From Philip's personal Journal... dated 6-04-2005

In Chocola, the sky gets light long before the sun first peeks over the tall volcanoes that lie to the east. The light is accompanied by a cacophony of roosters, 'chicken busses, dogs, cows, firecrackers, and it is barely 4 am. Noise was invented here. In fact I�m pretty sure a new noise or two was invented just last night. It is hard to believe that the town had only just settled in a few hours earlier after a night lamenting the last minute defeat of the Guatemalan futbol team. Bruised national pride notwithstanding, when the sun comes up these people go to work.

I gave up on trying to sleep in over a week ago, so rather than stare at the large red spider on the ceiling I swing my feet off the cot, put on my sandals and decide to take a few early morning photos of town. By now everyone either recognizes me or ignores me. For the first couple of days I was worth a curious look or two but no more � I�m now as dirty and tan as the rest of them. I've even acquired my very own rusty machete. Still half asleep, I try to smile and join in the syncopated yet melodic chorus of �Buenos Dias�-es that the men trade as they file past one another on the one main road. I chuckle when I find the (now empty) bottle of scotch that had been passed around after the upset in front of Don Carlos's tienda.