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Hello again, this time from Guatemala.
Since I last wrote we have spent another week in Mexico. For four days we were in the beautiful and friendly city of Oaxaca (pronounced Wahaca!) Life revolves around a tree filled central square called the Zocalo where we spent much time watching the world go by. Our visit coincided with a festival celebrating Senor del Rayo which meant much activity in the evenings such as parades and fireworks. The latter would have given a heart attack to a health and safety officer as it meant much running around with fireworks on heads and crackers expoding everywhere and anywhere. Watching a man in a T shirt climb a metal pole about 10 meteres high, laden with fireworks already alight in order to kickstart one recalcitrant one did give me the shivers I must admit. However no harm done. While we were there the weather was unseasonally warm which was a delight and we spent much time just wandering around the beautiful old colonial town which is famous for its colourful handicrafts. In addition our small hotel was filled with flowers and a rooftop reataurant and bar with views over the whole town. The Canadian woman who owned it was a source of useful information as well as being great fun. We tok a couple of trips out of town, the highlight being Monte Alban, a most impressive if little known pre Hispanic, Zapotec, city built on the top of hill, with views almost as impressive as Macchu Pichu.
Our next port of call was San Cristobal de las Casas in the highlands of Chiapas. We had hoped to make the 11 hour bus journey in the day but as at this time of year they only run night buses so we treated ourselves to the luxury service with just 24 seats which beats any English bus I have ever been on! San Cristobal is closer both geographically and culturally to Guatemala than other parts of Mexico with a large indigenous population and indeed many refugees from the 30 war in Guatemala still live there. Apart from just enjoying yet another colonial town we took a trip to the Mayan ruins at Palenque. Not in my opinion as impressive as Tikal which we visited 4 years ago in Guatemala but still worth seeing. Another trip was to a local village San Juan Chamula. There were many odd features about this place but the strangest was the church which practised a syncretist religion, a mixture of Mayan practices and Catholicism. The church was surrounded by figures of saints, the floor was covered in pine needles and the people sat on the floor to worship in front of as many candles as they could afford to buy. Offerings of live chickens were made to John the Baptist and then killed and taken home to eat. Also important is to speed your petitions to the saints via belching and Coca Cola plays a significant part in the ritual to expedite this. All this goes on while about 50 gringo tourists wander round the church but as long as you pay your 20 pesos to the church fund no-one seems to care!
Finally we were on our way to Guatemala and Quetzaltenago, otherwise known as Xela (pronounced Shay-la) and met Jos for the first time in almost a year which was wonderful. We are staying in an apartment so it is nice to feel more settled and I am going to Spanish school every morning this week while Graham does his own thing. On Sunday, which was the Day of the Dead, we went with Jos and Fernando and some of their friends to Sumpango where they try to fly some of the biggest and msot beautifully decorated kites you have ever seen. Unfortunately the wind was not stron so many made it only a few feet off the ground. Talking of weather I am sure you will be delighted to know that it is cold and wet here in Xela. Not all the time, most mornings are sunny and warm but afternons are usually wet and the buildings are not designed for the cold - even though it happens every year. So at the weekend we are off for a few days to the Caribbean coast to a place called Rio Dulce. So as we bask in the heat we will be thinking of you all!!!!!!!!
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