Antigua, Guatemala

Tomorrow I leave Guatemala-- as quickly as the day to embark on the journey arrived, the end too has arrived. In our finals Savasana this morning, Ashleigh (who was quoting Anodea Judith) closed with a wonderful pondering about ends and beginnings.  Sometimes I wonder how many endings and how many new beginnings we process each day. Big and little.

We did a photo shoot on the very last day of the Chakras and Chocolate retreat at Villa Sumaya

I have traveled by boat and wheels beside my new, beautiful swiss friend Miriam from Atitlan to Antigua.  We have had no problems in coordinating transportation.   After arriving in Antigua at 2pm, we ate some cocoa energy balls and put sandal to cobblestone.  This town is quaint and colonial. There are plenty of markets that all look the same, and there are spas, jade shops, and so many chocolate shops.  I had 300 quetzales (equivalent to about $40) that I wanted to spend before I leave for Taos tomorrow.

1st Avenue in Antigua. It was closed off to automobiles. Vendors selling scarves, play balls, art, jewelry, fruits and vegetables.  Miriam remarked how the tourists were of every shade, ranging from very gypsy to very formal.

After an espresso and a hot chocolate at La Doña Luisa, a very old establishment recommended to me by the antigua man I sat next to on the airplane landing in Guatemala city last week, I had only managed to spend 45 qz! We then walked back to a street where a jeweler had set up a simple trade blanket. He wasn't there, and just when I was remarking to Miriam how I had hoped to buy some of unique jewelry, he apparated in the street! He was easily recognizable with his round sunglasses... a guatemalan Johnny Depp of sorts! I purchased from him an intricate and luxurious quartz necklace, amethyst bracelet, and jade earrings-- all for 200qz.

Cacao caliente (con leche... naturally) and a bitter espresso to balance the dulce

After that, we stopped at a more upscale "jazz bar" for wine and dinner.  Transitioning out of an all you can eat buffet, back into pick-one-or-two-things-from-the -menu lifestyle proved challenging. Our salads, which cost nearly as much as all my newly purchased jewels, came out to us in almost laughably small portions. It stood in stark contrast to the bottomless salad bowls we were blessed with at Villa Sumaya!

Miriam and I chose the window display table at this cute little jazz bar and restaurant

We sauntered to the square for dessert, and for the equivalent of one dollar gorged on fried tacos and a fried donut that was filled with banana and black bean, then sprinkled with sugar crystals. We laughed about how it is necessary to transition back to our relatively "normal" lives by eating fried food, drinking wine, smoking cigarettes, etc.

Now we are back and the Internet is so painfully slow here that I can't bear to wait for the photos to upload.  I will post this text with the promise of photos to accompany.

Calle turisto en Antigua. Backdrop of a dramatic volcano.

Here is a beautiful quote to ponder:

"People do not seem to realise that their opinion of the world is also a confession of their character.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson


                                                 
What do you see in the world? Is it a reflection of yourself?

Reflections of Volcan Santiago and the upper Chakras in batik at the yoga studio in Villa Sumaya

Yoga teacher Liz Passau flashing her beautiful smile and new henna tattoo

Lyn from Taos, relaxing on the last morning of the retreat

Krystalyn and Liz. Krystalyn is a woman of many talents. In addition to conducting our chocolate ceremony, she does incredible henna tattoos and also does raw food facials