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Day 458 - Saturday, February 1, 2003
We left for Copan this morning with Tony. The bus ride was about 8 hours. We went from Tegucigalpa to San Pedro Sula, where changed busses, and then onto Copan. For dinner we went to Tunkul. The ambiance was very nice and Tony seemed to know everyone that came in. Jen and I split fajitas which were very good. In the evening Jen and I worked on a video that we are putting together for a presentation at the upcoming (one week) business conference that will be held here in Copan after we get back from Guatemala. Tony was very kind and since Shirleen had traveled to another site for the night, he gave us their bed to sleep in which was very nice.
Day 459 - Sunday, February 2, 2003
In the morning we went to Church with Tony got our bags packed for Guatemala and left on a mini-bus for Antigua, Guatemala. The mini-bus ride took about six and a half hours and we arrived around 7:30 PM and checked into Posada San Sebastian to stay the night. The hotel was recommended to us by Matt and was very nice. It was filled with antiques and nicely decorated. The cost was a little bit a surprise and since we had no where else to stay we put up $20 more than we expected to for the night and stayed.
Day 460 - Monday, February 3, 2003
We got up this morning walked around Antigua looking at ruins and taking photos. It was really incredible to see some of the ancient architecture and the colorful buildings that have been preserved over the years. We walked around most of the afternoon, did some shopping and had dinner at an Argentinean Grill called "Ni-Fu Ni-Fa" which means normal but more so it means not too much, not too little, not great, not bad just kind of average.
We found a different hotel that was just as nice, but half the price.
Day 461 - Tuesday, February 4, 2003
We left for Panajachel on Lake Atitlan where we shopped for the afternoon and then took a boat out to Santa Cruz where we stayed at Noah's Ark. Noah's Ark has about 10 cabins that are kind of rustic but very comfortable and nicely decorated. It is run by a European couple, the man is from Great Britton and the woman from France. There is no electricity and lighting at night is done by candles and batteries that are recharged in the daytime by solar panels. Hot water is available only in the afternoon and is done by solar as power as well.
We went back into Panajachel for the after noon and had lunch in a restaurant there (two story blue building with a variety of foods including pizza and tacos). Lunch lasted for three hours as we talked about future goals and dreams that we had and reflected on our Peace Corps service so far and how we thought it would impact the rest of our lives.
In the evening we took a boat back out to Noah's Ark and watched the sunset from under a thatched umbrella and sipping refreshments.
Day 462 - Wednesday, February 5, 2003
We went to Panajachel again this morning and did some more shopping as well as explored the town some. We went back to the same restaurant we went to lunch the day before for Crepes and Eggs for breakfast.
We went to the center of town and took a look inside St. Francis of Assisi church. We also took a look at the local library which was very impressive. Apparently several years ago the library in town burned down and was the victim of arson. Due to some people who lived in town that wrote articles in major newspapers about the incident they received about $80,000.00 to rebuild the library and restock the books. It was very impressive for a Central American library.
We almost went out to some hot springs, but decided not to when someone said they were dried up at this time of the year. We headed back out to Noah's Ark at the end of the day and had a communal dinner with the rest of the guests by candle light. For dinner we had marinated chicken, mashed potatoes (supper yummy), carrot salad with pine nuts, fresh home made bread, vegetable soup, and banana bread.
After dinner and about and hour and half of conversation with a few of the other guests we went back to our room and read for a little while with the tiny flashlight battery they had to light the room.
Day 463 - Thursday, February 6, 2003
We left early this morning and took a bus to Chichicastinago. Chichicastinago (try saying that 5 times fast) is a huge market located about an hour away from the lake. Known to have the largest market days in Guatemala on Thursdays and Sundays, we ventured out to explore! We visited on a Thursday morning and when we entered the town it felt a little more like the Central America I was used to since there was a lack of garbage cans and an increase in the amount refuse thrown into the street. As we walked through wall to wall people in the streets of the market, I started to lose track of the fact that I was on a street as the vendor booths started to bunch closer together like thick jungle vegetation, until we entered an area near the center of the town where a “tent” city has been erected; complete with canvas isle coverings to protect the shoppers from the depleting effects of the harsh noonday sun. Our day at the market involved bargaining everything we bought down to at least 50% of the asking cost with some bargaining sessions taking place over two or three trips away from and back to the same vendor. Jennifer loved practicing her bargaining strategies. It was a game for her. The most exciting buy we actually helped negotiate was for a retired American couple who had come down on vacation. They wanted to buy a blanket and we helped translate. The couple was quite pleased with their purchase for a guest bedroom back home. We met another retired couple who was fascinated with our Peace Corps story. They took photos of us to send to our parents when they returned to the states from vacation. We met them at the market and they offered us the following advice, “we have never regretted the things we have purchased overseas, only the items we have left behind”. Of course, this encouraged Jennifer to continue shopping.
