New Year's Eve, 2010

How can you not love these sheep?!? There was another one, along with the other regular participants in this creche at the top of a hill in Xela. It was set up in front of an impressive looking theater building that was not open while we were in town. We would climb the hill from our hotel each night to sit on one of the benches to watch the sunset, and enjoy the passing scene. At the corner, a man arrived each evening with his push cart, and proceded to stay continuously busy cooking and selling fried plantains.

















The city is nested between volcanos: Santa Maria is the oldest and the one that has caused the most damage. Santiaguito was born during Santa Maria's last eruption in 1902, and is still performing every hour. The Mayans were living comfortably here for several centuries, led by Tecun Uman, an important Mayan K'iche' leader. He was killed by the Spanish in 1524; there are statues,of him in many places, and a state bordering Mexico has taken his name. After the eruption in 1902, Xela was terribly damaged, but it has regained it's footing on the pathway on the Pan American Highway, enjoying some prosperity due to coffee, commerce and some tourism.

On the climb up the mountains from Reyoo (where it was hot) we passed miles of fields on impossible slopes. The indigenous people grow almost everything they eat, and sell any leftover for things they can't grow or make. The clothing is the most beautiful! And, they make all the cloth themselves, or barter (I heard this from other people). This photograph was taken in the Parque Centro, just as the clouds moved through the mountains.
It's New Year's Eve, and we find the tianguis (indigenous, temporary market) at the Parque Centro in full party mode. The booths are selling apples and grapes, giant sparkers and firecrackers. The grapes are a traditional food, each person eats 12 at midnight. I'm not sure about the apples, but can tell you with all the lovely local fruits, the apples from Washington are big sellers tonight. The food vendors are doing a booming business, selling tacos and a new group has set up for tonight: ponche booths. This woman is stirring the ponche de leche, hot milk punch. Many were also selling a fruit ponche. I buy one, hot milk with some sort of sugar cane liquor poured in for an extra quetzale. Delicious! We share it, holding onto it to warm out hands, decide another is in order. The crowds are calm, just sitting on the curbs and benches in the Parque, waiting for midnight. Toddlers are screaming with giggles when papa sets off a small sparkler or firecracker. It's going to be a long night...it's too cold to hang around, so we retire, knowing we won't sleep, but will get up early tomorrow morning for a hike up Santa Maria, and around to the other side to see Santiaguito.

Happy New Year!