The Río Umuya has its source somewhere high in one of the 78 mountain peaks in the departamento of La Paz where I live. The river snakes down into the Comayagua Valley skirting the municipalidad of Cane. It’s in the heart of prehistoric Lenca country and the river eventually flows by right at the base of the 6,000-year-old El Chircal ancient pre-Maya Lenca pyramid complex. My friend Celeste invited me to spent the Easter holiday at the river with her family where the present-day Lenca are still swimming millenia later and where we feasted on the traditional fish soup. Even though we had to hike in a mile it was a very pleasant way to spend a very hot day amid friends. That night I slept like a baby.

The heat is upon us. After church Sister Edith packed up a lunch and we headed for the water in her new busito and my Chevy Step-sider, which of course the kids loved. The days will be super warm until the rainy season begins in May. One caveat is that last year the rainy season did not begin until September, climate change and all. Semana Santa, or Easter Week, begins next Sunday at which time the whole country takes a week-long holiday and saturates every available pool, lake, river and ocean beach. My new home has kept me busy and for the first time I have been able to work on my own garden. Love it.