We got back to Noah's Ark around 5pm and relaxed by the lake. We had another community dinner which was good, but not quiet as good as the night before. Jennifer and went back to our room after dinner and read by candle light for a little while.
Day 464 - Friday, February 7, 2003
We headed back on the road to Antigua this morning stopping in Tecpán to see the Iximché ruins in that area. The ruins are fairly small, but it was amazing to see ruins for the first time and I was amazed as I imagined what life must have been like back then.
We stayed the night at Hotel de La Villa de Don Poncho. It was a beautiful hotel but was a little out of place in that it was so well kept up and maintained in an area that was kind of dirty and falling apart. We had dinner at a Chinese restaurant suggested to us by a guy at the hotel and had some mediocre Chinese food with the exception of the wontons which were excellent. My only complaint being that they didn't have any sweet and sour for the wantons and we had to eat them with ketchup. They were still delicious.
Day 465 - Saturday, February 8, 2003
We traveled back to Antigua this morning and checked into a cheap hotel, then headed off to the market to shop until "Shawn falls down dead". We shopped and ran errands all after noon and eventually hooked up with Matt after attending Mass at the Catholic Church in the center. We went out for dinner and then went back to Guatemala City with him where we stayed the night with a family there. The father in the family works for USAID and they had a very nice house. The wife was doing some work with Riecken Foundation and they, on occasion played host to Peace Corps Volunteers.
Day 466 - Sunday, February 9, 2003
In the morning we got up and had breakfast with the family which was a variable feast of different breakfast foods. We then traveled back to Copan with Matt and stayed the night at Tony and Shirleen house after a dinner of spaghetti with Tony, Shirleen and Matt.
Day 467 - Monday, February 10, 2003
Tony and Shirleen were great hosts. They made us breakfast and gave us excellent tips on going to visit the ruins. We headed out to the Ruins and had a great morning walking around the Mayan ruins taking photos and imagining what life must have been like for the Mayan Indians so many hundreds of years ago.
For dinner we got together with our project director Maria and Had Chinese food, talked about our trip to Guatemala and her childhood. In the evening we stayed with Tony and Shirleen.
Day 468 - Tuesday, February 11, 2003
This morning we visited with a local artesian dealer to talk about website development and explained his options for getting samples of his products out on the internet. In the afternoon we walked out to a Mayan site called "Los Sapos" that is known as the "birth place" of the Mayas. It is believed that it is a place where Mayan women went to give birth, although there may be other significance as it is on an exact compass point to three other sites that span out from the Mayan temples. All the sites put together create exact 90 degree intersections in the temple when lines are drawn from one site to another and run through the center of the temple area. The site is located on the land of a very small resort called "Hacienda San Lucas" which is run by a Honduran woman who grew up in Tegucigalpa, lived in Kentucky, USA for 20 years, and then returned and cleaned up her families 100 year old home on the land to entertain tourists as they come through. While talking to the owner over lemon aid and rum cake she told us that she grew up a few blocks from the Peace Corps office and back there were only six houses in the area. What is now the Peace Corps office belongs to a friend of hers and is rented out by the US government. She said she remembered going swimming in the now covered pool in the middle of the courtyard at the Peace Corps office.
In the afternoon we checked into the Plaza Copan Hotel to officially begin the Business conference. We talked to other volunteers that were arriving and had dinner at the hotel with the other volunteers.
Day 469 - Wednesday, February 12, 2003
We celebrated our Month-a-versary in a little different manner this month as the circumstances were a little different than usual. I stole a handful of flowers form the lobby of the hotel and gave them to Jennifer, in turn she took us out for hot apple pie and ice cream where I was able to break the rule of sharing dessert and got my own.
