Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Pulseras

I always buy bracelets here in Pana to give to my students. I buy the majority of them from Candelarias mother. She has been charging me 2Q per bracelet. I often wondered about the price but the kids on the street sell them for 2 for 5Q (of course I don't bargain much). Today I walked to San Antonio Polopo and found they were selling them for 12 for 5Q (without any barganing).

Candelarias Mom - $.263 each
San Antonio - $.072 each

I'm not a cheap bastard so I'm not complaining here, I have always bought them with the thought that I am helping Candelaria's family without 'giving' them money; but I was surprised at the difference. Of course Candelaria's moms price is inline with everyone else in Pana. Maybe 6 miles away is a world away.

29 dec 08

Huehue to Pana
20 Q to 4 caminos (didn't it used to be 15Q ?)
20 Q to la cuchilla
3 Q to Solola
3 Q to Pana

Left the school a bit after 8 and arrived in Pana just before noon.

Staying at Casa Montefur for 42 Q per night.

At 4 Caminos a taxi driver was trying to get 4 people to ride to Guate for 75 Q per person - he told me its the same price as the bus, I just laughed and the guy next to him laughed at my response.

On one of the busses a guy got on and the ayudante told him 10 Q and the guy said no and gave him 7 Q and the guy accepted it - sounds like an odd way to do business, but 7 Q is better than nothing. There was an old lady next to me (she was on the bus when I got on in Huehue) and she was 'sleeping' when the ayudante came thru - he tapped her on the shoulder and she didn't budge and he ignored her. Did she ride for free then? I got off in 4 Caminos and the bus was going on to Xela so I don't know, but it sure looked like she got a free ride.

Las Chicas

It finally occured to me. Why do the kids selling stuff to the tourists come in pairs. Occaisonally single or triple but usually in pairs - for safety? not likely. It always works like this, if you negotiate a price with one kid they have you, you are willing to buy. After the transaction takes place the 2nd kid always looks sad/hurt and says "what are you going to buy from me?" or something to that affect. You have already bought something so they know that you are willing to buy, and you have no reason to favor one kid over the other - so you end up buying from both. If you buy the same item the previously negotiated price with the first kid is always used. It never changes. Maybe I'm just a sucker. I almost never buy stuff but when I do I end up buying from both kids. You can't convince me this is not by design.

A different Plane Ride

What is the world coming to? I got on the plane in Houston and much to my surprise each seat came with its own entertainment center. On each seat in front of you is a small screan with 19 (I think) movies available, tv shows, games and music. No longer is it necessary to talk to people while traveling, just hide in your own world. Did I join the lemmings, yes but only after everyone else did. It was the most silent flight in the world. I got up to go the bathroom and no one was talking, everybody was engrossed in their movie/game/whatever. I could see that maybe this would be nice for a long flight to Europe, but a short 3 hour flight - come on. I think we are losing are ability/desire to comunicate with our fellow man. We all walk around with our headphones on, texting (not talking) - and hiding in our own cacoon - I´m not sure I like this.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Guatamala City

9:50 am
I arrived last night a tad before 11pm and was at the Posada Belen by 11:30. Christmas eve is something. I have experienced it before in pana and huehue, but never in guate. at 11:30 the fireworks were going off and kept increasing in volume. At 11:45 I thought it must be midnight because of the volume, but alas no. It reached its crecendo (?) at midnight for about 5 minutes and then tapered off. If I'm ever here again on Christmas Eve I will have a video recorder and a good sound recorder to record it - Its unbelievable - the 4th of july fireworks in the states are bigger in one central location - this is everywhere continuous - its crazy. I should have gone outside with my cerveza but I was too tired.

Went to bed at 1:am and was up at 8. Leave around 11 for pana. It means that I have traveled for 48 hours from work and have only made it as far as pana - will be another 24 to get to huehue - efficient, no - fun (now that I made it), yes.

