Eldon and Dawn Hurst's Travels: October

We ended September with a planned farewell dinner at 6 pm for those missionaries of the area that are leaving. We set off for Victoria Suites, which is normally a 20 minute drive, with Eldon and I riding with Fillmores and President with his carload, at about 5:15. At 7 pm we were half way there so called to make our apologies and turned around to head back home. Since we had the soup, desert and rolls with us we all converged at Presidents house and ate. President had made a delicious radish greens and cauliflower soup. It was great.

We began the month of October with a get together in Price and May's back yard for a quick dinner before Priesthood session and to celebrate Marilyn May's birthday.

Birthday and dinner.

October 3rd we had a mandatory training on putting out fires and how to use the fire extinguishers. Everyone had a great time as the guards kept the fires going and we kept putting them out.

Putting out the fires

We then did our normal Monday shopping and President was good enough to drive Eldon and I across town to get a new razor head for Eldon's shaver. Since it was lunchtime by the time we were through, we went to FGI Friday's. The view from the top of the mall was great.

View of the city from Mira Flores Mall parking garage.

October 10th on our P-day, President took us all to Antigua. He made reservations at a restored Hacienda there and we spent a couple of hours learning the history and seeing the villa. Earthquakes had destroyed the original home and 5 families of squatters had moved in when Popenoe bought the place. He worked very hard at preserving the colonial architecture and his wife collected pieces from some of the churches that had been destroyed.

There was some sort of celebration going on in Antigua and several high school bands were on parade.

Lots of Avocado trees and the inner court was beautiful.

Some of the preserved work.

Love seats where suitors would talk to the young ladies through the window

Brazier rolled from room to room with hot coals in it to warm the area.

Bench brought from Spain.

Popenoe's design for windows. Wood instead of metal bars.

The first fireplace in the country. Everyone thought it ingenious and now all the higher end homes have them.

The number of trunks you owned was how well off you were. It didn't matter if anything was in them or not,

Stones that fell during earthquakes

And where they fell from.

Popenoe built a wooden structure for his family to go to during an earthquake. Wood was not as heavy as stone I guess.

Outdoor ovens

Women's sleeping quarters.

Kitchen area.

Bathtub with hot running water

Pigeon homes in the upper house. Used for meat, eggs and carrying messages.

Laundry facility. Also equipped with warm water.

After Popenoe house we had lunch, of course and then went shopping at a huge shop that sells used clothing, new this and thats and all at decent prices. Similar to a Deseret Industry store.