We spent the morning and afternoon in the conference. Jennifer and I gave a multimedia presentation on using computers and computer education in areas far removed from the larger cities. People seemed very impressed with our presentation which was nice as we spent a lot of time preparing it. After dinner we went out with some other volunteers and had a nice night chatting and eating pie.
Day 470 - Thursday, February 13, 2003
The morning was reserved for taking advantage of some of the tourist sites in the area. Most people went horse back riding, Jen and I along with Eddie and Rebecca (other volunteers) went to some hot springs about an hour outside of town. It was very beautiful and we really had a fun time.
We finished up the conference with a few more presentations including one on "dolarization" which I found very interesting. Dolarization is when a country gets rid of their own currency and use US Dollars as their national currency. This has happened in El Salvador, Panama, Ecuador and the issue occasionally comes up in conversation here in Honduras as the powers that be consider dolarization for Honduras.
In the evening we went over to another volunteers room to watch a movie. At midnight we started a small party for Jennifer birthday and played cards.
Day 471 - Friday, February 14, 2003
We Traveled to Teguz on early the bus (8 hours). Upon arrival we found that our camera was missing and went into complete panic and depression. We needed the camera for a wedding we were taking photos for and making a video of the next day. After retracing our steps we came to the conclusion that it was left on the balcony of the room where we played cards the night before.
In desperation and looking for solutions we phoned everyone possible even the hotel who told us that they had found the camera and given it to one of the other volunteers. We were slightly relieved that it had been found and was safe with another volunteer, but the volunteer they gave it to wasn't planning on coming back to Teguz until after the wedding the next day. We found a replacement camera and our kind assistant country director loaned it to us. In the evening we met up with Megan and Ryan who were going to go out for sushi with us to celebrate Jennifer's birthday and received a big present in that they had our camera. After passing between about 5 people they got a hold of it and were able to bring it to us. We were very happy. We went out for dinner of sushi at a local restaurant.
I gave Jen a round silver ring box that was a surprise and a hand painted birthday card. We stayed the night in the Maya so we would get a good nights sleep before the wedding the next day.
Day 472 - Saturday, February 15, 2003
We got up this morning and went out for breakfast. In the early
afternoon we hopped on a bus with about 10 other volunteers and went to a
wedding. The volunteer had hired us to take photos for her wedding and we
were excited to be able to do that. The wedding was very nice and was held
outside. Donna, the volunteer, met and fell in love with a Honduran guy
and they were getting married. We took over 500 digital and film photos
and even got to eat dinner with them which was pretty good.
While taking photos Jennifer stepped on an ant hill and got a dozen or so bites
on her feet and legs as the tiny black soldiers declared war on the intruder.
We took the bus back to the Hotel Maya and stayed there the night.
Day 473 - Sunday, February 16, 2003
We traveled back to Concepción de Maria this afternoon and had some pretty good luck with buses in that we caught the bus to Choluteca and then the last bus to Concepción. Before leaving for Concepción we ordered a Papa John's Pizza and had it delivered to the Peace Corps office where it was delivered just as we were going out the front door. The pizza was very good and we ate it on the bus.
Day 474 - Monday, February 17, 2003
After so much traveling we slept in this morning and I spent the morning catching up on my diary. Jennifer's parents are coming to visit and will be arriving at the end of the week so we have to start cleaning and organizing for that. We spent most of the day cleaning the house and getting things reorganized.
Day 475 - Tuesday, February 18, 2003
We cleaned up the house more this afternoon and then relaxed in our newly cleaned house.
