somehow, it´s so much fun for me, showing you videos from places I have been. Pues, now on from the sunrise!
And another time: I would be really happy to hear, if you like what I´m writing or if it´s boring to you or what you doing?
Dienstag, 16. November 2010
Sonntag, 14. November 2010
volcano hike
Wow, that was a day, I never thought, that I can do it. There was the idea in the school on Friday, hiking the volcano Santa Maria (3772 meters), staying there overnight and watch the sunrise!
So, me, never hiking, I didn´t done sport since I´m in Guatemala and never thought about sleeping on the top of a volcano!
First, Santa Maria isn´t active, but he has his little brother ´Santiaguito´, who is active since 1922. Since then, he has eruptions every 20-30 minutes. From the summit of Santa Maria, you can look down to Santiguito, hiking this volcano is too dangerous!
So, yesterday we started hiking at 13:30 pm. I decided to do it, but I was really scared. First, because of my bad shape and second because of the cold in the night on the top. So I packed all my warm sweaters in my backpack, I took to Guatemala.
The hike was really hard, the volcano is very steep, and the hiking trail is very irregular through stones and roots and sometimes dangerous slippery! I often thought, I have to turn around (and can sleep in my warm bed), but thanks Erin (I always had to go in front of her) I got it! After 4,5 hours going uphill! When you are walking 3 hours constantly uphill, you think there is no end. We also had to take with the sunset, but I was too slow! So we needed the flashlight the last 20 minutes, I was too dark. As we reached the summit, we build our tent and went to see Santiguito. But unfortunately, there were too much clouds, so we couldn´t see the red lahar.
In the end, I slept maybe 2 hours, it was so freezing cold up there! I had my sleeping bag, 4 sweaters, 1 t-shirt, 2 pairs of socks, my shoes and a heat, and I was still cold. So we decided to talk from 3:15 am until the sunrise, because the other two couldn´t sleep, too.
Sunrise, AMAZING! I left my tent at 5:40 am, on time to see the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen! It was so cold, windy and always were clouds flying over the top of Santa Maria, but all tents were empty. We stood outside, walked around, made pictures, were impressed, were freezing, watched the sun rise, and seeing other volcanoes like Tajumulco (the highest volcano in Central America), the volcano from Almolonga (Cerro Quemado) and 2 around ´Lago Atitlan´.
We packed together and left finally at 10:30 am (at this time wearing a shirt on Santa Maria´s top was enough, soo hot) to go downhill for 3,5 hours. It would be probably less, but I twisted my ankle just before the end and walked slower than a snail. Now my foot is swollen and hurts, but this can´t wash away this wonderful morning!
So, me, never hiking, I didn´t done sport since I´m in Guatemala and never thought about sleeping on the top of a volcano!
First, Santa Maria isn´t active, but he has his little brother ´Santiaguito´, who is active since 1922. Since then, he has eruptions every 20-30 minutes. From the summit of Santa Maria, you can look down to Santiguito, hiking this volcano is too dangerous!
So, yesterday we started hiking at 13:30 pm. I decided to do it, but I was really scared. First, because of my bad shape and second because of the cold in the night on the top. So I packed all my warm sweaters in my backpack, I took to Guatemala.
The hike was really hard, the volcano is very steep, and the hiking trail is very irregular through stones and roots and sometimes dangerous slippery! I often thought, I have to turn around (and can sleep in my warm bed), but thanks Erin (I always had to go in front of her) I got it! After 4,5 hours going uphill! When you are walking 3 hours constantly uphill, you think there is no end. We also had to take with the sunset, but I was too slow! So we needed the flashlight the last 20 minutes, I was too dark. As we reached the summit, we build our tent and went to see Santiguito. But unfortunately, there were too much clouds, so we couldn´t see the red lahar.
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| there is no end... |
In the end, I slept maybe 2 hours, it was so freezing cold up there! I had my sleeping bag, 4 sweaters, 1 t-shirt, 2 pairs of socks, my shoes and a heat, and I was still cold. So we decided to talk from 3:15 am until the sunrise, because the other two couldn´t sleep, too.
Sunrise, AMAZING! I left my tent at 5:40 am, on time to see the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen! It was so cold, windy and always were clouds flying over the top of Santa Maria, but all tents were empty. We stood outside, walked around, made pictures, were impressed, were freezing, watched the sun rise, and seeing other volcanoes like Tajumulco (the highest volcano in Central America), the volcano from Almolonga (Cerro Quemado) and 2 around ´Lago Atitlan´.
