Three Niñas - Corazon Maya

Three Niñas - Corazon Maya
Lupita, Magdalena and Clarita

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Saturday, November 22, 2008

Bicycle Adventures Around Antigua - Nov2008

I had brought my small collapsible bike with me to Antigua, so one Sunday I decided to attempt a bike ride to a nearby village called San Antonio Aguas Calientes. (The name means hot springs, but a local told me there aren’t any these days). My host family (Xcamey) thought this a very unsafe – I am not sure why.






Anyway, I dressed myself as brightly as possible, with blinking lights and colored shirt and set out into the dangerous unknown after a quick breakfast.




The first thing I discovered is that the cobble- stoned roads in Antigua town are not very comfortable on a bike with skinny tires. I was soon forced to ride on the narrow sidewalks, or simply to push my bike along the streets. Fortunately, Sunday is day of rest in this very Catholic town, so there wasn’t much traffic. South of town I hit upon a smooth road and rode off.
It was a gorgeous morning, about 65 F with bright sunshine, birds singing, bougainvilleas in bloom, and the 3 volcanoes forming a postcard-like backdrop. I was in heaven.
In the first town, called Ciudad Viejo (old city) my outfit caused much amusement amongst the locals, many of whom were dressed up and walking to church. The teenagers giggled and the adults smiled. I stopped to ask directions and usually chatted a bit. No one uses a bike helmet around here, so this was interesting in itself. Then my blinking lights made me look like a cop, so one local told me. I soon found that most vehicles gave me a wide berth – one SUV even stayed behind me for a hundred yards or so until it was wide enough to pass.



The ride itself has to have been one of the prettiest I have done all year. It compares favorably with riding along the Columbia river to Portland, and biking through Snoqualmie valley and Sultan. Cyclists would ride alongside me and chat in Spanish. One Guatemalteco motorcyclist gave me a big thumbs up – not sure why, but maybe because I made his day. (Crazy gringos..)

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I stopped to buy a huge avocado from a lady in a small store, and soon started chatting to her and her next door neighbor with my limited Spanish. If you tell them “estoy tratando de aprender espanol” (I am trying to learn Spanish) they love it, and are happy to help you along. Later I found the avo to be delicious – just ripe.


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This kid was taking care of his little sister.
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Colorful buses in San Antonio.
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I stopped to talk to a couple of young guys who were hanging out with their bikes. They were curious to know where I had got my collapsible bike – not a common sight. I was able to explain that I had brought it on the plane in my maleta (suitcase). Then I asked then if one could bike from Antigua to Lake Atitlan, about 40 miles away. They were horrified at the idea. No es possible they assured me. Mucho lejos (much too far). Hmm, I thought. So, I asked, have you guys ever biked to Antigua? (This was only about 8 miles away). No, they admitted sheepishly – it would be exhausting, so they always took the bus. I chided them about this – if el viejo (old guy) could do so, why not los jovenes (young ones)? I decided they were not a reliable source of information about biking to Atitlan.
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Woman washing clothes at the communal "Pila" or washing area. Antigua has one too, as do my two families. The family dishes are also washed here.
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Later I stopped off in the parque central which faces the local church - perhaps twice the size of Bethany in Queen Anne - and was entertained by the locals packing the church. Many had to stand outside. The choir was good although the service escaped me. I had a view straight down the aisle from my seat in the parque.

People soon started joining me in the parque and I chatted to some. The parquet central is a central hangout in Central American towns, where one can goof off or play games or chat. Nice custom.
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Young woman minding her sobrina (niece) in the parque.
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Then I spotted a Guatemalteco dressed out in the latest spandex biking gear, complete with helmet, cleats and top notch road bike. I rushed out and stopped him for advice, figuring that here was a real biker. He told me that although it was quite feasible to bike to Atitlan, it would not be safe alone, due to the ladrones (robbers). He said a group would be OK, but that the traffic would be heavy and that the road was narrow in places. Sadly, I decided to bag the idea of biking there. .
Later I biked back home, after a wonderful 15 mile ride.
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Volcan Agua
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Ride Number 2
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The next Saturday, I went out again, this time to a town called Chimaltenango up in the highlands. Big mistake going out on a Saturday. Everyone and his uncle seemed to be heading in to town for the market, including a group of about 4 enormous tour buses that took up most of the narrow road in Jocotenango. The tourists peered down at me from about 10 ft up, through thick tinted windows. I think I ended up in several snapshots, as a colorful local heading to market.
I climbed about 1000 ft in the first 7 miles – perhaps the steepest climbing I have done all year.
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I stopped to ask directions from these 3 teeangers, who were both amused and helpful.
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Some locals were amused when I bike slowly past them as they pushed their bikes up a 14% grade. Pretty country, but not as picturesque as on the first trip as there are no volcanoes up north. I made it to the market, and almost got lost there – survival Spanish came to my rescue. I enjoyed some good bananas and tangelos, and shared some with the locals.


On the way back I took a wrong turning and ended up along a new highway which bypasses Antigua to the west. Great road, with wide paved verges for cyclists. Pretty ,sweeping views of the hills and valleys.
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When I got back home I had done 30 miles and over 2000 ft, and I was beat! But I concluded that biking is quite feasible and very worthwhile over here, provided one is sensible.

1 comment:

Amy Tower said...

good job dad!!! you have such great pictures!!!

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