Do we risk it? Do we let the break cool and then try descending the mountain again to get to Antigua? I grabbed my carrot and started to just enjoy the view because we weren’t going anywhere fast today. Then a man offered us shade and let us store our bikes inside his gate. As the day went on eventually he allowed us to stay the night and the rest is history. He took us around his property and introduced us to his daughter and grandkids. They were the most warm and welcoming crew. Two little boys, two young girls and a mother.
We switched off the TV and grabbed our dice and cards and Kevin began explaining the rules in Spanish. In hopes to improve my Spanish I took over the role as score keeper and had to write down all the Spanish numbers being said for points. These people were amazing at rolling the dice. In total I believe they rolled 5 yahtzees, sadly Kevin and I did not add to their brilliance, lets call it beginners luck this time. After Yahtzee we had coffee and promised we would play soccer. Before the game began we created goals with rocks and the boys pulled wheelies on their bike , which for reference was nicer than mine and Kevin’s.
After the coffee kicked in and we chatted with the adults over our trip and life, languages, what we are doing and why. We shared our two sandwiches we bought earlier and the boys had it eaten before we could even ask everyone if they wanted a bite. Then we finally made it back to the pitch. It was 3v2 the first game where I had a feisty boy named Jeffery on my team versus Kevin, Juan Carlos and Lesley. We played to 10 goals and in the first game my team obviously won, 10-8. We laughed, called fake hand balls and penalty kicks and even got to see the kids take some liberty to try out new tricks.
The second match got cut short as we lost light and got the call for dinner after Juan Carlos fell and smacked his forehesd on the concrete ground (was not due to Kevin or I), we all rushed inside to the long table to be served rice and beans with tortillas and fresh lemonade. It was tasty and out of being polite I believe Kevin and I once again, yes you guessed it, went to bed slightly hungry as to not take too much food.
After dinner we had promised all the children we would play poker and that’s exactly what we did. All hovered over a twin bed as our card table Kevin delt and I handed out the fake money chips for betting purposes. The kids practiced English and I returned the favor in bad Spanish. I sat there just enjoying a night not thinking of the language differences or life style choices/situation. We all smiled, we all laughed, we all shared the same food, the same type of sleeping accommodation and I truly believe we all had a night we won’t forget and will be one I will tell my kids about in full detail. It will be part of the inspiration behind hosting travelers at no cost if and when I have a place I call home. It will be reason I encourage friends and family to take in those who need a little help even if times for you are not perfect and ask nothing in return because it will not go unnoticed and it will have a lasting impact on those whom you help be it in small or large way.
Jeffery helped me find the toilet and gave me a phone for light and then ran inside to left me pee. It was dark and cold, a drastic change from the previous climates. After we said goodnight we got out our sleeping bags and kissed goodnight. Boom, crack…in the middle of the night I heard the volcano which we couldn’t see due to fog the day before. It woke me and I reacted my hit Kevin accidentally with my hand. He was fast asleep and my assumptions were right. He would not be the hero when it comes to noises in the middle of the night. Even if me hitting him when I was startled he snored onward in dream land. We got up early and made coffee and breakfast packed our bags and agreed to walk the downhill to the market and look to buy a set of normal hand breaks for Kevin’s bike. They gave us coffee and fed Kevin bread and ham offered us cereal or noodles, something which came in a small package and we polietly declined. All breakfast we talked about life and corruption, what the media says, and how property, water, and trash works where they live. To say I learn something everyday is an understatement. We kissed cheeks, hugged and took a photo and off we walked downhill alternating between walking and rolling down hoping we wouldn’t need to use the emergency ramps which accompany every turn and is a steep rock uphill in case you can’t stop. Eventually the road evened out and I could let off the breaks and feel the cool morning wind on my face as I watched the scene change from mountain to a city of ruins in the valley. Welcome to Antigua.
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