Andrea hard at work at the downstairs bar

Wallenbeck's Bar & Grill

Well the time came for me to join the land of the working joe. Now when you visit Antigua's most gringo bar/restaurant you'll have the option of being served by Andrea upstairs or by me at the downstairs bar. I've worked just about a week and a half and have enjoyed it as well. Like Andrea said we speak a decent amount of Spanish between the waitstaff and customers. Its a nice change from classes as well, because not only do people not correct me, they praise my "really good" Spanish! Ok so maybe they are buttering me up for stronger drinks, or just don't expect extranjero's to speak Spanish at all.

Favorite memories thus far:
1. Every time I make a White Russian I smile and think of The Dude.
2. I've met the "star" soccer player for the local team, jungle biologist from Peten, Canadian film maker, and lots of other nice people from everywhere in the world.
3. The strange "I need a bag of ice to keep my insulin cold" man whose been visiting recently.
4. Singing "Sweet Caroline" at the big down stairs bar with a rowdy bunch.
5. All the free food I get to eat everyday....yum. I've even been eating lots of delicious salads which can cost travelers dearly if they aren't lucky. Our restaurant is super clean and safe though.
6. I don't know if this is a good memory, but it certainly was crazy, I worked the "ladies Bar" on ladies night where ladies cocktails are only 3 Q. It was mayhem, hundreds of women yelling, sometimes angry, pushing and I might add not tipping at all. But I was hit on by a very old Guatemalan lady which was kind of sweet.

Adios, Luke

We treated ourselves to a Christmas dinner at Panza Verde a famous little hotel and restaurant. Unfortuanatley the guys from Buena Vista weren´t playing but we were nevertheless serenaded by a violin

menu: shrimp bisque, sundried tomato bread, salad with arugala and goat cheese, salmon with beats and cream sause, chocolate mouse, pinot noir!

I forgot food could taste this good! Besides delicious, it is the most beautiful place I have ever dined. and I was in great company. Merry Christmas to us . . . and to all of you, our friends and family in whatever corner of the world this message finds you.

A Merry Chapin Christmas Eve

Nearly 4 months have passed since we moved here to Antigua, the Christmas holiday was a sort of half-way mark for us. However, as much as we talked about potential christmas plans, the day more or less snuck up on us. Maybe there is a little xmas virus or dna strand that suddenly wakes up two days before, i don´t know? As you can see in our pictures Antigua was beautifully decoracted for all of December, parties and fireworks in central park every weekend night, and thanks to children here endless ¨bombas¨in the streets making me go deaf. God forbid some traumatized vietnam vets visit antigua! We´ve also been lucky to avoid the typical hyper-commercial christmas we´ve come to expect and loath in the US. For all this, maybe because of this, I wasn´t feeling the ¨christmas¨spirit building up here.

Then out of the blue Christmas Eve day we decided to change our plans last minute, and stay in Antigua. We ended up having a great time that evening. We started by walking around the park, taking pictures, and drinking capuccino´s with baily´s, yum. We ran into some good friends, got our shoes shinded, and watched all the people young and old enjoying the warm evening.



Then my inner-voice told me I needed to eat some tacos. We made our way to our favorite taco stand, located adjacent to La Merced church, and ended up arriving in time for a party and midnight mass. The party was complete with marimba music, dancing giant heads, sparklers, lots of tacos, a posada, and lastly a 30 minute fireworks display directly overhead! At 10pm everyone filed into the cathedral for a standing room only christmas mass. I was suprised to hear really beautiful music, understand the homile, and leave full and content.

It all felt right, like Andrea and I were meant to be there. That feeling doesn´t come along very often, and so I am thankful for my love of tacos.

Ve Los Bills!

I just wanted to say "Go Bills" from guatemala as there probably not getting enough support from central america and there kicking some serious booty!
Peace Luke

Student by Day
...Bartender by Night

After not working for how many months?, I took a night job at and American sports bar called Crazy Monkey. It definitely wasn´t my first choice of work but convernient and I am actually having a good time . I´ve made the transition to staying up until 2am and then trying to sleep in over the sound of the construction crew in the morning.

I make a woping dollar and hour plus dinner and $4 credit for drinks or food on my days off. Conveniently for Luke, he can eat a free meal while watching NFL tickekt. I speak Spanish more that I thought I would even if it is the same ten phrases over and over: On the rocks? I´m 27. I´m from NY. No, I´m married. Here´s your bill. What no tip?

It is really entertaining work. I meet so many different types of people from tourists, peace corps volunteers, crusty long time residents and partying locals.
Among my favorites have been the American gemologists (the inspected every piece of my jewlery with a mini flashlight), the 2 Pepsi guy, the man that growls, the Irish documentary crew, the Nicaraguan selling prosetheses, the blue- shot girl, and Hector the perfectionist waiter

Luke usually waits up for me and I recount my nightly stories as we finally drift to sleep.

