Tranquilo esta Bien

All is calm here, I am happy to be staying busy with some projects and especially happy that I can be here for emotional support for a bit longer.

I have been  dwelling a lot on the (to me) paradox that life seems to be.  I sit on the veranda at Brgitte's house, everything is as is was a week ago, the sounds of birds in the distance, kids playing, clouds rolling by. Total tranquility. Without a sound, only a one page note, the tranquility was destroyed and replaced with despair.  I know that peace is alway availble, and it can only be found by being present in the moment.

O.K. I am finding peace and even great joy here, staying in the moment and being with whatever it is that is coming up around me.

The paradox for me is that I also know that there is a deep well of sadness, despair and poverty, not just here in Guatemala but many places in the world. How can someone live on $15 to $30 dollars a month.  I can not fathom it, but billions on Earth do. (Many of those people living happier lives than most folks in the US.  How can I possibley make a difference in this chasm of poverty?

The answer to that takes me back to the beginning, be present in this moment!  Non the less, the paradox persists.

Some Contrasting Images from Guatemala

Been to Antigua in the past
five years or so?
Recognize this guy?
(Answer is at the end.)

Brigittette (Little Brigitte.)

Street beggar.

Alex

Street performer
(I did this at the Folklife Festival.)
(No, I was a wizard!)

Alex, Jacques and me

Young native girl in her
"Sunday Best" Chasing bubbles.

Shoeshine Boy

Another poor street beggar.

Yoris playing with the iPod

Guy with shotgun.
(If there is money or someone important there,

 you will find at least one of these.)

Don't mind him, the church in the background is magnificent

This the guy pictured in the beginning
I first saw him 5 or 6 years ago. I think he owns this piece of the sidewalk. He begs from there (on his knees) for at least 8 hrs. A day. I've seen him joking with locals, I don't think he's down and out.

And from Lennon,
      The last word:k
    What's for dinner?

 

 

 

 

 

The bad apple story

It is Sunday Feb 20th. Last Thursday afternoon Jacques  found a note with a cell phone that had been slipped under the gate. It was an extortion note threating the death of Brigitte´s son Joris if (about) $4000 US was not paid when demanded. I plan on writing more in depth on this, but for now a short synopsis.

It is hurting me to recall the grief that ensued over the next 48 hours. Brigitte was in Guatemala City at the time, and we joined her that evening where a friend put us up in a safe house. A statement was made to the police and (whatever is the Guatemalan version of the FBI) A friend of Brigittes came to her aid with another friend  who has contacts high up in the government. (Again in US terms) The Attorney General of Guatemala is involved with this case thank to that friend. Never the less, the NGO Brigitte works for, the Dutch embassy and most others agreed that Brigitte and family should leave the county now. As I write this Brigitte and Joris are on a plane to Holland.  Jacques will be leaving Thursday. Leaving behind a house just recently completed, a Guatemalan family they were sharing life with, three horses, three cats, a dog, a car-------and much more.

I am back in Antigua, I am not a target in this affair. I have found a nice yoga studio and signed up for ten classes, and I plan on spending most of my time back in Santa Lucia with Clara and family. I want to do what I can to help Clara, Axel, Brigittette and Alex  through this transition.

I still believe in the inherent goodness of mankind, and I am still touched by the beauty and kindness of the Guatemalan people.  "Bad Apple"  is a poor analogy for this situation. It is horrendous how just a little evil can destroy the dreams and visions of two wonderful families.  Add to that the fact that Brigitte has spent her adult life devoted to bettering life for 3rd world people, and all I can say is THIS  SUCKS! 
Is there a "bright side", a "silver lining"? Right now there is too much grief here to be looking for it.
We are all safe and sound, and that is good.

Santa Lucia Milpa Altos

Santa Lucia Milpas Altos, Guatemala.  2000 meters (6500 ft above Sea Level.  Now I understand why I was so out of breath climing what  thought was a little hill, I just came from a month or two
 living at sea level to over a mile high.
Here's a link to a google earth picture of my neck of the woods for 4 weeks.  Santa Lucia Milpas Altas, Guatemala I 

I am located in what appears to be a shadow above the "A" where the houses end and the mountains begin.

Here is a portion of my Journal with a few pictures. Next trip to Antigua I will elaborate:

The Journey here – Long but uneventful, fortune was with me, thank God for the two other gringos that arrived on the same flight. I figured I would be on a plane full of tourists and that there would be dozens of shuttles to Antigua. On the plane I saw only Hispanic people, and everyone I talked to had a ride (to somewhere else),  I realized that there may not be a shuttle to Antigua. The thought of riding the public bus for two or three hours after no sleep was not appealing to me at all.  Any of you who have ridden the “chicken busses” here in Guatemala will understand. Luckily there were two young Americans I did not see on the plane that had secured a shuttle which I tagged along on for only ten dollars. It cost me about 8 bucks more than the chicken bus, I got there three times as fast in luxury – TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Introducing the Family

The house from up on the mountain

Close up from the same place

It took a few days to acclimate but since then Jacques and I have been working every day as Brigitte’s live in “Mr. fix it guys”  Since that is what we both love doing, esta vida perfecto!!.

