CONFESSIONS OF A CIGAR SMOKER IN GUATEMALA...

With Cuban contraband in hand I pursed my lips, created the perfect ring of smoke and thought how funny it was to be smoking a cigar with my father, the same man who once told me that if I smoked cigarettes I would have to pay my own health insurance. I suppose he has become a little more mellow in the years since we left home.

I looked around at my family, each with a cigar in one hand and glass of wine in the other (some of us a with a bit more proficiency than others... ahem Mark. Ok I lied earlier about creating the perfect ring of smoke. I was having enough trouble just keeping the cigar lit and trying not to inhale).

We enjoyed our last evening of our family vacation and reminisced on the week's activities which involved, eating, drinking, hammocking (the art of laying in the hammock), surfing, sweating, swimming and duck diving waves.

EATING:

Well, on this family vacation there was no shortage of food. A typical El Salvadorian breakfast consists of huevos revueltos (scrambled eggs), casamiento (rice and beans), and fried plantains (my favorite!), queso fresco (fresh cheese) and a plate of fresh fruits.

On one occasion we tried to cook turtle eggs (not the ones that are endangered so don't worry) and when I say WE, I mean the boys. THey had heard that they are an aphrodesiac. I beg to differ! I tasted them (scrambled) and they had an odd panna cotta type consistency. The egg whites don't turn white they stay a gelatinous clear color (when you try to boil them since scrambling them wasn't working). Unwilling to give up, the boys decided to take turtle egg shots that made for some hilarious facial expressions of pure disgust and of course I was there to capture it on film

For lunches in El Salvador we bought lobster, fish and shrimp at the local market in La Libertad, a well known surfers paradise and we would go home to cook our seafood feast.

The climax of our eating festivities in El Salvador would have been either my dad's 60th birthday at Casa Del Mar or my homemade ceviche that I "created" the day prior. I suppose I will give the edge to Casa Del Mar as that evening we sat overlooking the the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean that we had surfed that afternoon.

SURFING:

So the dictionary defines surfing as the sport of riding on the crest or along the tunnel of a wave, especially while standing.

I have redefined it to mean holding on to a fiberglass encased styrofoam board for dear life while chanting some sort of prayer combined with explatives, telling myself to stay upright while trying to point my board away from the rocks to the right of me, falling off the board, somehow finding my way to the surface, gasping for air and realizing that in less than 1.2 seconds another 20 ft wave (I am using a bit of poetic license for dramatization but 6ft just doesn't sound that scary or dangerous) would come crashing down on me. Forget the standing up part! and that was my good ride! Yep I decided to give it another go. Call me a masochist. I am a glutton for punishment as you can see.

That was just my experience, the rest of the surfing group included James, Mark, Sam and my dad. Some had more success and experience than others). Would you believe that my dad, on his 60th birthday, having never surfed before, "hung ten" in the middle of a 4ft barrel all on one leg? Ok, so maybe that didn't happen but I am looking forward to his 61st birthday when maybe we will all go sky diving or bungee jump? haha

We were blessed with great weather 90+ each day which made the 2 minute walk to the beach strenuous activity. Our surroundings were gorgeous, mango and coconut trees, tropical flowers and plants whose names I cannot recall and the sound of crashing waves to put you to sleep. All of this made it very difficult to leave El Salvador but at least we still had another 3 days in Antigua.

ANTIGUA:

Quality family time - 5 hr minivan ride on our way from Santa Ana to Antigua. Another successful boarder crossing (however I was disappointed that they didn't stamp my passport). We dodged a couple ranchers herding their cattle along the panamerican highway.

Being the wet season everything was very green although it is typically very plush here. It was interesting to see the corn and coffee grown on such steep hillsides. We thought about how strenuous and labor intensive that would be to have to pick them.

Arrived in Antigua - the population of our apartment had now doubled. Mark and sam were now bunking with us. Four people and one little bathroom. I crossed my fingers that no one established any of the GI complications that can be so common.

Exchanging our cargo pants and Keen sandals for nice pants and dressy shoes, occasion enough for James to wear a collared shirt and shave as we dined at Panza Verde for my parent's 35th wedding anniversary. Being one of Antigua's nicest restaurants the food was excellent, the ambience amazing and the four piece jazz band topped off the evening.

Haircuts (not optional for some) were the norm the next morning as family photos were scheduled for 1 o'clock at Casa Santo Domingo, the fifteenth century monestary. Stnading in the same place (but without the long white dress - actually it was short and white for these photos) brought back a flood of memories from our wedding here only 2 years prior.

More excellent food and activities followed. I will be writing a complete review of Antigua's offerings later as I consider myself a bit of an expert now.

So as I try not to inhale another puff of my cigar...

I am sad to see my family go the following day, grateful to my parents for being such a wonderful example of life and love, grateful to my mom for planning such a wonderful week of activities and exited to go to Tikal and Semuc Champey the following day with Mark and Sam who would be staying on with us for another week.