Pedro. Q20 to San Pedro. We had to wait until the launch filled up, and what to our surprise but most of the people that rode with us on the van from Antigua had found their way to the boat we were on to San Pedro. OK so two of them got off at a different place, they all went to where we went.
After we found our room the sky turned cloudy, cold. I could hear drums, echoing from the the canyon, firecrackers going off. sounding exoite, Mayan, my imitation?

Mon Feb 12 2007

We climbed up the trail to the cross this morning. Had some problems with the hike, as we are at a high alitude, 6,000 feet. I really thought that it would not bother me like it did. But we made it. We made it to our favorite place for lunch then the free shuttle to La Azotea Centro Cultural Muso. A muso of music starting with the Myans. Is also acoffe platation muso. Their is also a nature trail with differant coffee plants and flower. Some that I have never seen before.
I have finnely recived news from my friend about her husband, I feel better knowing what is going on at home.

Sun Feb 11 2007

We didn't do much today. We missed the first group walk to the cross on the hill so we decided to go tomorrow. Spent a lot of the day at the park watching people. Was a great day to just relax and take in the sun.

Sat Feb 10 2007

Talked to a Dr. today about a breast reduction, cost is $4500. we don't know if we really want to go through with this. It woud take 15 days for recovery.
We went to the market to see if we could find some jeans for Larry that would fit better than the last ones we bought. We did, same price as the last ones, not Dockers, Levies and they fit better.
We have had lunch at the same place every day, soup, drink, main dish and dissert for Q35. each, great price and great meals. I gave Larry most of the rice or vegtables and still had more than I could eat.
Looking forward to moving on to our next stop. Which will be San Pedro, then we will start our trip back north.
I bought some strawberrys today from the market. Larry and I had a hard time beliving that we were seeing all the great fruit and vegatables we were seeing in the market today. Their is so much, I don't undrestand how someone can go hungray with all the food that is there. Ok they want to sell it and if you don't have the money to buy, You just don't know how much their is.

Fri Feb 9 2007

Another sunny here this morning. We were walking this morning when we stumbled on a pariade. It was schools, their bands, and sports reps, for a big event going on for the schools in the area. A junior olymice festable of sorts.
I am having a problem with a side affect to the meds the Dr gave me so we decided not to take the hike to the cross on the hill today.
We had our laundry done for Q32.50, a much better job than done last time.
Feeling much better this evening, not running to the bath room all the time.
Went to the park agin this evening. I really like going to the park, watching the people and the kids. Although its hard to get their pictures, they really don't like you to take their pictures.

Thu Feb 8 2007

Sunny this morning. Our morning walk brought us to an area we had not been before. A richer area yards with grass. We found another ruin, part has been changed into an artsian sales market. We walked thruogh, their was a lot of things for sale. Beaded items, woven items but nothing I was intersted in buying.
Today was market day, their was more booths filled in the market than on other days. Larrys paints are way too big for him now so we looked for a pair of paints that would fit him. We found a pair of Dockers, size 32x30, which according to the lable on the pair he has been wearing would be the right size, for $3.00. They were to small so we need to find paints for him size 34x32. Next market day is Saturday we will look again. The paints he has been wearing say they are 34x32, I think they are mislabled.
We had fireworks again tonight.

Wen Feb 7 2007

Cloudy again this morning, more blue sky than clouds. Their was an earthquake this morning.
Visited the ruins of the church Sna Fransico. The church is still used for services, the ruins take up a large block. We got a lot of great pictures of the ruins with the volcanoes in the background.
I saw a doctor about my back pain and about seeing a plastic surgan about having a breast reduction. The doctor I saw today said my breasts were at least 3 pounds each too big. He gave me a persiption for pain pills for my back, $6.00, and they gave me the script back, so I could fill it again if needed.
We were playing rummy this evening when the owner of the hotel's husband took our cards away and wanted to play poker with us. We ended up teaching him to play rummy, It does not speak our languash we don't speak enough spanish, but some how we had a great time playing cards with him.