Will write my thoughts on the last plane later. Ciao

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Houston

7:15 pm

I arrived in Houston at about 1:45 which is about when the flight that I was originally scheduled to take left - man do I hate airports - I have spent 10 hrs today in airports and have just under a hour to go. My flight out of here is delayed and now scheduled to leave at 8:02. I had a burger and 2 beers for lunch and it cost $27 - ouch. Talked to Candelaria today and they know I will be in Pana tomorrow - hopefully we'll connect.
hasta pronto

O'hare

7:36 am – O'hare airport

here I sit, waiting – got to the airport at 6:45 am for my 1205 flight – figured it would be crazy because of all the delays yesterday. I got in a line a mile long. I first looked for a kiosk to get my boarding pass and couldn't find it so I went in line thankful that I got there so early. The guy in front of me left and came back 5 minutes later with his boarding pass (his travel partner had saved his place in line). Since I was planning on not checking my bag I went and got my boarding pass and avoided the line – of course I am so early that I don't know my gate but at least I am 'checked in' and here – now how to kill the next 4 hours.

8:38 am

ate some grease at micky d's - $8.34 to eat crap, gotta love the airports. When I checked in there was no gate info, but now I know I am supposed to leave from E4. I payed $7.95 (I think) for unlimited wireless today from O'hare. According to the Continental websight my flight is delayed 55 minutes because of an incoming flight (waiting for the plane) but the screan here says on time – wonder which is correct – no biggy as I have a 4 hour layover in Houston.

last night.
left school at 3pm (approx) and got checked in about 8 pm (approx) 120 milesin 5 hours. The interstate south of Cedar Grove wasn't bad and I was traveling about 45 mph. The problem was Milwaukee – I don't know why, rush hour maybe, but the traffic was slow, oh so slow. South of Milwaukee it picked up a tad till the state line and then it started snowing and traffic slowed down as it was slushy then it turned to rain. Just a mess. Deb set my hotel address on her gps for me but something was fucked up and and the address was really 12 miles off – I knew something was wrong, the problem is once I get off the toll way I don't know how to get there – Deb along with Google Maps saved me – she guided me right to the hotel. I doubted one of her directions, she was right and I was wrong and I had to turn around in shitty slush. It was getting uglier by the minute. I didn't stop at the hotel and went down the road 2 plus miles as I knew there was a licquer store and bought some beer. Got stuck sort of in the parking lot and barely made it out, but I did and made it back to the hotel. The beer was good but not sure it was worth the risk of going any farther. The road back from the store to the hotel was better – I made it so I am going with it was worth it.

10:53 am
liftoff!!
I was typing on my laptop across from my gate and a flight was leaving soon for Hpuston and I thought what the hell, why not see if I can catch a fligh earlier. The attendent said they were boarding in 10 minutes and she would put me on standby (I think its damn good I didn't check my luggage) and I ran to the restroom and came right back. About 2 minutes later they called me and gave me a boarding pass. I am so damn relieved – not only am I out of Chicago I made it over an hour early.

This flight was supposed to leave at 9:15 so it was running late – who knows when my flight that I had booked will actually leave.

Guess my $7.95 for the wireless was a waste of $.

Pilot just gave us a 2pm arrival time – which will give me 5 hours to kill – is there another flight earlier to Guatemala? I doubt it but you can be sure I will check.

Ciao.

Packer Fan in Bear land
Last night when I went through the first toll booth the guy asked me what happened last night, momentarily confused I remembered I had my Packer hat on and then I saw he had a Bear hat on and I replied, “We got our ass kickd”. He laughed and said, “That's all I wanted to hear, have a nice day”.

Today as I was going through security the guy was looking at my passport and told me, “You can't wear that here (hat)” and he too wished me a nice day.

Today the flight attendent who was taking drink orders said, “Rough night Monday night for you guys”, and laughed.

It was humorous (sp?) and I suspect they would have said something and been pleasant had we crushed them.