Our Man in Antigua

thanks to some long time Antiguenos and today’s La Prensa coverage of Adolfo’s Big Fuck-Up, I have a clearer picture of the whole/hole…’blame it on the toluene I might’ve sucked yesterday, spraying the latest batch of book holders or the frenzy of chisme that swirls around this town. The consensus appears that ‘he’ was more than the usual ‘skim the funds’ kinda mayor…it was the size of the skim-job, setting new standards in being rapacious, new levels in being audacious…hey, he dressed well, even in handcuffs. As mentioned, he’s in the can for a long holiday weekend, one way or the other. Of course, he blamed it on ‘politics’ and says there’s no proof…but since they removed him from the Patriot Party (Manos Limpia), took away his immunity, found several accomplices (wanna bet it’s gonna be ‘make a deal and walk’ time?) Maybe Gautemala is really thinking seriously about cleaning up the politicians and/or this case was too big to ignore (B)..

a note from one of my two favorite NGO’s, From Houses to Homes…Joe Collins, founder, is in the States for treatment of a return of a dreaded illness…you wouldn’t want it, believe me, but he says he’s getting better and plans on returning to Antigua whence he’s cured.

If you were in the Mercado early, even  the back parking areas were packed with buses…there can’t be anyone left anywhere, in any of the aldeas/villages because they’re all here today, milling around downtown(I left), thinking that peace/quiet/tranquillity might be achieved at the finca…almost…the Stadium, west of me and downhill, is ground zero for marching bands(drums/noise) you know, back when I was a boy (Eisenhower)band ‘people’ were nerds…here, if you can play the drum, xylophone or some kinda noise making device, you’re kinda like the jocks used to be…work, job, career? drum 101, A+…right, take a seat, we’ll call you. 

count our blessings, I s’pose…per La Prensa, another van of tourists was hijacked…10 this time and 20 last month, on their way to Tikal…fabulous, great…another poke in the eye for Guatemalan tourism: come see the Mayan ruins and get robbed..o boy, this’ll play well in Keokuk or Bakersfield.

Maybe the $alvadoreanos will come back to Antigua this weekend, since the coast is clear…well, now it is, now that the giant ash clouds from Fuego have drifted off…maybe City Hall needs a new song…”Pop Goes the Weasel”…the drums, the drums…may go out again, may not…so? so what?  have a great weekend, avoid the crowds(some might picka you pocket)