Tue Feb 6 2007

Little cloudy this mourning, great sun breaks durning the day. Tried to e-mail a friend that will e-mail me back right away so we can chat, no answer from her. I know that her husband is having so real health problems. I hope that he is better but it worries me when I don't get any news from her.
I walked around the block that this hotel is on. It's a much larger block than we think of, about 4 city blocks. I found (not that it was lost) two ruins (of churches). Both were fenced off and you need to pay a fee to get into to see, you also need to pay a fee to take pictures. From what I could see of the ruins they are very good ones but I am not paying $5 to be able to take pictures of them.
I also found a Hosiptal, one that only takes people with health insurance, very small.
We had seen the public hospital yesterday, verry large, two or three blocks with just the hostpital.
Also incoulded in this block is the chicken bus station and the public market, 50+ busses are parked here at one time.
Fireworks again this evening.

Mon Feb 5 2007

Found a place that can put my pictures put on a CD. Was able to send off some pictures of our trip by e-mail, hope everyone got them that I sent them off to.
We are planning on staying here a week. Larry says so that my back will have more time to get better.
The man we ment here on our first day is going to take his girlfriend home to Belize. This is where her family lives, so hopefuly they can find out what is wrong and take care of her.
now you must know that they ment each other in Belize and have only been seeing each other for a few weeks. I think that his taking care of her like he has any only knowing her for as long as he has, has a lot to say for him. He has paid for all her medical expenses for the last month, over $5000. This is a very nice guy, we wish that we could have had the time to get to know him better. He had started taking spanish lessions but couldent finnish the ones he had paid for as he took her home.
We had lunch at a place that Larry found when he was here before. You get a soup, meal, and dissart for one low price. It's differant everyday, and they only fix so many searvings a day.
When we got back to the hotel they were taking down the Christmas things.
We had an earthquake during the night, it woke me up.

Sun Feb 4 2007

We walked around town to see the ruins and to learn our way around. A lot of tourest here.
I bought a new pair of paints, petal pushers is what we called them. Did some laundary, my whites. We were able to find some cloths pins in the market that I needed, as the pins that came with my clothes line did not work, they would not close tight enough to hold onto any thing. The new ones work so much better. I left the old ones at the hotel, as they will be able to use them.
A gust of the hotel that we ment when we checked in is having some problems. His girl friend has gone to the hospital.
We went to the central park to see it all lite up but the lites on the trees did not come on. Larry was verry disapointed as he wanted me to see it like that as he had seen it two years ago.
The park is very busy as this seems to be were every one comes in the evening. Their are childern playing, everywhere in the park. Not as we would see at home, they are so free, having so much fun. All I can think of is how this was so many years ago here in the states, childern running free, not having to worry about if someone was going to snap you away.
Their was fireworks and firecrackers going off way into the night.

Sat Feb 3 2007

We are on the road again, at 6:30 am, colectivo to Foundo Guatemala, Minne bus to Chiqulimula, 3ed class bus to Guatemala City, taxi to new bus station (not sure about new bus station), Chicken bus to Antugia.
The bus ride from Chiqulimula to Guatemala City, we incourderd the same man that preached to us before. Only this time we had frount row seats as he stood right next to Larry.
We also took notice of all the motorcycles on the road. It seam that the annule La Caravana dal Zorro was going on. their was 25,000 motorcycles on the road.
Antigua, Guatemula
Our room has hot water shower, Toilet seat, top, bottem sheets, blinket and bed spread. Nights do get cold as we are at 5,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level. We can see Valcones from town, one is active as we can see steam venting from it.
This is one of the first citys in the new world, in the 1700's. We are seeing a lot ruins of churches, from earthquakes.