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| sunrise |
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| summit of Santa Maria |
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| our tents |
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| the sun already high up |
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| far behind: volcanoes at Lago Atitlan |
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| Santiguito |
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| part of our group, in the backround Tajumulco |
Samstag, 6. November 2010
37 huge kites
Last weekend I went to Antigua, a town near the capital to stay there two nights, meet other couchsurfers and go to Sumpango to see the big kites.
The 1st of November is a holiday in Guatemala, called ´Día de los Muertos´, ¨Day of the dead´. Families go the to cemetery to give their dead family members food and drink for the following year. So, in Sumpongo it seemed to be like a big picnic in a park. Families were sitting around graves, laughing, talking, eating, children played with their kites, and so on! Sad faces? No way!
Last monday I went together with 2 Japanese, one Finn, one Frenchman, one Guatemalan, one American and another German to Sumpango. From the chickenbus we could see the kites from Santiago Sacatepéquez. There are two villages with this tradition, but I think Santiago begun and Sumpango copied it.
It was absolutely amazing. There were 37 different groups with one kite. All had a different size, a different subject, but so many colours, so many ideas, so many pattern! I was impressed. In the backround, of course, Marimba music. The sizes of the kites were from 3 meter diameter to 12 meter! Long bamboo stabilized the kites.
How long do you need for one kite to build?
35 person work 6 hours daily over 45 days to build a kite with more than 10 meters! This costs around 44 690 Quetzales, around 3990 Euro.
First we walked through the kites, taking a lot of pictures. Then we went to the cemetery to see what is going on there. After we sit down on a meadow where people all ages let fly their little kites.
At two the show begun: The teams tried to bring their kite up in the air, only the 3-5 meter big kites. This means, 10 or more young guys in a chain holding a rope. At a command they begun to run, the kite shoot up! With enough wind, the kite was pending from on to the other side, the audience is screaming, amazed, clapping. One curious step after another are they going closer to the kite, face to the air. Suddenly, no more wind, the guys running again to hold the kite in the air, but no chance. He comes down, getting bigger and bigger, you hear ´Ohhhhh´s and ´Ahhhhhh´s, running people, screams, hustles, the shaddow of the kite and finally crash!
Every team had two chances with their kite, but one was broken after the first. Two teams were able to bring their kite really high in the sky. Conclusion: worth to see with the own eyes, run away with the own legs, scream with the own voice, burn the own skin in the strong sun!
And, hey guys, what is going on in your lives?
Wie gehts euch so zu Hause, lasst mal von euch hoeren!
The 1st of November is a holiday in Guatemala, called ´Día de los Muertos´, ¨Day of the dead´. Families go the to cemetery to give their dead family members food and drink for the following year. So, in Sumpongo it seemed to be like a big picnic in a park. Families were sitting around graves, laughing, talking, eating, children played with their kites, and so on! Sad faces? No way!
Last monday I went together with 2 Japanese, one Finn, one Frenchman, one Guatemalan, one American and another German to Sumpango. From the chickenbus we could see the kites from Santiago Sacatepéquez. There are two villages with this tradition, but I think Santiago begun and Sumpango copied it.
It was absolutely amazing. There were 37 different groups with one kite. All had a different size, a different subject, but so many colours, so many ideas, so many pattern! I was impressed. In the backround, of course, Marimba music. The sizes of the kites were from 3 meter diameter to 12 meter! Long bamboo stabilized the kites.
How long do you need for one kite to build?
35 person work 6 hours daily over 45 days to build a kite with more than 10 meters! This costs around 44 690 Quetzales, around 3990 Euro.
First we walked through the kites, taking a lot of pictures. Then we went to the cemetery to see what is going on there. After we sit down on a meadow where people all ages let fly their little kites.
At two the show begun: The teams tried to bring their kite up in the air, only the 3-5 meter big kites. This means, 10 or more young guys in a chain holding a rope. At a command they begun to run, the kite shoot up! With enough wind, the kite was pending from on to the other side, the audience is screaming, amazed, clapping. One curious step after another are they going closer to the kite, face to the air. Suddenly, no more wind, the guys running again to hold the kite in the air, but no chance. He comes down, getting bigger and bigger, you hear ´Ohhhhh´s and ´Ahhhhhh´s, running people, screams, hustles, the shaddow of the kite and finally crash!
