Tag: Hobbitenango

New It Again

Daily Post’s Daily Prompt: When was the last time you did something new? How did it feel? Would you do it again?

Arriving in
Antigua in April to
Cobblestoned streets and
Cacophonous markets.
Bargaining for woven
Goods using
Three years’ worth of
High school
Español and a few
Quetzals.
Jouncing along with
Family and
Friends in three-wheeled
Conveyances called
Tuk-Tuks.
Drinking Picosas at a
Roadside stand.
Reveling in the sight of
Volcanoes exhaling into the
Sunset.
Rising early to the melody of
Guatemalan songbirds.
Rejoicing in the marriage of
Two beautiful souls in a
Place called
Hobbitenango.

Would I visit Antigua again?
¡Sí! ¡Sí! ¡Sí!

   
  

     

Why I Like This Photo

  

I am perhaps the least photogenic person on this planet, so there are very few photos of me worth sharing. And, it’s not that I look particularly great in this photo, but it appears that someone is looking at me in an admiring manner.

Lest anyone think that was the case, let me reassure you that shortly after this was snapped my “admirer” asked politely if he could please cross in front of me to go to the restroom.

Yep, I have that effect on men.

Peace, People!

The Men of Hobbitenango

https://vimeo.com/124156448

Enjoy this video of my nephew, Beto and his business partner, Dan. Then start thinking about a trip to Hobbitenango!

  

Hobbitenango Video

https://vimeo.com/116980184

Check out this short video about Hobbitenango. (Gosh, I hope this works–I’m never sure until I publish.)

Peace, people!

Adios Antigua

My time in La Antigua de Guatemala was much too brief, but returning home to Studly and the Estados Unidas de Norte America was sweet.

Just a few images of the people and places that made my visit to Guatemala muy especial:

 

One of the many skilled weavers plying her craft.  

  At Hobbitenango–my new nephew looking very much like a hobbit silhouetted in the doorway of the tavern.

  Next time your children complain about doing chores, show them this.

  

Beto and Hanna.😍

  

Iglesia de Catedral.

Cerrito San Cristobal patio dining with a beautiful view of one of the four volcanoes.

  

Leo, stealer of hearts.

   

Ruins in Antigua.

 

One of these three is my son posing at theCasa Santo Domingo.

  

Sunday brunch with the family at the Casa Santo Domingo. This hotel/conference center is a must-see, having been built to beautifully incorporate the ruins of a monastery.

    

Wedding guests enjoying the view from the upper deck at Hobbitenango.

  

Hobbitenango

     

My son, daughter-in-law, and me awaiting our shuttle to the wedding. 

Antigua is an ancient city. Many of the streets are narrow and teeth jarringly cobble-stoned, yet the entire city has free wi-fi.

Motorcycles and scooters almost outnumbered cars. 

   

There are only two things about travel to Guatemala that I won’t miss. The first is having to use purified water for brushing one’s teeth. Bottled water (agua pura) was readily available, but I accidentally brushed with tap water a couple of times. I haven’t died yet, but the day is still young.

The second thing I won’t miss is the method used to dispose of toilet tissue. In most places one cannot flush the tissue; it must be placed in a trash receptacle beside the toilet. For most of us it is an automatic reflex to simply drop used t.p. in the toilet bowl. I’m going to admit right now that I did not fish out the tissues I accidentally dropped into the bowl.

Those were mere inconveniences, though. I would gladly be inconvenienced again.

Peace, people!

Birds of Antigua Haiku

Is it possible

That the birds of Antigua 

Speak fluent Spanish?

Their songs hold a hint:

Trilling softly rolling rrr’s

And calling !aqui¡

One, I swear sings out

¡Buenos dias, mi hija!

Upon meeting me.  

Peace, People!

Wedding at Hobbitenango

Those who read my blog posts on a regular basis (God bless you faithful few) know that I’ve been in Antigua, Guatemala, these past few days to celebrate the marriage of my beautiful niece Hanna and her handsome beau, Beto.

On Friday, April 11, family, friends, and a handful of complete strangers joined Beto and Hanna on a mountain far above Antigua for one of the most joyous occasions I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness. 

  

The bride. 😊 Her dad is the proud-looking man just behind Hanna.

  

Cutting the wedding cake never looked quite so romantic before.

 

Mother of the bride, Hanna, Father of the bride and lovely niece Lauren.  

My gorgeous niece, Claire, sister of the bride.

  

This is me standing in the doorway of Hobbitenango.

Hobbitenango is a tavern and hostel owned by my new nephew and his business partners. The buildings that make up Hobbitenango are all Eco-friendly, made from reclaimed lumber, plastic bottles, and egg cartons. 

Still in its early phases of development, Hobbitenango will one day have individual hobbit style houses for guests to rent, and once the shire is complete they’ve planned to create an Ewok village. 

I urged them to hurry–I’m not getting any younger.

Niece Lauren and my sister-in-law, Susan.  

Delightful Andrea, (one of Beto’s cousins) with her mother. I’ve never met more loving, welcoming people. 

The rest I didn’t caption. I’ve run out of superlatives.

 

   

       

Hobbitenango is ringed by four volcanoes. Just at sunset, Fuego, put on a small show for those of us remaining. Of course, my battery was dead, so I had to borrow a photo from my brother’s camera.

 Needless to say it was a sight I will not soon, if ever, forget.

Peace, People!