Today was a beautiful day here in Xela.  The sky was blue, there was none of the almost daily rain we have had, and it was warm.  I took advantage of the day to do a good four hours of walking around the city of Quatzeltenango, or Xela, for short. 

 

There were lots of people out walking around the square enjoying the weather and eating ice cream. It seems the Sunday pastime is ice cream.  There were vendors all around the park and they were doing a huge business.  There was also an outdoor market set up and the Mayan women were selling their fruits and vegetables.  Apparently the Mayans are the primary small farmers here. 

 

Mayan women selling fruits and vegetables in the market. 

 

It is interesting here in that apparently few people have television, other than perhaps a small black and white set, and my understanding is that video games are only available to the kids at the Internet cafes.  Therefore people here spend a lot of time out walking around and visiting.  It is a rather slow and low pressure life. 

 

 

Many of the buildings are adobe and are disintegrating after a century or so of use and have fallen into disuse.  The modern buildings are cement, much more practical but less beatuiful. 

 

 

 

Street scene with Mayan woman.  Note the cathedral in the distance.  This cathedral was built in 1532 and is one of the oldest in Latin America.  Only a few parts of the original remain, the bell tower being part of the original.

 

Typical downtown residental street.  Narrow, hilly, and old cobblestones.  My hosts´ home is in a new neighborhood up in the hills.

 

 

My hosts were in church all day, so I was on my own for lunch.  Guizela, my hostess, had offered to come home from church to cook lunch for me but I told her I would just go for a long walk and eat down town. 

 

There were scores of Maya women selling tacos and sandwiches from their street stalls, however I am not quite ready to eat food from street vendors.  However I did find a nice little taco restaurant and had three soft chicken taco and a good local beer for three dollars.  Sort of high end for Guatemala, but it was good.  I have not yet figured out the schedule here at my new home, as I have only been here a few days and we have this immense language barrier.  Guizela actually fixed a late lunch at 3pm, and served up home made tortillas with beef steak in a tomato and vegetable stew with rice.  All very good, however I am now stuffed.  Not sure what dinner will be. 

 

Guizela is a great cook, but due to their economic condition they eat very little meat here.  Most of the meals are vegetarian and there is a lot of corn and vegetables.  Also, as they are Pentecost, there is no beer or alcohol of any kind inside the house.  This could be a very healthy month for me if I can keep from getting Montazuma’s revenge. 

 

It is interesting here in the house, which is a very nice house by Central American standards, how simple everything is.  Very stark furnishings, and the kitchen is very simple.  There is a gas range, a refrigerator, a microwave, and that is all.  There are no cabinets, no counters, and the only sink is outside the back door in a small open air area.  I have not yet figured out why a kitchen would not have a sink.  This is something I am going to have to investigate with my teacher.  She is a good source for explaining local customs. 

 

 

My hosts´home.  (Note the dog, Dumpie).  View from kitchen to dining room. 

 

Although the house is fairly new and modern the kitchen is very simple.  There are no cabinets or counters, just a range, refigerator, microwave, and a few wooden tables.  Senora Merando, my hostess, shops daily for food so there is little food stock. 

 

It is interesting that there is no sink in the kitchen.  The kitchen sink is outside in an open area out the back door on a small patio.  Not very handy in the rainy season, although I guess one can just put the dishes out in the rain.  As the house has 1.5 bathrooms I cannot imagine why there is no sink in the kitchen. 

 

This picture is taken through the kitchen window and shows the only kitchen sink, which is outside.  Go figure. 

 

I have not been a good student this weekend, and so now I need to run to the Internet café, check my e-mail, and get back here and study for a while.  I still have homework to do.