Road Trip From Chiapas to Guatemala

      I can’t apologize for the lack of availability of the internet, since it is beyond my control.  Usually I post while sitting in the vicinity of wifi.  I haven’t really have a convenient place to do any posting, and the internet has been pretty sketchy, so I have just put it off.  This is where my apologies come in.  Since I have procrastinated there are a lot of days, activities, and details that are going to be askew or left out.  There is this really cool thing called “text edit,” it is an application that allows me to journal now and copy and paste onto the blog later.  It is a lovely tool and I am encouraging myself to use it more often so that I can journal while my thoughts are fresh.  

     We got to Marina Chiapas and spent a couple of days in the town of Tapachula where we ate A LOT, shopped a little, and purchased a sim card for the telephone.  We had ordered some new zinc for the prop shaft and had to wait for them to come in.  This would take a week or so, so we decided to take a little side trip into Guatemala.  Grant would stay at the marina and become more familiar with the Velvet Sky and tend to the business of polishing her stainless.  We left on a Thursday afternoon, it was December 3rd.  We loaded into the a van with five of us.  Paul and Judy from a boat named Grace, Marshall, and Scott and I.  It was a short 4 trip to Quetzaltenango, AKA Xela.  It is a pleasant little town, we had arrived just in time to drop our things at the hotel and walk downtown to find dinner.  We had dinner that consisted of the local dish of meat and sauce called “pepino.”  The sauce is very popular and has a couple of different variations.  We were back in our hotel by 7:30 to meet with our tour guide, Gabby.  We made arrangements to leave Xela after breakfast and head toward Antigua.  We stayed in Antigua a total of 3 days.  We saw many museums, including a jade museum, and archeological museum of Mayan artifacts. 

     On our second day in Antigua we went on a coffee tour.  We met one of the 35 families that share in the growth and production of the coffee brand "De La Gente" (meaning "Of The People").  We walked through the coffee plantation, then to the home of Cecilia and Armando to roast, grind, cook and drink a cup of the freshest coffee I may ever drink.  While we were exploring the plantation we came across a fruit, new to us, called jocote.  We also enjoyed some of the oranges that had fallen from the trees nearby. We had the pleasure of viewing a volcanic eruption while on the coffee tour as well.  Actually it was Scott who spotted the big clouds of smoke being emitted from the mountain top.  He called us away from the ripening coffee beans to enjoy the three eruption show.  

     The next day we went into Guatemala city and went to a couple of different museums, drove through downtown, had lunch at “Pollo Comprero,” a local version of “KFC,” we do not recommend it.  We ended back in Antigua at our hotel (Hotel Lucia), around four o’clock and were in desperate need of a nap before we were to walk downtown to join in on the “Quema De Diablo,” festival.  This is a celebration that starts off the Christmas season for Guatemalans.  It is translated to “The Burning of the Devil.”  It is a customary ritual that is performed on December 7th every year.  It is meant to symbolize cleaning out the trash, negativity, the years bad memories, unwanted thoughts, etc.  once the “devil” has been burned, the house is now clean to welcome the celebrations of Christ. 

     While napping, the bed started shaking, slowly at first, then it felt a little rumbly.  I knew we were experiencing an earthquake.  This was Scott’s first ever earthquake.  Later we found out it read 5.1 on the Richter Scale.  

     The next day, we started out after breakfast, and headed back to Quetzaltenango.  We were just beginning this leg of this journey when we heard there was a nationwide highway strike.  The medical staff, who were striking for more medicine and better medical facilities, would be blocking the major highways until they got their demands met.  Would we be getting back to Chiapas anytime soon? This was the question we all had.  And if not, by van via highway, how?  As it turns out, the strikers take a lunch break and they all clear the high way at the same time, leaving an exit route for a couple of hours. Funny! We made our break and made it Xela with time to walk around and enjoy the quaint little town for more than half a day.  We needed to get up and out early enough to beat the strike the next day, it started back up at 8 am.  We left at 6 am and made it to Chiapas by 10 am with no issues.  Who’s to say the driver that was heading back to Xela didn’t get caught up in the strike.   And we never did follow up to see if the medical demands were met.  I hope so.

A small peak at the banana orchards that surrounds both sides of the highway for at least five miles.

If you don't have a visa or a passport you can raft or swim across the boarder....good luck.

Follow that motorcycle....

There were trucks lined up for miles waiting inspection to cross the boarder....we could see no end.  They must plan on a 24 hour lay over.

The cemetery was the most colorful part of this small town in Guatemala.