Feb 2 2007

When I said that the Tutu ride from the ruins was $10, remember I am talking about the cost in their amounts, the cost US was $1.00.
Today we walked downtown for coffee. Larry also ordered toast and jam but the watress must not have understoud as the toast and jam never arrived. Larry really enjoyed the coffee but I couldent drink it. Coffee here is way to strong for me, and I really wonder if it's really instant coffee.
We had lunch at a restrant were the watresses bring you your order balanced on their heads. We went back for happy hour and watched the cook, cook dinner items on her grill. She used bellows to make the fire hotter. Got a great picture of it but again I can't seem to get the picture to download to this site.
Tonight was a full moon, I could hear the full moon celebartion going on in the park, but we had already gone to bed so I missed seeing it.

Feb 1 2007

Copan:
Up early so we can walk to the ruins by 8 when they open. We were the first ones in.
Macaws were setting on the gate, a bueatful greating for vistores.
I tried to download the pictures but will need to work on it more.
Cost was $15 each to get into the ruins.
It started out cool this morning but got hotter in the afternoon.
This is a very clean town.
Our hotel has a parrot that say's hola to you when you come in. He also whisles which Larry has learned to do so he will answer.
The ruins cover a large area, their are tunnles that are open to visit but you need to pay extra to enter them.
We also walked a nature trail that had a lot of signs of information along it, am so glad we walked it.
We rode a Tutu back to town from the ruins, he told us it would be $10 for the ride but when we got back to the hotel he said it was $10 for each. Larry said no and gave him the $10.
You really need to talk to the driver and make sure of the price they are quoting you, most times you can and should say you will pay a lower amount before you ride.
I know that a lot of people don't like to try to jew ( don't like using that word) the price down but they do exepct you to do that, and if you don't then they think that everyone should pay that amount.

Jan 31

Honduras
Staying in Copan, bottem, top sheet, blanket and bedspread, could get cold. Hot water, Toilet seat. Some places don't have toilet seats. Room is $10.00 a night.
Very nice town, clean, but still on a hill, where you need to clime up and down the streats.

Jan30

On a bus to Chiquimula. People get on the busses to sell things, to speak about their views on whaterver.
If I knew more spanish I may know what the preatcher was saying. I also noticed that everone throwes their garbage out the windowes.
This is a large town, don't like it here too busy.

Jan 29

San Felipe.
There are so many San Felipe's, one in every state of Mexico, but we are in Guetamala. This is a fort that fought off priates, built in 1595.
For dinner we knocked on a door of a resturant. Ok I thought that maybe it had been closed for a while as the table (the only table) needed to be cleared off of the baby's things. The chicken dinner was good but I still felt we were intruding. I can't say that I was right with my feelings.
This is where we were trying to go when we ended up in el Estor.
It is raining here.
Larry said we are going to find a place were it is not raining.

Jan 27

Ready for an adventure? You want to go to San Felipe, you tell the celotivo driver and he says he will take you to the place you need to go to get the next coltivo for their.
Now the colitvio is a pick-up truck that you ride in the back of, and the driver forgits that you are there, ( you only needed to ride for 5 minutes) an hour later he tries to tell you this is where you need to get off, you say nope it is not.
So you end up in a town that you did not intend to go to. The ride is the adventure, 2 hours, 20 people riding in the back of a pick-up truck, with baggage, bags of cow food, boxes of supplies for families.
El Estor a small town on the lake, hotel Vista al Lago, built 1825. Nice, clean, hot water, TV, and a great view of the lake.
Jan 28th
Cloudy, early morning, Larry walked down town early morning, brought me bake some water as I had asked him to do. Not feeling to good.
People here seem to have motorcycles. They all come down to the lake to meat, have snakes or whatever.
I am feeling very ill, but am able to get out of bed to set on the terrice to watch everyone on the walking on the parkade on the lake. this seem to be where everone comes to meet others.
So we also watch the cows walking down the road, which no one seems to worry about who they belone too, oh and then there are the pigs, that everyone stops to let accrost the streat. They will break for pigs but not for people.

