Chicabal

On Saturday at 7 a.m., I went on my first hike! It's a tiny inactive volcanoe about 45 minutes outside of Xela. We started walking through tiny puebloes and say people working in the plots of land, children begging for money, or curious to greet us and have us talk to them. I finally saw a Mayan man in the traditional clothing while I was in the mountains. Usually it's the women that wear the tradional clothing. I saw a little boy pass us during our trek he must have been about 7 years old. He had a machete in hand and was going out in mountains to work. The children don't receive an education unless they are in the city and even then it's quite difficult. They immediately have to work out on the land with their families. The families about 10 or more children to help out with the chores.

I can't believe how difficult it was. My legs were shaking by the end of the trek, all of us were huffing and puffing all the way up to the top. It was such a good feeling of accomplishment. Once we were at the top we could see to other volcanoes in the distance and a lagoon not too far below us. We had to walk down about 400 stairs to get to the lagoon after we soaked in the sites from above. I tried to get pics, but the white, puffy clouds quickly came rolling in. I really enjoyed walking with new students and getting to know them and why there here and what they do in their respective countries. No one is permitted to swim in the lagoon or bath in the lagoon. The lagoon is sacred to the Myans and is used for various Mayan rituals. People visit the lagoon to drink the water in hopes of having good luck and their prays answered. They deemed it holy, pure and safe to drink. My friend Leslie and I poaked our fingers in it and it was freezing. We didn't dare drink it! The water was crystal clear though. The lagoon is protected and very spiritually connected to the Mayans. We relaxed on the beached, soaked up the sun, and ate lunch. I coudn't have asked for a more beautiful day. The rain has been soley in the late or all evening. I hope this trend continues when Nolan arrives because my first 2 weeks here it rained all day long. It was so great just lying on the beach listening to the wildlife around and watching the clouds roll into the lagoon. We were the only ones there.

It was scary because one of the look outs was a bit unsturdy and it started shaking when there were a few too many people looking out at the cloud covered volcanoes in the distance. I preferred the decent down vs. up, which I was in the minority. I really couldn't believe how steep it was it doesn't even compare to the dormant volcanoe Nolan and I hiked in St. Kitts about 5 years ago. 6 hours later we were back down at are starting point. I collapsed on a grassy mound on the side of the rode and dozed while we waited for our private, microbus to arrive. I can't wait to hike some more!

We don't have an activity this Saturday, it's on Friday a.m. at 6 a.m. so I've decided to forego getting up that early. I'd rather have class anyway. It's to a coffee farm, which I'm going to visit one when Nolan's here as he's obsessed with coffee. LOL! I may go to on a 2 day hike this weekend or go to the beach with my friend from school. We'll see or I may just chill in Xela. It's hard to keep with all of the Spanish I'm learning everyday.