Wide aisles of organic food. Slick ribbons of nighttime freeway streaked with lights of fast, silent vehicles. Tooth-brushing right from the faucet. Cold erased by the flip of a switch. Toilets that welcome paper. Re-entry is jarring. It ties my sharpened awareness of the hard life I don’t have, to a reminder of the things I take for granted. At SFO, I nearly greeted the buzz-topped blonde dude at migración [Customs] with a buenas noches […]
Read moreTag: Guatemala
Body, Mind & Spirit
Body: My large stomach and I are leaving Guatemala tomorrow. Mercedes came over and gave me a foot massage as a goodbye present. She also gave me candles and a little pouch with magic stuff in it. Then she did a little Maya-influenced ritual to ensure safe travels for Maria and me. Sadly for my pocketbook, she brought more pocketbooks to sell. I bought all but the one Maria bought. I’ll tell you right now: […]
Read moreYippee Yiyo Kiy-yay, Galloping All the Way
It’s been a while, but I’ve ridden a lot over the years, I told the English woman on the phone last night. I’d thought a two-hour ride through the hills above Antigua would be fun. You do use Western saddles, don’t you? In her polite British accent, she set me straight: only English riding there. You may know that English-riding enthusiasts look down on Western: You call those saddles? They’re armchairs. If English riding is […]
Read moreMadrugada
You know what’s a pretty word? Madrugada. (It means dawn.) Poor Eleni. Every time we video chat, I give her a cursory greeting and then it’s Where’s Emmy? I want to talk to my baby! The good girl that she is, Eleni produces for the camera one perfect grandchild. I open my mouth as wide as I can. So does Emmy. Emmy wiggles her two index fingers at me, redrum style, and I do the […]
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