Buena Vista Social Club

It is 11pm. I decide to grab a botella of coca cola and sit on the sidewalk
in front of Cafe No Se. An older man with white hair and a beautiful smile
squats next to me. I smell his sweet cologne that reminds me of Grandpa
Williams. He tells me of life in Antigua, Guatemala and of his children that
are sprinkled around the world. His hands dance while he talks to me and he
opens up his world almost as though he has just hired me as his counselor
for the next 30 minutes. I can´t believe that this man, a member of Buena
Vista Social Club, is sitting eye level with me on a sidewalk and talking
with me. I smile at his beauty, at his Cuban Spanish, and his famous world
and yet how simple he is.

Earlier I dined with the Buena Vista Social Club. Their music filled the
small mysterious restaurant as I feasted on an exquisite meal of glazed
pork. I sat in complete amazement as the history of Cuban life came seeping
out of the fingers of these beautiful men whose fathers as well as
themselves began with the original Buena Vista Social Club. And I was 10
feet away from them smiling in ecstasy with my body following the rhythm of
the drums, the music of the piano and trumpet.

As the music ceased. I walked straight up to the bongo player, the singer,
the man! I thanked him, kissed him, hugged him...my spirit overwhelmed by
the cuban energy! These old men are amazing and their story is held through
their music.

I am a lucky woman

Semuc Champey......

I have now left Antigua and stayed in a tree house in the jungle of
Guatemala near the fascinating waterfalls of Semuc Champey. This morning I
awoke looking through the planks of wood that created my room out to the
world of crickets, roosters, and people beginning their day. Yesterday I
swam in the many pools diving into deep torquise lagoons from the waterfalls
above. I even followed a guatemalan climbing down one of the waterfalls
using rock walls to balance myself. The world below the waterfall opened up
into a beautiful cave that dripped water onto my back and the powerful river
whisked down below!