OK, I’m finally playing a little catch up with posting.  It’s amazing how busy a retired guy hangin’ out in Guatemala can be.  I won’t bore you with a blow by blow description, only some highlights.  I can tell you this, I think I’ve already walked about 50 miles or so this first week, and I do spend a lot of time in the park (see drinking too much coffee), which is always interesting.  After awhile the street vendors start to leave you alone ’cause they recognize you as a crazy old gringo who isn’t going to buy nada.

Saturday was an especially good and interesting day.  I decided to revisit a hike I’ve made one other time before, Cerro de la Cruz.  For you non Spanish speakers that’s Hill of the Cross.  This is a pretty famous site on the north side of Antigua, and I dare say most visitors who are able to make the trip, do.  It is a pretty steep climb.

I think this stairway probably makes this hike doable for many who otherwise couldn’t handle a rocky path.  Two years in the making, it was completed in 1991 with private funding from individuals.

Here is a view from near the base of the hill.  You can just make out the Cross right in the middle in that open area up on the hillside.  And here is what it looks like up close.

This is the view from up on top.  It’s almost wide enough to include the peaks of the two active volcanoes in this area of Guatemala.  That’s Agua on the left and Fuego on the right.  Of the two, Fuego is the most active, and if you look closely it has scarring on top from lava flow.  When there is lava flow you can sometimes see it at night. Otherwise small eruptions are mostly ash and vapor floating up into the sky.

If you draw a horizontal line in your mind through the center of this picture, just to left of center is where I’m staying and to the right, just visible over the tops of some trees, is the steeple of La Merced, a church I’ve mentioned in earlier posts.  Had a chance to chat with a group from Wisconsin while I was up here.  Connecting with others from around the US has always been an enjoyable part of my time down here.

When I got back down to the bottom, I stopped at a small park for some street food and was treated to a great game of wheelchair basketball.  These guys play rough and their athleticism is very evident.  I watched with amazement as one guy, who was knocked over, just “went with it”, rolled across his shoulders with his chair directly above him, and as his chair was descending he snapped his body and the chair popped back up on it’s wheels.  My jaw just dropped.  I was looking around for a Jumbotron so I could watch it again.  I have to say that I’ve never seen anything more than short video clips of wheelchair basketball.  These guys are somethin’!  If you ever get the opportunity, try sitting on a regular chair near the corner of the court, and see if you can shoot it anywhere near the basket.

In the background of the basketball picture are the ruins of Santa Rosa.  I’ve walked past here several times and there is restoration work happening everyday.  You can see there’s a small patio area completed and there is lighting built in to illuminate the front.  I’m guessing that this area can be used for weddings or other special events.

Right near the patio area is this partially restored ruin protected by fencing.  This could be an old baptismal fount, or an old wood fire oven.  I couldn’t find any specific info on this object.

A little more on the weekend to follow.  Love you all.