Who is that guy sitting next to me?   The one with the gray hair?
Notice we are wearing warmer clothes....we were at 10,000 feet elevation....70 degrees felt cooooold!

I am looking for design features for my house (if I ever live in a house again).  This will be  the knob for my front door.

This graffiti was completed on 12-04-2015....it took one and a half hours.

Our hotel in Quetzaltenango.

Banana, cream, raisins, and chocolate.....local dessert of Antigua.

This is what you get when request a room for three.

Bunking' it!

Morning coffee at a french cafe.

Raw coffee beans.

Raw coffee beans being dried on the roof top.

Scott trying out the coffee grinding apparatus.

This is Cecilia....co-owner of De La Gente Coffee of Antigua.  She is carrying her 7th child.

Eruption number 1.

Separating the bad beans from the good.

Marshall knows a good bean when he sees it.

Scott going to school on roasting beans to perfection.

Sometimes it takes two....

A picture of Cecilia and Armando's expanding business.....you can buy their coffee online "De La Gente Coffee"

They are in it for real.....

Still roasting

Grinding the perfectly roasted coffee beans.

A small sample of farming on the hillsides.....a must see!

Who could resist buying something.....it was "For the baby."

Such a common photo.

This is called a "Chicken Bus," they are unbelievably elaborate!

Seven yards of hand woven material.......

Will make ONE of these traditional wear Guatemalan skirts.

Traditional wear for men (yes...the men really are this short, and yes....they really do wear skirts.)

At the market

A photo of the exact statue we watched go up in flames on December 7th.

Chiapas in December

     We arrived in Chiapas on Monday, November 20th in the afternoon.  It was a 46 hour passage.  It started our a bit rough we put the mainsail up and immediately blasted with two huge waves.  The hatches were open so the inside of the boat got doused with a good bit of salt water (man I hate that!).  The cock pit got  a good dousing as well so we started out pretty sticky and sweaty.   We got tossed around enough that I blew chunks in the galley sink.  Grant, who is new to the ocean experience got a little green around the gills but managed to hold his own.  After a good five hours of rough seas things began to calm and smooth out.  The remaining of the trip was uneventful, not even much sea life to be seen.

     December 1, we made our rounds to customs, immigration, and port captain, where we got all the official checking in done.  We are cleared to wander Mexico as we please.  Our first meal was here at the marina....I love Mexican food!  It is even more flavorful after a week of eating Salvadorian food which is good, however, can be fairly described as spice-less and bland. 

     On the 2nd of December we took a collectivo ride into Tapachula for lunch and a little exploring.  We were hoping to catch a movie.  We all got excited when Star was one of the featured movies on the board.  Later we found out it won't show until December 17th. We opted out of the movie idea since all shows were dubbed in Spanish with no subtitles.  We are true gringos.  We did find street tacos that were nothing like you get in the states.  Our drinks came in plastic bags tied at the top with a straw stuck inside and for extra support placed in a plastic picture.  I guess I am not the only one who can come up with innovative was to not have to wash dishes.  

     Bucket, for you, we took Woody along on this day trip.  He had a great time flopping around on the back of my pack.

     Now we are waiting for a window to cross the  Tehuannapec (I need to check the spelling on this one).  Right now it looks like we might be here until next Wednesday and maybe even later.  There are many many boats waiting to cross both north and south.  We will all be crossing at the same time. It seems the Tehuannapec has been unsettled for quite some time.   We will probably be doing some inland travel (maybe Guatemala)while we wait for the window.  We will also have the boat hauled out again to touch up the bottom paint and replace the zinc.  

     Love to All

     

Tied up at the dock, freshly showered, ready to enjoy a "make our tongues happy" meal.  

Woody joins on in on the days adventure.

He found some friends of his own.

Lunch time.

A plate covered in a plastic bag means no dishwashing.

Grilled green onions add a sweet addition to the plate.

Drinking in style, with style

La Musica makes the day complete.

Happy Thanksgiving

     Thanksgiving in the tropics.  The meal consisted of pit roasted pig, potatoes on the bbq, cole slaw (kfc style), and loads of garlic and butter spiced broccoli (my favorite).  Dessert was apple crisp, brownies, cinnamon rolls, a puff pastry of some sort, and chocolate cookies.  Grant and I agreed that the first time we find pumpkin we are making pie, we both missed the pumpkin pie and whipped cream.  It was a great day all in all.  Friends, drink, a dip in the pool, good food, and a phone call home, yes, it was a great day. We were back to the boat and in bed no later than 7:00. 

