Sunday in Xela....Another Free Day from Stove-Building

                                                      This is our Casa Argentina in Xela...Quetzal Trekkers Welcome

Today everyone is scrambling and looking over their individual to-do lists of what to do around Quetzaltenango. Don't forget that this is a somewhat travellers destination with many backpackers camping in our Casa Argentina. The semi-official band in our Hotel call themselves Quetzal Trekkers and since they have strength in numbers they can certainly tell non-locals where the best deals are. One tricky part of our Casa is that the owner of the Hotel puts a padlock on both doors of the place so that nobody can sneak out at night without paying. This is odd if you're an early bird like myself and want to tour the city before 7:00am in the morning. As we found out there is no other way but to wrap on the lady-owner's door until she wakes up and lets you out.

So, yes, it is Sunday morning and I am up early around seven but it's still too early for the same restaurant breakfast. So I see Renny (from Wakefield) and he also wants to go for a walk downtown. So we don't feel too bad about together waking up the landlady and begging to unlock the door.

Hardly any places open Sunday morning. Even the city square is rather quiet and people may be sleeping in before heading off to church. We do spot a second story restaurant on the square which might be open. And it is. Sunday breakfast overlooking the Xela City square. Quite proper and serene. Omlet Mixte (complete omlette) includes jamon and cheese and we need a couple of cafe americanos negro.(black).

The only possible organized venture today was proposed by Tom Clarke himself. He wanted to take a group of hombres mountain trekking and so forth. It looked like he had a following of 5 volunteers right away but so many of us had done the eco-tourism trekking the day before as well as days and days of stove-building. So it turns out the group was back by mid-day and they did not climb too high

                                                                  Xela Cemetery with High Rise Family Graves.

My only limited stroll around was in accompanying Liz to the very large Xela walled cemetery. It's not far from our Casa and it seems it is walled to keep out annoying animals and especially stray dogs. The richer parts of the graveyard are probably families with Spanish connections. They have high-rises and sometimes grave-extended patterned areas so that more deceased family members can join them. When looking at the gravesites of your grandparents and other family members and you see a number of blank or vacant boxes my obvious question would be: Who's next?

                                                                              Street Scene on a late Sunday Afternoon

Supper is at the Royal Paris which has live jazz on some evenings.(not Sundays). I'm with Paul who recommended the place and Andre who happens to be in the right place to find us. I have the Sopa Del Dei which is a blenderized spinacg, green vegies soup with a touch of sour cream. Very flavourful. The main is a porco in a light herbal sauce along with fresh potaoes and carrots. Wonderful. In Xela it is very possible to be well feted. Thank you to Paul for finding this place.