Day 476 - Wednesday, February 19, 2003
We spent some time organizing the items that we would be taking back to the capital to send home with Jennifer's parents. One of those items is a set of 4 rocking chairs that are going to be presents for some lucky recipients back in the states. They are smaller chairs and made for children. We had them make the chairs and not finish them so I could finish them in the states. We also told them not to assemble the parts and they managed to get that mixed up even though we met with them three times to let them know what we wanted to make sure it was clear. So they built the chars and put together everything but the seats and the backs thinking that is how some people send them to the states. That is a good way to send one chair to the states, but not four of them. We needed them disassembled and in the smallest pieces. They told us they didn't think we would be able to put them together. This whole thing made me pretty angry as we specified what we wanted and took extra care to make sure they understood exactly what we wanted and still managed to screw it up. On top of all that they asked some friends of ours to pay for the chairs while we were out of town and now we had no leverage for getting them redone or a reduced price. I, along with two of the carpenters helpers, managed to get the pieces pulled apart with minimal damage to the chairs. We loaded them into a suitcase and a duffle bag and they are ready for Jen's mom and dad to take them home
Day 477 - Thursday, February 20, 2003
We traveled to Tegucigalpa this morning, running errands once we got there and eventually going to Wilmer and Angelica's house's for dinner and to stay the night. They made us a wonderful meal of "Plato Tipico". We had a wonderful night and really enjoy the company of our new friends.
Day 478 - Friday, February 21, 2003
Mom and Dad Vander Poel arrived this afternoon we were very excited to meet them at the airport, but a little disappointed when after waiting an hour and waiting for them to appear from the exit doors and they didn't. We then found out that their plane was delayed and would not be in for another hour. So we went to Burger King across the street to have pizza with Erica and two of her kids. It was fun to see our old host family from our training. Erica had come to the air port to meet Jennifer's parents and with the delayed flight we thought we would treat them to lunch.
Jennifer's parents arrived and said that there was some problem with a break light and they had to turn around and go back to Miami for maintenance. We checked into the Maya hotel and went to Alondra for dinner. At Alondra we enjoyed a wonderful meal and some of the best service in Tegucigalpa. We gave Jen's parents a Peace Corps t-shirt, silver rosary from Guatemala, and a card to welcome them to Honduras. The waiters brought them out from the kitchen before we began dinner.
Day 479 - Saturday, February 22, 2003
We got up this morning and had beagles at the local beagle shop, them headed to the Farmer's Market in Tegucigalpa where we loaded up on vegetable and other goodies and just kind of looked around. We traveled to Concepción de Maria this morning leaving at around 10 AM we took a luxury bus to Choluteca and then caught a bus from Choluteca to Concepción de Maria. We had dinner at the library where they were celebrating one year in service.
In the evening we showed them some of our most recent videos including the business presentation we did for the recent business conference we attended as well as the Christmas video had put together. We stayed up pretty late talking.
Day 480 - Sunday, February 23, 2003
We got up this morning and had French toast, grapefruit and coffee. We then went to church with Jen's parents and returned home to open all the fun things they brought us. I got to try out one of the barcode scanners I ordered to work with the MONICA program we are installing in the cooperative and they work great. It is going to be really fun to install and get this program running.
We had visitors all morning after we got done with church including kids from El Peñon who came down just to meet Jennifer's parents. Everyone is so curious to see and be around them. If we charge admission to see the "Gringo Show" this week I think we will have to raise the admission price with the new set of exhibits that are here.
We had a birthday party Jennifer with the neighbors who prepared steak shish kabobs (a very special treat here) and a cake for Jennifer. We played a few games with the kids including a piñata and a water balloon game, and then Jennifer got a bucket of water dumped on her head. It was great fun and I was happy that Jen's parents got to see it.
In the evening we went to a dinner at the Mayorga's house where we had a traditional Honduran meal of beans, tortillas, and cheese. The food was excellent and it was really fun to visit with them.
We again sat up late talking.
Day 481 - Monday, February 24, 2003
We got up this morning and prepared ourselves to be "Bien Bonito" (very beautiful) as the vice-president was coming to town and we were gong to go to the ceremony. He arrived around 11 pm with the ambassador from Japan and a few congressmen from the area. they were inaugurating the start of a school meal program. Some of the children that attend school do not get adequate food. the governments of Japan, Italy, and Taiwan have donated several million dollars so that they can have a school lunch program for the kids. There was a huge turn out and it was really fun to see the activity in the town center.
In the afternoon we had a nice meal and then visited the cooperative to take a look at some of the work we have been doing there and show Jen's parents around.
Mom and Dad VP spent the rest of the afternoon resting in the comfortable hammocks we have on our patio
In the evening we talked some more.