Jan 26

We seem to be getting up earler all the time on our own. We wanted to stop at a small town but the ATM would not give us money so we had to go on to Rio Dulce. (so glad we had the money to get there).
We took a boat to our hotel, which is on the largest lake in Guetalama. We have a cabin on the water. I sat on the pourch to watch the fish and turtles. Their is a swiming pool, and hot tubs. Only the tubs are not hot, as whele as the pool. They are cleaning the pool and turning on the water to fall into the pool from the tubs, I so wanted the hot tubs to work, would have felt so good on my back.
It is still raining, not as bad as it was.
Room or cabin is still in our budgit but if we want to eat we have to eat here at the hotel, if we want to eat in town we have to take a boat and pay $2.00 each to cross the river.

Jan 25

We were up at 4 to catch the bus at 5 to Tikal. While waiting for the bus we noticed that their were some small rain drops. Was a 1 hour ride to the park, we both fell asleep during the ride, the rain drops are now getting bigger. We are given the chanch to buy ponchos to wear while visiting Tikal, but we say we are Oregoins and we know all about rain and we doin't need anything to keep the rain off.
When Larry was here two years ago it did not rain, he was so disapointed that it rained this time.
The ruins are some of the beast you can see, no matter the weather, even if you are in a rain fourst. See it if you can. I climed as many of the temples that I could, it was worth it.

Jan 24

On the road again. Colicativo, then taxi, then down the river, to Guetamala. We had some problems here, with not knowing our spanish, which made us feel that the border person made us pay more to him to allow us to cross the border and the Taxi driver wanted us to pay him more than we should.
We arived in Guetamala just in time to catch the last bus to Flores. Q200, $7.00 from th border to Flores.
Flores is on an island, our hotel was accoust the street from the beach, Q80 or $11.00 a night.

Jan 23

Learning how to turn over with my back pain. Starting to feel sick.

Jan 22

We missed the first bus to Palenke at 8:30, had to wait until 11:20.
This has given me time to think about how cold it got in San Cristable at night, and how to tell how clod it was going to get by your hotel room when you checked in.
If you have a bottem and top sheet, it was going to stay hot. Bottem, top sheet and bed spreed, it is going to be hot and you may even not need the bed spread. Bottem and top sheet, blanket, and bed spread, you may not need the bed spread but the blanket means it's going to be colder. So in San Cristable, we had Bottem, top, 3 blankets and bed spread. Yes it was cold at night.
Plaenke was a bottem and top sheet night.
Jan, 23
We went to the ruins of Palenke. Was overcast when we started out. was a great day climed as many of the ruins as we could.
I am starting to feel the acks and pains that I should be feeling from the ride in San Cristoble, you know my legs and arms and whatever.

San Cristobal day 2

Ride to Caballos is a real trip (horse back ride). 2 hours up, 1 hour in Caballos and 2 hours back.
It's not a ride that I woud say you should do if you don't ride horses. Also if you know how to ride but not have ridden in a long time, keep in mind you need to know that the horses want to take over and take off at any given time.
I do know how to ride, but I had not rode in a long time and forgot to keep my mount in check and 30 minutes into our ride, lost controle of the ride and let the horse take controle of the ride. My back was hurting for the rest of the ride, and for the next month.
The people in Caballos are shorter than me. They are an anverage of 5'6".
It was a Sunday which ment that it was a market day and people form all of the villages close by were there to sell, or party, or what ever.
their clothing is very coloverful, but you need to take care if you want to take pictures of them as they belive that you take away their soles too.
It was a great day, would have been better if I had not hurt my back.
I was so glad to have the extra blankets, it was very cold at night, and hurting my back, the blankets helped to warm it up.

San Cristobal

Tuxtla to San Cristobal by bus $8.00. Room at hotel Morgarita $20.00 a night. Small room, has TV, hot water, extra blankets and internet service. Extera blankets should tell you it's going to get cold at night.
the first room we were afford was $35, we said we did not need the TV, that we would be happy with a cheaper room, they gave us this on, I think it had a smaller bed, but still had a TV. for the $20. a night.
We walked UP to the Caterdal, it had a great view of the area.
The exter blankets should have given us the clue that it would be cooler (cold) here.