Yahoo, it's the Weekend!!

I suppose it is a bit disrespectful of all the working folks with real jobs when I bleat off about the weekend finally arriving.  It is not like 4 hours of Spanish lessons per day is going to kill me, but sitting and trying to forcefeed the old cerebrum with new ideas is somewhat of a challenge and a little stressful for one who had envisioned retirement as being a laid back scened with absolutely no responsibilities or challenges...

The exam was a comprehensive look at what I should have learned this week, and it was not a surprise to me or my teacher that I will have to work double hard next week.  Ye Gods, the idea of working with irregular verbs in the past tense brings me back to the days of French 91, when my teacher decided that it was hopeless, and that the only way I would pass would be to stand at the back of the French choir, fill a hole, and mouth the words.  A small price to pay in order to graduate, I thought.


I went out after classes and picked up my new glasses.  The prescription is accurate, as I managed to get my IRIS contact back in Campbell River to email me the data.  It seems that the glasses will do the job, and I can now see my instruments again, and possibly will be able to follow Mr. Garmin if he decides that he likes Guatemala.  I asked for rugged frames, and thats what I got: I think that I look like an assessor for Revenue Canada,but that is okay, because everyone down here does their taxes.  Hopefully the glasses will fit in the helmet, which is an issue.  At least I am able to see again.  The last two weeks with cheaters was a pain in the ass.

With the weekend, and no classes until Monday, I have planned an expedition out west to see some ruins and see if I can get lost and found in two days.  I decided to not go with the folks from the moto cafe on their Sunday ride, and I will probably stay out of town tomorrow night, if I can find the ruins, which seem to be about 100 km to the west of Antigua.  Folks tell me that it will be hot, as I am dropping down into the western lowlands.  It is difficult to tell if there is a lot of fuel stops, but I think I will be okay.  While I have enjoyed the week of learning and sleeping in the same bed, I also want to get on Blondy and do a bit of running, now that she has fresh oil and she is bright and shiny.

In my post school afternoon wanderings, I came across this KLR, which seems really big by Guatemalan standards.  It looks like the owner knows what he is doing, and I will bet that he has a good time exploring the local roads and trails.

 This is a perspective shot for one of my sons, the one that thinks my camera work needs work...

The big blocks of building are the results of the last earthquake, and the old structures are imploding on themselves..

I should be so luck as to run into this classic Beemer...

 And then, another KLR!...No bashplate so probably a lawyer or something. (No disrespect to KLR)

 More rubble from earthquakes...

This shot is for my horsey friends...

I think we are beginning to get the colonial style of architechture...

This is Volcan Agua, to the north of the city, taken from the porch of my bedroom.  Apparently when this guy let go the last time, there was a huge amount of water that came with the rest of the laving and consequently the poor folks either drowned or were burned by ashes or crushed by the earthquakes...makes one appreciate the concept of the Big One, and perhaps it is not too bad a thing that all of my kids live on the Prairies..

I am off tomorrow on a mini-adventure and I hope to find the ruinas and take many National Geographic photos.  I am learning that frequently life gets in the way of solid plans, so I will take it as it comes, with the general idea of pointing Blondy westerly, and perhaps even seeing some black sand beaches on the Pacific... View Larger Map