Burn the Devil, a tradition to kick of the Christmas season in order to discourage all evil from interrupting the festivities. The bottle of booze in his hand and the cigarette in his mouth were the first things to be incinerated- let that be a lesson to you laddy! Piles of noisemakers stuffed into little devil pinatas were stuffed all around his feet and under his evil throne- the explosions when they caught fire lasted nearly forever. Did I mention he wasthoroughlyy doused with gasoline to help along his demise.

This tradition always falls on the day to celebrate the Virgin of Conception. Nearby, was displayed a statue of the Virgin, surrounded by angels, candles and colored Christmas lights (thankfully not the ones that squeak a version of "Jingle Bells" or "Santa Claus is coming to Town" that are so popular in the market!). The ground was covered with pine needles for merriment and the best of festival foods were available.

Actually, Santa Claus and his mini-shirted hooter girls were seen in town at least two weeks ago along with a parade of dancing huge-headed puppet men (its a hard to explain). All the trees in Central park are lit with white lights and the famous mermaid fountain is now glowing an erie red. Luke and I are scheming a bit of snowy fun for that fountain but I might have already said too much.

Gabriella the Adorable
This is the daughter of our friends Carlos and Fabiola. We had a picnic together the other day and couldn´t help but pull out the camera. Gabie has spent several weeks sick this fall but is growing stronger and learning how to walk. I think she made sounds to mean dog (chucho) the otherday so word are right around the corner too.
She is a cutie.

Pequenia y cómodo y encantado

Ah...so this is our chiquita little habitaccion, very cozy and comfortable. We´ve been living here for a little under a week and we are feeling more at home every day. Besides the room we share a nice and spacious common kitchen, bathrooms, and chilled out courtyard area. Once we are making a little bit of money we will probably move up to a larger room on the upper level which is more private and much quiter. We will still have to deal with the roosters singing all night, and the workers who only hammer and yell from 6am- 10am. Also in other news looks like we have a buyer for our scooter! A huge blessing, as we haven´t actually even advertised yet. More on that later. Also grad school stuff seems to be falling into place these last few weeks here with much help from you all! Muchas gracias para todo. Check out the links to friends webpages on the side as I´ve listed a new one, putteringgreen.

Much love, Luke

Food Glorious Food
Tamale wrapped in banana leaf with at side of fresh bread and a hot cup of punche (boiled tropical fruit with sugar and spices). Perfect way to start the Christmas season

Divine capuchinos from Fernando´s cafe. Fortunately, our new apartment is less than one block away! I also want to add, that our team came in first place in last Saturday night´s quiz competition (thanks to Spencer´s fuzzy navel) and we all won free breakfast, coffee and liquados.
Late night tacos (Mexican style) sold from a window for party-goers. My favorite is pastore- seasoned pork wipineappleple. The far windowsill holds the numerous salsas and condiments to pile on top. 3 for 10Q / 3 for $1.25


Ceviche- fresh (hopefully) seafood "cooked" in lime juice with tomatoes and a bit of worshishisauceuse. Eaten with saltines and beer. Ceviche is a favorite food here (also considered an aphrodisiac) and is sold on the street by vendors like this one.

Public Pilas (wash areas) are one of the most endearing things about this area. The are often beautiful and multifuntional. They are often located in even the smallest town´s central park area. The one in San Pedro las Huertas is the largest I´ve seen and can accomodate at least 50 women at the same time. As laundry takes hours of hard work, this is a place for ladies to be together, talk, be in the shade, and have access to water. It is a great develpment project in extremely poor areas. The pila above is located in Antigua at the end of a small, palm lined park. At night, the moon and arches reflect in the fountain. We used to pass it every night on our way home.

Terremoto!

We have experience our first major earthquake and have lived to tell about it!

The newspaer reported it as 5.3 on the Richter scale. According the our neighbors, the tremblo has to register above a 6 or destroy buildings for it to actually be considered an earthquake. The owner of our house claims that there was no damage yesterday becuase the earth moved back and forth sideways instead of up and down. Hmmm....comforting.

It lasted less than a minute and was unnerving and thrilling all at once.
It started with us looking at each other trying to detirmine if lunch wasn´t sitting well, or if there was a huge gust of wind or semi trucks rolling through the valley (becuase of the rumble noise)

With the realization that it was indeed an earthquake, we joined the other freeking inhabitants of our guest house into the courtyard . . . where it was safer?
I can only alike it to that junior high game when you spin around with your head on a bat and then try to run while your perception of the world shfits and sways and your legs feel all shakey
- or riding a boat over a waves caused by another boat (i think called a quake, yeah?)

with all the ruins in town, it was just a matter of time :)