Quetzaltelango, Guatemala, el quatro de deciembre, 2016

So today didn't start out too well.  The power has been off for about 2 hours so no Internet, it is freezing and there is no heat- not because there is no power, they just don't have heat and the rooms are open to the sky!  So I am kind of thinking one week will be enough.  A couple from England is also living here but they are away for the weekend.  I was snooping around and see they have a private bathroom!  That's what I wanted but there weren't any available.  That would make quite a difference.  

As the morning progressed, the sun appeared and I went walking.  I found my school-

I can't imagine there's a garden behind that door but one never knows.  

I went back towards the mall but stopped to admire the beautiful flowers for sale outside the cemetery-

A huge bunch only costs a dollar!

Inside the cemetery are graves of the poor-

And a little wealthier-

A lot of the flowers are dead, probably leftover from November 1st.  A committal was happening as I walked by but I didn't dare take a picture.  There are also large separate family tombs like I've seen in other places.  There was even one that looked like an Egyptian pyramid!

Another interesting site along the way is a Hellenic Temple to honor the Greek goddess Minerva-

It seems rather out of place but apparently Manuel Estrada Cabrera, a Guatemalan president was infatuated witih her so he had many such structures built all over Guatemala.  She is the Greek goddess of wisdom and education.  Today it's not possible to get any closer than this.

It didn't seem to take nearly as long to walk to the mall today but unfortunately the power was off there too so I just wandered around and came home on a collectiva through a very busy market close to the Democratia Square.  Don't these salads look great...carrots, cabbage and chilis, shredded and ready to eat!

Live chicks in a box, struggling-

Beautiful fruits and vegetables, so fresh-

This boy, who looked about 10, was the collectiva hawker.  He jumped in and out of the van, trying to get passengers.  It was also his job to collect the fare: 22 cents!  He hangs on with the door wide open and hops in and out while it's moving.  What a life!

Christmas decorations are available, as are poinsettias-

I stopped for a pupusa - a traditional Saldorvian dish, basically a stuffed tortilla.  It tasted like tuna and queso but the cook said it was chicharrón which is pork rinds.  (Not sick yet!)  With the coleslaw and salsa on top, it was excellent and only cost $1.77-

I'm super curious about my school which starts at 8 am tomorrow.  Hope I love my teacher!