History and Youth

Antigua, Guatemala
Thursday, April 27, 2006
At 8:45 AM we began a two-hour bus ride from sea level at Puerta Quetzal to climb 5,000 feet to Antigua, the ancient capital of Guatemala. Our journey took us past five volcanos, two of which are still active, coffee plantations, sugar cane farms and past two ornate and colourful cemeteries.
As we got off the bus in Antigua at the ancient Convent of Saint Theresa, we were greeted by a group of natives, descendants of the Mayans, selling blankets, necklaces with jade carvings and carved wooden masks. One young girl, with a gap toothed smile, black hair tied in pig tails and bright dark brown eyes caught my attention. She spoke in flawless English, with an endearing accent.
"Mister, buy a necklace for your wife." She said, as she flashed a big smile and held a necklace out for me to see.
"No thank you," I responded, as I followed our tour guide past the street vendors into the convent.
"Okay, buy one for your mother-in-law."
I laughed, and kept walking.
"Buy one for a friend."
I chuckled again, but kept walking.
"Okay, then, buy one for an enemy."
I roared with a big belly laugh, turned and smiled at her and said, "Maybe later."
"Okay, Mister" she said with a smile.

The ancient Convent of Saint Theresa was fascinating and in amazing condition given the earthquakes and several hundred years since it was an active convent.
When we left the convent the street vendors were waiting and my young girl right at the front.
"You're a very pretty young lady," I said to her as our tour group walked by them back to the bus.
"Thank you, that's nice, but you don't buy anything."
"Later," I said as we continued onto the bus.
"Okay, Mister."
It was now past noon and our bus took us down narrow, often one-way, streets that sometimes required the driver to back up to make turns, to another convent that had been converted into a five star hotel, the Casa Santo Domingo for lunch . The Casa Santa Domingo is a mix of authentically restored rooms, with modern coveniences and untouched ruins.
Our lunch was served buffet style in a brick walled outdoor patio with vines, blooming trees and multi-coloured Macaws. Servers in brillaint white chef coats, hats and gloves served each dish. First was a leave of lettuce covered in sliced apples, tomatoes and candied pecans. Next, mashed potatoes, green beans, beef kabobs with onions and red peppers, roast pork, and chicken. Everything was excellent. We sat at patio tables covered in immaculate white table cloths and chairs covered with white linen seat covers.
After lunch we visited a number of museums in the Casa Santa Domingo complex before walking two blocks to the Jade museum where we had a lecture about jade and watched crafts people making jade jewellry and then, visited the jade showroom (surprise!) where Janet bought a bracelet (no surprise).
Next, we had a half hour in the city square. I purchased a latte from a cafe our tour guide said was both safe and served high quality, authentic Guatemala coffee. It was great, very close to a grande latte from Starbucks. The best coffee I had since I left home.
The girl saw me in the square and came over. I told he I'd give twenty pesos to take her picture with my wife. She liked that idea. On my way back to the bus a young boy about six asked to shine my shoes for ten pesos, which I agreed to. I purchased a hand carved and painted mask from a man on the street as my souvenir.
There were chidlren and young people everywhere, which isn't surprising when you learn that half (50%) of Guatemala's population is under fifteen and that the typicaal family has eight children.