We stopped and had breakfast and coffee at a very nice outdoor restaurant. Again I like spending as much time outdoors as I can, knowing what awaits us when we get back to South Dakota.  We did our shopping and hung out for several hours. There were lots of vendors and at one point we were having a couple of young men Miguel and Otto making us some things so we sat down and just chatted.  They both spoke pretty good English.  I remembered Miguel from this summer when I was here and he remembered me. He said I told him last summer that I was going to buy something from him later and it was now later so I should buy something.  As we are sitting chatting Ed has dozed off.  Good thing the girls and I are there or he would be missing his shoes, hat, and anything valuable.  There is also a young women Ana who has weavings and I buy some of those from her and visit a bit.  I will try and include a photo of her.  It is a very tough life to sell things on the street.  By this time it is close to 1:30, we do a bit more shopping and Ed and Steph go back to the bungalow.  Ana and I go to the open market to buy some tortillas, and vegetables.  We go back to the same women on the sidewalk that we had been to the other day.  She nods at us, gives us a plastic bag to put our vegetables in and I am beginning to feel like a regular customer.  We then go and get the tortillas from 2 young girls making them.  Miguel had slept in and asked me to bring him back some chicken and frys so I went to a little stand on the street to get that.  I don't eat things from the street but he does and seems to survive.

Ana waiting for tortillas

Ana and I caught one of the mini cabs back and then read and rested for a little bit.  Ed and I wanted to go off and visit a couple little villages so we left to do that about 3:30.  The two villages were not far away.  The lake is surrounded by villages so I want eventually to see as many of them as possible.  They are all unique in there own way.  The first village we wanted to go to was San Antonio Palapo which is about 10 miles from Pana.  We started walking in hopes to catch a pick up.  One of the small little tuctucs came by so we asked the driver if he would take us.  He said he would although it was much more expensive than a pick up but more fun.  I could stop and take photos etc.  The road was up and down hills and it seemed with us two in the back that he had a pretty difficult time making it up..  When we got to San Antonio he dropped us off at the church on the hill.  It is more or less the center of town.  Everything is built on a hill.  Since it was Sunday there was a lot of things going on it the church so we didn´t go in.  

Several young girl came immediately to sell us some weavings.  One was really a pest and as Ed said quite a little crook.  It was very difficult to get away from her.  After we finally did get rid of her we walked on a nice little path down to the lake.  On the way we saw several women weaving and stopped and bought a couple of things.  We started walking back towards the next town and found a pick up and jumped in back.  The next village we went to was Santa Catalina Palapo'.  There wasn't much going on in this town since it was late in the day.  We walked down a lane past some people selling their wares to the lake and found a small outdoor restaurant that was advertising cappuccino.  So. this was a good spot to sit and enjoy the lake.  There was only one other table occupied. Soon after we ordered two little children came by wanting to sell us some bracelets.  They were as cute as can be.  Emelda was 6 and her little brother Jesus was 4.  We really didn't want any bracelets.  Emelda said how about a coca cola.  I told her that coca colas were bad for her teeth.  When she smiled her front teeth were rotted away so that was certain proof.  I told her milk was better for her.  Although I am sure she doesn't get that very often.  On impulse I asked her if she and Jesus would like to have some milk.  She nodded and smiled so we pulled up two chairs and ordered two glasses of milk.  The waiter wasn't quite so enthused about us getting something for street children.  Soon another young girl came by and saw what was happening.  We asked her if she would like to have some milk too.. She said yes she would could she go get her brother and sister for some too.  Well....you know what could happen next we could have the whole village of children there for milk.  We told her she could get her brother and sister but not to bring any one else. She ran off and came back quickly with her brother and sister.  We told the waiter to please find 3 more chairs and we needed 3 more glasses of milk... It took them quite a while to get the milk.  I think they had to go to a tienda to buy it, or maybe they were hoping the children would leave.  But they didn't and we had quite the conversations while they were there.  There was music playing and Emelda and I started dancing a bit in our chairs followed by Jesus.  Ed and the others joined in with laughter. When the milk came it was in nice big mugs and it was hot..  The waiter brought over sugar and I told the kids they could each have one teaspoon of sugar.  They drank the milk with their spoons.  At one point Ed held up his cup and said "Salud" and all the children did too.  We were having quite the lilttle party.  Jesus left after a bit and  Emelda went after him literally dragging him back crying.  I told her to just let him go he didn't have to finish his milk.  He left and came back shortly with a rotten milk carton he had found in the garbage to put his milk in. Both Emelda and I nixed that idea.  I then went and asked the waiter for some to go cups. You can imagine how popular we were at that point.  Soon he came out with 2 styrofoam cups.  The other children had left by that point.  Emelda put her crafts under her arms and marched off with 2 cups of hot milk.  The children were very thankful and hadn't asked us again to buy anything.  It was really fun.  We had changed from buyers and sellers to just human beings enjoying each others company.  When we left Ed left the waiter a big tip. He said I want him to know that if someone else wants to buy milk for street children that he will hope to it.  On the way back up to the street we saw Emelda and Jesus again.  There parents were street vendors closing up.  There was one more small child.  Emelda and Jesus pointed us out and smiled and the parents nodded and smiled too.   Ed and I continued walking and when we got to the street had to wait awhile for a pick up.  Soon here comes the children and their family again.  Again there was waves and smiles and then the little family proceeded to walk up the mountain for who knows how far to their home.  It is one of my fondest memories.  I got a photo of Emelda and Jesus but not the other children because my batteries went dead.

Emelda and Jesus

Jesus

Ed and I caught a pick up back to the bungalow.  Ana made here famous quesidillas and then the 4 of us played rummy.  Again it was a good day.

Will keep plugging away on these journals.

Diane