Every team had two chances with their kite, but one was broken after the first. Two teams were able to bring their kite really high in the sky. Conclusion: worth to see with the own eyes, run away with the own legs, scream with the own voice, burn the own skin in the strong sun!
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| 3 meter kite |
And, hey guys, what is going on in your lives?
Wie gehts euch so zu Hause, lasst mal von euch hoeren!
Mittwoch, 3. November 2010
San Simón or Maximón
Who was this guy? For him the catholic curch in Zunil is closed. I talked to a Guatemalan in a bar here in Xela, he told me San Simón liked women, alcohol and cigarettes. He is a part of the Maya culture. But for me, he is a lot of question marks.
Why he has white skin? Why people adore him like a god (a man who oviously only thought about women and alcohol)? Why he should bring good health, good crops, and marriage counseling, and so on? Why the catholic church closes for him?...
We went last Thursday 28.18.10 to Zunil, a village just 20 minutes from Xela. There we visited the celebration for San Simón! We entered the house and people were waiting in a line to give San Simón rum and money. After this, they prayed in front of him. Behind the house played the Marimba band ´Fidel Funes´. I liked it, the music was influenced by little bit Ska! And so much people there, especially drunken guys! Crazy!
So, after we left, I asked some questions to our guide. So, San Simón is every year in another house! There exist something like an association and the membership is expensive! Why? To pay for the band, stage, technics...
What happens with the rum inside of San Simón after the celebration? Well, the family of the house, where San Simón stayed, has enough alcohol for the next couple of months!
But nobody could explain me, why people believe in San Simón! The thing me confuses most is: He is white!!!!
More on wikipedia again? Here: Maximón wiki english
And to me to learn the different ways to say hitchhike:
España - autostop
Guatemala - jalon
Mexico - aventon
South America - hacer dedo
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| San Simón in Zunil |
We went last Thursday 28.18.10 to Zunil, a village just 20 minutes from Xela. There we visited the celebration for San Simón! We entered the house and people were waiting in a line to give San Simón rum and money. After this, they prayed in front of him. Behind the house played the Marimba band ´Fidel Funes´. I liked it, the music was influenced by little bit Ska! And so much people there, especially drunken guys! Crazy!
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| Party behind the house |
What happens with the rum inside of San Simón after the celebration? Well, the family of the house, where San Simón stayed, has enough alcohol for the next couple of months!
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| in front of San Simóns house |
More on wikipedia again? Here: Maximón wiki english
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| beginning of Zunil |
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| Lynn (Canada) how it is possible to be that huge? ;) |
España - autostop
Guatemala - jalon
Mexico - aventon
South America - hacer dedo
Parque Arqueológico Takalik Abaj
So, it is time for something new. Two Sundays ago (24.10.10) I went with two girls (I met by Couchsurfing) to the Maya ruins Takalik Abaj near Retalhuleu at the Guatemalan coast. The name Tak'alik Ab'aj' is K´iche and means "standing stone".
The area was discovered in 1888, but it was also under a coffee farm. The biggest parts are still covered by soil and coffee plants, but 7,7 ha is now part of the parc. It is the middle part. There exist also an upper part and some houses more downhill. Our guide told us that they are trying to buy the coffee farm and uncover all! The history of TA can be followed till 800-300 before Christus. The village was an important trade center between the coast and the highlands.
The work isn´t done at the moment, archaeologists are still working there and rebuilding more monuments.
Our guide told us everything in spanish and I understood, but I can´t remeber now! So if you want to read something about it: Wikipedia!
The german site: Takalik Abaj german wiki
The englisch site: Takalik Abaj english Wiki
The english one is a lot more infomative than the german one!
So, I won´t upload to many pictures, you can see all stone monuments on the english wikipedia site!
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| me, Marryann and Kayleigh from the USA |
The area was discovered in 1888, but it was also under a coffee farm. The biggest parts are still covered by soil and coffee plants, but 7,7 ha is now part of the parc. It is the middle part. There exist also an upper part and some houses more downhill. Our guide told us that they are trying to buy the coffee farm and uncover all! The history of TA can be followed till 800-300 before Christus. The village was an important trade center between the coast and the highlands.
Our guide told us everything in spanish and I understood, but I can´t remeber now! So if you want to read something about it: Wikipedia!
The german site: Takalik Abaj german wiki
The englisch site: Takalik Abaj english Wiki
The english one is a lot more infomative than the german one!
 |
| in the jungle |
So, I won´t upload to many pictures, you can see all stone monuments on the english wikipedia site!
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| first class chickenbus -> with TV |
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