Trip with the Flohr's

When Clara took me for our haircuts about two weeks ago she asked if we would like to have a "treat" with them on the morning of the 12th.  I envisioned some type of breakfast dessert and was unclear but absolutely agreed to the idea.  As I have worked through the conversation I am guessing that she was saying "trip" rather than "treat".

There were some interesting twists with the final group size and the sardine packed van but I am glad that all were along and that we had a fun time with each other.

Clara sent me an email on March 5 that said:

helloooooo sister Ellington

about the our trip

1. Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa: MUSEUM
2. LaDemocracia: OUTDOOR MUSEUM aand MUSEUM
3. Sipacate: BEACH (we do not bathe on the beach. we only wet our feet

Then she had a list of what we should bring that I'm pretty sure that was copied from somewhere followed by

in those places it is not safe to eat, sorry.

we leave at 7 AM
the monday 12
kisses.
thaks my dear friend

Who could turn down that invitation?  We found out that it was her birthday the day before so I baked a chocolate cake to take along with a big 60 on it.



We headed out of town and at 7 AM the traffic was heavy but once we left the city and had country driving  we moved much more quickly.

You can see on the map where our first stop, Santa Lucia Colzumalguapa is located.  Sadly the museum and area were closed for the day.   It appears to have been first introduced after the Spanish Conquest and has been occupied since pre-classica period (1000 to 300 BC)  later Jaredite and Mulekite years.  

"The Museo el Baul is a free, open-air museum which is a collection of sculptures found from all over the sugarcane plantation's estate.  At the entrance, visitors are greeeted by a massive stone jaguar (see below)  that is co-incidentally the symbol of Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa.  Some of the sculptures have perplexed experts, such as the giant head with a full feard.  An excellent preserved stelae of a ballcourt player is sandwiched between two 3D sculptures of a style not often encountered.  There  is also a collection of heads with open mouths and you can see from how the backs of the heads were designed how they were supposed to fit into walls as 'bricks.'  Elsewhere on the grounds, archeologists found a ball court, a sweat bath (temazcal) and an obsidian workshop but these are not open to visitors.  

The sugarcane factory itself is no longer in operation but visitors can see an old German steam tractor and two steam engines that used to run on a system of private tracks.  We, of course, saw only the four stones pictured below since the museum was closed.

 I did a bit of research on the web and found this most interesting information about a stone found there.

 <Dated 600-800 A.D.

<< Note: The flames of fire coming off this descending God and the sun.  
There are two people carved upon this Stela looking up at this descending God.  
It is obvious from this carving that even in the 600-800 A.D., the descendants of Lehi still retain a knowledge and belief of a God whose countenance did shine, bright even as the sun, as he descended out of the sky.

The following four stones were outside the museum so we at least got their pictures. 

                                                 Jaguar

                           This old church was just outside the museum entrance. 

We next drove to La Democracia . The indoor museum was closed but we walked around the square and took pictures.  I am going to use some from the web for some of them because it seemed that these are most useful for the locals as a place to sit in the shade so the details were not available. :)

 

"La Democracia’s carved heads have content smiles and a Buddha-like countenance. Some are attached to bodies with huge bellies and have hands clutching their stomach—they almost look Eastern in appearance. Interestingly, these statues are strikingly similar to the Olmec sculptures found in the Mexican lowlands of Villa Hermosa.

The stone heads of La Democracia actually came from the site of Monte Alto, which is just outside town. The sculptures are thought to date to around 500 BC during the middle Pre-classic period. "

Church on the Square

       

Next on the list was Sipacate Beach-   I looked it up on the internet and this is the picture that I found.

Probably the only thing that we found similar was the fact that there WAS water, there WAS sand but as you will see we experienced something very different.  Actually, it was probably a much more accurate picture of a Guatemalan beach trip.

As we entered the town Oscar Flohr stopped and asked a fellow how to get to the beach. He was bare foot and riding a bicycle. We followed him to his home where he opened a congregated metal gate and had us park the van under a tree in the yard.  There were chickens, children, dogs and other items everywhere.  We got our lunch things,locked the van and followed him down the road to a mangrove tidewater area (a rather smelly pond like area leading to the ocean.

He led us to his "boat" which you had to use your faith to even step into. None of these pictures do it justice.  Boards were balanced across boards where you could see the water swishing inside.  There were patches of fiberglass that were pulling off and remains of a few coats of paint but basically raw wood.

 Probably the most exciting part for those of us who watched was when he began to scoop up water from the bottom of the boat and throw it over the edge.  Comfort indeed!

When we landed we walked up a wooded path and there was a beach and the ocean. The area was covered with trash, some poles with torn black plastic on top and a dark sand beach. 

It was Sister Flohr's 60th birthday so I had brought a cake to help celebrate.

I  think most of us at least put our feet in the water.  Boy the dry sand was a shocker, it was SO hot!











One of most interesting things on the little boat ride over and back was the bird array.  Here are a few pictures that Mike got.

Clara and I had to pose for one more memory of the beach.