Guatemala Feliz

Hello, dear Fran, Nea, Kajsa Tony, Jeffrey and whoever else glances at this,

Here is where I will update every evening on my Guate trip so one day you can know where we will go and what we'll do together here. Or maybe we should move here? 😉 I'll keep you safe, Kajsa.

The first day, the 23rd, we fly into Guatemala City. If it's clear we'll be able to get a good view of the volcanoes as we circle to land. Sometimes there are clouds, and sometimes a puff of smoke coming from the volcanoes, it is very hilly and houses cluster down the steep mountainside in haphazard fashion, after we land, we'll rent our big van. It's a square boxy microbús type thing. Then we plan to drive to the orphanage Center that's nearby and drop off all these Bible Story book sets that have been stacked in my bedroom corner for months. I'll keep one set of each kind back to take to a couple families near the congregation at Guastatoya.

The man who runs the orphanage libraries has offered to let us tour one of his after school foundation centres. I shall hug all the children I can because I'll already be missing you all so much, especially if there's a boy your age, Anthony, with a smile like yours.

Then we drive to Panajachel in our van. I wish we could drive aways further and see my old home in Paxtoca which is a little Mayan village tucked into the mountainside. I wonder if my friends that I went on food eating adventures with have grown as old as I? I hope they take their children to try out the vendors foods on market day,

Panajachel has many Maya people too. I shall count all the men wearing traditional skirts and let you know the number. Maybe I should bring a skirt home for your Dad?

We have a house rented for two nights in Panajachel. If I remember right, one can see the village and lake and the volcanoes circling the lake as you drive down the mountain. (Curve and twist down the mountain I should say.) The fields are terraced and often men can be seen hoeing a corn crop or tending to guisquil vines. Once Felipe's pack mare fell off his terraced field and got hurt. A person cant be walking and get distracted up in this area.

In Panajachel, Wes talked of taking his family on a boat ride. It's how naturally ves get across the lake or it can be just a tour. Sometimes those boat rides can be a good adventure because the boats can be old and they really fill them up.

The streets will be full of vendors selling unique loom woven cloths, purses, bags, and all sorts of amazing artsy things. I requested that we visit Crossroads Cafe and talk to Mike or his wife. Mike came from California years before I lived there. His wife makes the most amazing macadamia nut pie that we'll definitely taste if there are some pieces available. We'll do a LOT of walking. Good thing I'm back in shape after winter.

There are coffee farm tours, volcano hikes or scuba diving in the lake. I'll do whatever Weskeys do.

Our third night will be in Villas de las ermitas near Antigua Guatemala. It's also near Volcán de Fuego which is active. And Volcánes Pacaya, Agua and Acatenango are all near there. Some day I want to climb volcan Pacaya with you all and toast marshmallows in the earths cracks near the hot lava. If it's night and I'm on the rooftop terrace of our villa and the volcán is actively glowing red and llava is flowing , I might just video call you all so you can see a bit of it. If Dad will answer his phone that late...or isn't still out working after dark like he often is. We'll see what works.

The next day, we have a lot of things we could do in the area. Tour the old old town of Antigua, see that famous arch where nuns used to walk across the street overhead so they couldn't be seen by men, climb the hill to an old church..,visit markets and food vendors. We will eat fresh fruit though. That I promise. And tortillas of some type.

And then on Friday afternoon we drive to Guastatoya where some of the dearest people on earth live. We're staying in a hotel within walking distance of the church where Carlos and Yuliana's wedding will be held. The whole motel is actually booked with wedding guests. It's a newer motel, not huge. It wasn't there last time we went. It's also near the big water park with the high, high colourful slides that you can see from so many places in the town.

I want to see all my friends but mostly Flor and Sheny. And Maelser's, Dina, Yulissa, Selvin and Jaime's. Mama Delfina and Tio Elias and Tio Isaias and Tia Clara...

I want to go to the old local market, visit the town square and drink a licuado there. (Blender fruit drink)

we'll be at the regadío for a wedding meal, it's a lush farm spot across the river where there are large mango trees, banana trees, Palms, and also a pig farm where my friends dad and uncles get pigs from to make that red marinated pork (carne adobado) and red sausage (chorizo). They also make and sell cheese . Dry crumbly aged cheese that's amazing on black beans. We used to always play volleyball at the regadío, hang out in hammocks and eat watermelons and grilled carne adobado and toast tortillas over the fire. One day you'll go to the regadío. Hopefully to a youth deal there.

We'll be extremely busy those days in Guastatoya. I promise I'll write you a report each night here though. You'll be really busy at home here too being responsible hard-working children. Thanks so much for doing the extra work while I'm gone.

Saturday is wedding prep and Sunday is the wedding. Usually Sunday evening will be a church service at the church up the hill. It's a newer block building with a little yard out front y and a fence around it. There's a small parking area to one side and that is where they had the civil ceremony on Friday before Flors church wedding. Then we had supper outside there too, grilled meat and beans. And my one friend the mute was there who communicates amazingly well with his own version of sign language that transcends all countries language barriers.

On Monday we'll visit around locally. That will be a happy sad day. I always feel like a piece of my heart is there with my dear friends and I wish we lived closer. I want to see all my friends homes and give them the gifts I brought. I also want to bring back coffee from Sheny and Ronal's coffee farm.

I don't know if Wes will want to drive back to the city on Monday to get near the airport. He wants to take his family to the big big market in the capital city, the three story rambling warehouse filled with men trying to get you to come to their booth and buy, buy, buy. It's truly what you call hawking. I'll get you each a souvenir at the big market if i haven't gotten one for you yet. Something that says Guatemala in a glance. I wish I could bring you home some fresh pineapple, mangos, starfruit, lychees, papaya and bananas.

On Tuesday we fly home from Guate and in the Atlanta airport I'll say goodbye to Wes and Mel , Jesse, Andrew, Elsie, Hannah and Mom and Dad and whoever else American ends up on the same flight. (When we fly to Guatemala, Eddies family and his in-law family will all be on our same flight)

Uncle Royce was gonna catch a flight from Guatemala to visit a friend elsewhere . Then I'll sleep just a little and start flying again at 5 am to see you all Wednesday evening. How lovely that will be to hug you all! Please keep your limbs all intact and take care of each other!