     We are leaving port today around 1600.  We have a list of things to accomplish before we set off, a shower, although last on the list feels most important since it may be a few days before we get another.  Here the showers are one temperature and a tad on the salty side, however, I am grateful for the opportunity to be in a private stall with the ability to use several gallons if I so desire.  We are leaving with about 75 gallons of fresh water in our tank and full fuel tanks and jerry jugs. 

     Our next available internet connection will likely be Chiapas.

     Let us know if you can follow our path on marinetraffic.org 

     Love To All 

Looks a bit morbid to me, after all this pig who Lou named "Isabelle" was alive the day before.
80lbs at $2.00/lb
She was a spectacular pig!

A nice way to enjoy the day.  I am thankful for the cooling off. 

She gave her all!
(Without the 11:00 filet of fish runs and daily frozen yogurt splurges back in the States, Scott is on his way to being a once again, slim and trim Captain.)

MMMM...salty bbq potatoes

Grant has nothing against pork for a Thanksgiving meal.

Scott likes it too.  (Yes, I had some and liked it.)

El Salvador part II

     Hola Hola! And Buenas Dias, one week after our arrival in El Salvador.  We left Boise the morning of the 17th and unloaded our things into a motel room at 2 am the morning of the 18th.  We spent far too many hours in airports waiting to board delayed flights. Our luggage stayed in Houston for two days before it was finally delivered to us, and thank goodness it was.  Mom, Dad, the jerky made it and we are grateful.  

     We rode the dinghy over to Velvet Sky on the 18th.  We were pleasantly surprised at what good condition she was in for being uninhabited for 6 months in some pretty harsh weather.  No mold, I am pleased to announce.  So...for the record....wiping everything down with vinegar, opening all the lockers, and letting the cushions stand up, seems to be the key for avoiding mold invasion.  There were and still are some minor clean-up projects, like washing the hatches cleaning up dust that blew in through the vents and making ourselves feel at home.  Other than that....we are good to go! The electronics are re-installed, we are making water, the fans are all running and the boat has been provisioned.  Today Scott is doing some fine tuning....checking that the auto pilot, the wind vane (Ken), updating chart plotter, running the outboard, all that important stuff.  I made a trial run at making cinnamon rolls.  They turned out good.  

     Scott kind of bribed and recruited a former deck hand (now good friend).  He promised him cinnamon rolls.  Marshall will join us again while we make the trek north.  He will arrive tonight around 8:45 and join us for Thanksgiving dinner at Lynn and Lou's.  Dinner will consist of pit roasted whole pig, potatoes, and cole slaw.  The rest of us were instructed to bring a dessert.  I am bringing brownies and (you guessed it) cinnamon rolls.

     Our experience here in El Salvador the second time is much like the first.  We have encountered only friendly people.  Drank plenty of ice cold cerveza and ate, what we believe to be the best chicken dinner around! No trouble what so ever, still, I am ready to move on.

     A couple of the local guys fell in love with Fresh.  They asked if they could take her back to their home on the island and make a mold of her. The people on the island have no source of electricity and very limited options for income.  They are going to make copies of FRESH to sell to cruisers.  Of course we agreed.  They had her back the next day and praise her beauty.  The only small problem (so they tell us) is that they thought her name was painted on and as it turned out they found that the letters were rub on and were pretty much destroyed at the removal of the fiberglass mold.  They apologized profusely and we forgave them (FRESH got her name smudged for the greater good)....so now FRESH would like her name replenished.  You will see what I mean when you see her in future photos.  

     Live aboard without our Bucket is different.  Much slower, less excitement.  We miss him.  All of his things are still aboard, so everywhere I look...there he is (and isn't).  I miss him.  I have to admit it is easier (less responsibility), I miss him so much.  I just want to kiss his face all over.  He left us with Woody, thinking Woody will fill his place.  I will be posting of pics of Woody for Bucket's benefit (and mine).

     So, if I don't get back until we get to Chiapas..... HAPPY THANKSGIVING.....LOVE TO ALL

P.S.  Julie...thanks for the books on the kindle, they have really helped pass time in a good way.

Fresh is a desired dinghy...These guys are taking her home to make a mold
Today SHE is the one going for a ride

This is Grant a new addition to our Crew
Beer and Shade....so far, to of his favorite things about El Salvador

Add Lynn and Lou's pool to the favorite list

Woody says, "Hi Bucket! I get to play captain when the boat is tied to the dock.  You are surely missed here on Velvet Sky.
WE LOVE YOU!  TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!"

We'll Be Back….

     We have moored the boat in El Salvador and will return to our sailing adventures in fall of 2015.

     Love to All