Two years ago Brigitte and family were in a rented house, she has just moved into this beautiful house she designed and built on her own.  (That is another story I would like to elaborate on)

For those of you who did not follow my journal last time I was here (or don’t remember) (we are prone to more and more “senior” moments these days.):

  Brigitte is a wonderful young lady from Holland who hosted me last time I was in Guatemala. She has lived here most of her adult life, and does very meaningful work in the areas of sustainable farming and cultural preservation.  She is the director for Solidaridad in Central America, look here (  http://www.solidaridadnetwork.org/   ) if you would like to learn more. Living here is Joris, Brigitte’s son, Clara and her two children (Brigitteteke, and Alex.)(Brigitteteke is a name derived from a combination of Spanish and the Dutch dialect of Mestreechs) Sometimes Clara’s husband Axel is here, he works on an avacodo farm on the other side of the mountain.. Clara and Axel are an indigenous Mayan family that live in a very symbiotic way with Brigitte) Add to that Jacque, Brigitte’s father who visits for a few months every winter and myself and the house is almost full.

Yikes, I almost forgot the most important residents Vadel, Pluma and Trueno caballos extraordinaire. (The horses don’t actually live in the house). I think it would be safe to say the Brigitte lives for her horses. 

 

The whole family was called away unexpectedly for a funeral today, and I am honoured that she has trusted me to care for her loved ones.  But I digress, for I have not finished introducing you to my Guatemala family. Three cats also live here, (forgotten their names) and Lennon the mellowest Basset Hound I have ever met.

Casa de Brigitte y master Lennon

 MORE SOON I HOPE...............
(I am have a bit too much fun to be wanting to hang out with a computer.


Peace
Ken

Alex and Lennon

Jacques, Brigitteteke, Alex y Yo having too much fun for the camera to focus on

Leaving the Northwest soon, gotta share some family pictures

Jenna and me having our morning coffee

 This is a real potpourri of pictures, ranging from my trip North to Seattle with a few Christmas shots thrown in for fun.

I am leaving this evening for 4 weeks out of the country, and I don't know why I put so much energy into "worrying" about forgetting to bring something I will need. In all my travels, once I am on the way, I know I have everything I need, and I've survived losing things I thought were crucial more than once. (Wallets, plane tickets, I almost lost my wife and one child on the way to Mexico once- we all survived)


 At any rate, so far this Winter has been a grand adventure now I look forward to revisiting and playing with my Guatemala Family. Hopefully I will have something useful to offer besides play,
but when all else fails I am exceptionally good at goofing off.

The boys playing helicopter pilot

 Case in point, can you see the look of pure childish pleasure on our faces?

(That's a helicopter over my son in law's left shoulder)

Little Mt. Shatsa (I think)

 This is actually from my drive down to Berkeley, but Mt. Shasta was just as gorgeous on my way back in February!

 The Tacoma family has a new resident member.
Grandma Cheri (Grammy) has moved to Gig Harbor, and judging by the grin on her face I think the move has sparked some of her childhood creativity.



Egan hurt is leg a few weeks ago playing Superman, but finally he is up and walking/running/jumping again. No surprise there,
I don't think you can keep that guy down.

Personally, I think they both look great in my hat! (But they didn't get to keep it, they have to grow into it first)

B

Kayla shining her light.

Kayla and Joshua having a quiet moment

Grandpa flying his plane with the Bedients

 All in all, the past six weeks has been primo pilot training time for me. I have flown in winds that I never thought I would be able to fly in. I have flown at truck stops along the way.  Honestly I don't make very good time while traveling by car these days. I am always on the look out for new sites to fly.
In Berkeley my flying spot was a beautiful park on the San Francisco Bay, and I probably did give myself a few new gray hairs flying over the Bay.

Taking an afternoon walk

Kayla bombing down the sidewalk on her Princess Bike

Time to close this and put away my computer. I will be updating this from Guatemala next time. I'm not bringing this computer, so it will be interesting to see what I can do checking in with my iPod and from internet cafes. Don't be expecting much spell checking :)

Adios Amigos

Leaving Berkeley and 1958 flashback

I have had three marvelous weeks in Berkeley, played a bunch, worked a bunch and even made a side trip to Santa Cruz to see Avery the newest addtion to our family (my grand nephew) You can see he loves his pet chickens.

I feel great gratitude for my California friends and family.  It's nice to get away from Winter weather and especially nice when I have a creative job or two to work on. This year we did a fairly major kitchen utility room remodel/face-lift at Masia's house in Berkeley.

Here's a clip of "Hobbitville" in Berkeley a very cool (and old) building complex in
Berkeley.   Hobbitville

Had a great two day drive North to Shay and Rob's house and big fun playing with Jenica and some new toys (big kid and little kid)


I am experiencing an old phenomenon I call "So much external stimulation -  no time for reflection"


My choices at this moment, sit here and journal some more, get outside and enjoy a beautiful sunny Groundhogs Day in Oregon City, talk my son in law into taking a break from his work and flying (rc airplanes) with me, go get the fixings for dinner tonight, have lunch with my daughter.

I choose "all of the above -- minus the sit here and journal part.  However, I promise myself to get back on track with my mission to tag or bookmark significant times in my life. Maybe the firecracker in my dad's cigarette story will be next.

Here's that story: The year was 1958, my best friend and fellow hell raiser was Nandor Kuhlman, a Hungarian friend from St. Thomas Catholic School.