Day 482 - Tuesday, February 25, 2003
We got up early this morning and went on a hike to El Peñon where we visited the school that Jen and I have been working. The hike up and back was pretty tiring as the temperature climbed to about 99 degrees. It was fun and the kids were pretty excited to meet Jen's parents and to see us again. On the way down we visited with a family that we have stopped and talked to several time and gave them some cloths for their children to wear and a little money so they would be able to eat this week. When I talked to the dad he said they didn't have any food in the house or money to buy anything. They were all pretty excited about their new gift and the prospect of eating. He walked back down to town with us and I had an opportunity to have a fairly long conversation with him. He said he used to run around and be kind of drunk and then found God and turned his life around. The most amazing thing is that up until 3 years ago (he is about 40 years old) he wasn't able to read. He started praying that God would give him the ability to read so he could read the bible and about 3 years ago he picked up a bible and found that he was able to read what was written there. He has had no schooling, ever and did nothing to attain his reading ability. He said it was just given to him from God.
I was very impressed with Jen's parents as they walked most of the way with Kathy riding on a horse for the last section. Larry never complained about the heat or the hike and was a real trooper. They both have been excellent guests and it has been really enjoyable having them here.
We got home and took showers and made hamburgers for lunch. My legs are aching from the walk and I am looking forward to getting a good nights sleep tonight. We have been going to bed later than usual and it is starting to catch up with me.
I spent a couple of hours in the cooperative going over the new equipment that I purchased on the internet and had Jen's parents bring down. I broke a major rule of development in buying the stuff myself and then having them pay for it, but I was able to purchase 2 UPC scanners, a CD burner, 20 CDRW's, and a network starter kit for the same price they would have paid for one UPC scanner here in Honduras. The president of the executive committee was pretty excited and thought it was really great that we were working with them. Everyone, now that they have seen how the system works with the scanners, is really excited about getting the system installed.
Day 483 - Wednesday, February 26, 2003
We left on the early bus this morning 6:30 am and headed for Choluteca. Once in Choluteca we checked into the Gualequeme Hotel and then headed to the Chamber of Commerce to meet with the president who was going to take us on a tour of his properties, businesses, and cashew farm. We arrived at 8:30 and were told he would be there at 9:00, so we waited, and waited, and waited, and at 10:45 he arrived.
We first drove out to see his cattle ranch where we saw several head of cow through out his expansive ranch; including a giant Brahma bull that Mom and Dad got their photo taken with.. He has spent a large amount of time doing artificial insemination projects with his cows using samples from bulls from our home state of Minnesota. He even offered to let us stay and watch the operation. Off the cattle farm was one of his Cashew orchards and we were able to see the fruit right after it fell off the tree as well as the trees them selves.
We also got to go to a cashew processing plant where we saw all the steps involved in making the cashew seed into the edible cashew nut. After the trip we went out for Chinese food at our favorite Chinese restaurant in Choluteca where we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with the owner of the cashew farm. Overall the day was very enjoyable.
When we got back to the hotel we were a little disappointed to find ants in one of our beds and had to change the bed clothing.
Day 484 - Thursday, February 27, 2003
We slept in this morning and had breakfast at the hotel (French toast and pancakes). We caught a bus and went to San Lorenzo where we stayed the night and got sea food for dinner. San Lorenzo is on the way from Choluteca to the capitol and it is located sea side, so they have lots of fresh sea food. Jen bargained for 45 minutes for a good price on the room and we went for a walk into town to get some really good papaya liquados (milkshake drink). For dinner we went to the hotel restaurant and had fish and shrimp dinners; they were very good.
Day 485 - Friday, February 28, 2003
We woke up and got our bags packed only to find them infested with biting ants. They had snuck in during the night and infested our bags looking for food. They managed to get into two of our four bags of cashews by chewing through the plastic and getting into the two pound bags. We spent an hour or so cleaning them out of our suitcases and arguing with the management over whose fault it was that we had this problem. A maid showed up and offered to spray all of our clothing and the cashews with bug killing spray, but we politely told her we didn't thing that was such a good idea.
We took a taxi out to the main road and then got on a bus for Tegucigalpa where we stored some of our stuff at the Peace Corps office and then continued on to la Tigra national park. We stayed at a bed and breakfast in the mountains, which we have been to a few time before. It is run by a German couple and is one of the best places we have been to in Honduras. They have a main house where they live and a cabin that they rent out. We had a wonderful dinner of stir fry and played 500.