The Golden Years: Little Princesses and Sunsets

Wednesday
After I posted yesterday we decided to take a ride. Set out with no place in mind. And ended up in the Centro Historico again. While heading to the parking lot we passed this car on the street. Those were all love notes for Valentines Day stuck to the car. Some one was sure going to be surprised.

Neither of us had eaten any breakfast so first order of business was lunch at our favorite outdoors restaurant. Had an excellent hamburger and fries and watched lots and chairs being delivered to the restaurants for Carnaval. While eating a family passed by us. The little girl was dressed up in a lavender gown with a tiara on her head. Didn’t get my camera up in time to get a picture. As we were talking about her this little girl and her parents came by. This time the camera was ready. Now I guess we know who buys those beautiful little dresses.

Nothing much else going on in the plaza so after we finished eating I wanted to walk around to find a particular street that I wanted to take pictures of. Right around the corner from the restaurant we saw another little girl in a pretty outfit. Bill asked the mother why everyone was all dressed up. She explained that the kindergarten school had a Carnaval fiesta day.

As we continued walking we passed this parked car. I don’t think I’d want to park my car there. Though the tree has probably been like that for years judging from the sidewalk. But a heavy rain and who knows?

As always the buildings fascinate me. The other day when I was reading Ms. Tioga and George blog George mentioned he was surprised at how modern Guatamala was. And sometimes that is why I post pictures of the buildings. I suspect a lot of people think of Mexico as it is depicted in a lot of old western movies. Lots of huts and falling down adobe shacks. There are amazing buildings here. I don't post many pictures of the real modern ones as they are boring but some of the older ones WOW

A closer look at the sculptures

I knew the street I was looking for was in the neighborhood where we were walking but for the life of me I couldn’t find it. Finally we just gave up and headed back to the car. Bill kept asking me to describe the street I was looking for. I described it as best I could – we see it all the time. Just as we got to the car he said, “Oh, I know which street you mean. Get in I know exactly where it is.” And sure enough he did. It was just down from the area where five years ago we got stuck in a tiny narrow side street in the Alfa. A definite moment to remember. To get out of there we had to unhook the car and move it a block away, back the Alfa up and make a sharp turn down another narrow street the wrong direction. Not one of my better navigating days. (We were only about five miles from where we should have been.) I'm sure my cousin Jeff who was with us remembers it well. Thank goodness it was before I started blogging cause that conversation sure couldn’t be printed. Any way this is the street.

I took several pictures of it. I think it will look nice on canvas someday. I’ve been experimenting and think I have all the printer settings figured out now.

On the way back towards the Malecón I got a picture of this sign. Looks a little familiar – I think someone has been to Las Vegas.

Carnaval starts tomorrow and the city is getting prepared. Some of the beer kiosks going up on the Malecón. I do believe they plan on selling lots and lots of adult beverages.

And a platform either for viewing or performing is being set up in the middle of the street.

We finally heard from our friend in Indiana, he is going to be here in about a week so now we are kind of on hold as we want to go a lot of places after he gets here. So the rest of the day we relaxed. Well I did. Bill washed all the bugs off of Alfie’s windshield. It was so streaked with bug guts it looked terrible when the sun shined through it in the afternoon. And I used the clean windshield to take this picture as the sun was going down. Those are lots and lots of birds in the trees. On the little tree those are not leaves they are birds.