ATM

Antigua presented plenty of opportunities for us to use ATMs to replenish our cash. Lake Atitlan, on the other hand, has very few ATMs, and there were no machines in the tiny community of Jaibolito where we were staying. Since our cash was about depleted, we had no choice but to take a trip into Panajachel.

Panajachel is the town at the edge of the lake where we first arrived. The name is derived from the Kaqchikel language and roughly translates as "place of the Matasanos." Matasano is a fruit tree native to the lake region, and is credited with an array of curative powers. Panajachel is the center for the tourist trade of the area, as it provides a port for visitors crossing the lake to visit other towns and villages.

We caught a boat from our dock in Jaibolito back to Panajachel, and headed straight to the DF (Despensa Familiar) which was in actuality the local Walmart. Although it assumes a different name, and has yet another name in Guatemala City, the store still has the WalMart logo and the fine print clearly indicates it is a Walmart. We were advised to use the ATMs at the DF because they are the safest machines in the area. Many of the ATMs, we were told, are rigged so that people can capture the account numbers and passwords of users. The DF also provided armed guards to keep people from tampering with them.

After successfully acquiring the cash we thought we needed for the rest of the week, we walked down the main street which was lined end to end with vendors. We had hoped to escape the persistent street vendors when we left Antigua, but they were out in full force here, and more determined than ever.

Panajachel street market

Restaurants were plentiful and the workers were just as determined to entice tourists into their parlors as the vendors were to sell their wares. As we found out later, they often worked together. We were successfully enticed into an Italian restaurant and ordered pizza and no sooner than we had ordered, several street vendors were invited in to make their pitch. We were a captive audience, and the girls refused to leave. In fact, they appeared to be a distraction as the cook made a quick run to the market to buy the ingredients for the pizzas we had just ordered.

While we managed to get out with full bellies and no purchases from the vendors at our table, we soon discovered we had eaten at one of the more expensive places. That was the beginning of our money woes.
The vendors were thick and ready for a sale or two, or three, or more. There really were some good deals and some good products, and we did buy. Even a purchase did not relax the vulturous vendors, and the same people we just bought from only pressed that much harder for an additional sale. One girl followed us the entire length of the street and just wouldn't accept no for an answer. She showed us the same items repeatedly for about 20 minutes and refused to leave our side. By the time we reached the end of the street, which was quite long, we quickly switched directions and finally out maneuvered the small yet determined vendor.

A few vendors at the street market

When we had a free moment to review our purchases and count our remaining money, we found we had spent almost the entire amount we had just withdrawn that was supposed to last us the week. Back to the DF we went for another withdrawal. We picked up a few groceries while there, and took a TukTuk back to the dock which helped us avoid all the pesky vendors.

Mayan girl on the boat

The boat ride back didn't turn out to be much of a reprieve. Our best guess was that the small water craft was designed to seat 18 people, and possibly a few more of the tiny framed locals. Sandwiched like Guatemalan sardines, we counted 36 for the return trip. The water was choppy and the motor was taxed to carry the oversized load. The heavy boat sat so low in the water that we couldn't help but take on some water from the spray. A tarp was pulled over the front of the seating area to keep the people in that part from getting drenched, yet water still managed to make its way in. We listened to the whine of the struggling motor and looked for possible exits should the boat succumb to the weight and the waves. We decided that for safety's sake we should count life preservers and make a claim for the most accessible; there were only 13.

We were exhausted upon returning to our guest house, yet grateful for having arrived safely. After our breathing returned to normal, we pulled out our purchases. Due to the blur of the vendors and the rush of clothes, tapestries and jewelry shoved into our faces, we realized that we weren't even sure what we bought. We were a bit eager to actually see all of what we purchased on our outing.

Falling Water

Our Friday at Lake Atitlan began with an upscale breakfast at our host's restaurant. We were joined by a (temporarily) local man who had only been in the area for six months. Aaron and his wife were from Colorado, but were on a two year trek through Central and South America. He had done a month of exploratory hiking throughout the mountains surrounding the lake, then in order to earn money to support their travels, started a business of taking visitors on hikes around the area. We decided to secure Aaron's services to lead us on an afternoon adventure to see some of the mountain views, which included a cascading creek and large hidden waterfall.

Our hike started at the little village of Jaibolito and followed a tiny but well traveled trail up the side of the mountain. Beautiful vistas began to unfold immediately. In just a few minutes of hiking we were able to view the lake and surrounding mountains from a new and exciting vantage point. This was not Six Flags or Disneyland - there were no guard rails or precautionary signs posted. The trail was rugged and narrow and often followed along the edge of steep and foreboding precipices. We couldn't help but wonder if one of the local family ancestors was a billy goat, but one thing was for certain - ours was not! The lake itself is approximately 5000 feet above sea level, and our hike took us a good deal higher.

Occasionally the trail would flatten out and be quite easy and safe, and sometimes we climbed on what seemed to be almost vertical rocky cliffs. Our guide was careful and considerate, giving us periodic moments of rest after particularly challenging climbs. We were also given many opportunities to stop and take pictures of the impressive beauty surrounding us.

Due to the unexpected and unseasonal rain the day before, the mountains were particularly fragrant. The smell of lemongrass and fresh green vegetation permeated the air. It was delightful and refreshing.

Many of the steep hillsides were used for crops. We frequently encountered corn and coffee plants. Due to the incredibly steep angles, planting and harvesting looked like it could be quite a treacherous undertaking. Most of these almost vertical fields had no designated path and were not terraced. It was a wonder how they managed to farm them.

Mountainside showing large square patches where crops are grown

We took a break from our hike at a beautiful hillside hotel and restaurant called Los Lomas De Tzununa. We sat on a long and narrow porch and had fresh pineapple juice and chips with guacamole and refried beans, while still taking in the magnificent vistas.

Our hike resumed, this time heading down toward the village of Tzununa. We were coached on proper behavior not to photograph the locals without their permission, and on how to say a greeting in Kaqchikel. Our enthusiastic guide loudly greeted the locals with a Shka g'er, which roughly translates as hello, followed by another phrase, Utz' swatch, which means 'how're you today?', to which the locals responded Utz (good). The short dialog ended with a ma'tiosh (thank you). Whether it was our guide's odd pronunciation or the surprise of seeing an obviously non-local person attempt to speak their language, the greeting never failed to produce smiles and giggles from the villagers.

The mountain town of Tzununa, where we started our climb to the waterfall

The village was built along a stream which flowed from the mountain. Our destination was at the top of the stream where a 30 foot waterfall cascaded within a concealed alcove. As we started up the hill, the clouds gathered for another unseasonal downpour. We took refuge under the awning of an uninhabited building to wait out the deluge. We resumed our uphill journey before the rain completely stopped, but this afforded us a cooler ascent.

We completed the journey to the waterfall following the stream bed, switching back and forth across the flowing water. We passed several homes of villagers, including one home of an expat from the US who ran a small organic vegetable farm with a few animals such as goats and rabbits. We continued our watery climb and scrambled up boulders until we reached our prize: a thin but beautiful waterfall. We rested, snacked a bit and took photographs before returning to the bottom of the stream and back to the lake.

A return trip back on the same mountainside trail was definitely not an option at this point since we were all exhausted, and besides, sundown was quickly approaching. From the Tzununa dock we caught a local water taxi back to Jaibolito to have a much needed meal at a small rustic restaurant called Han's place, which is THE local hangout for tourists and expats.

Lake Atitlan

Our first full day at Lake Atitlan began with a steady recuperation from the prior days food poisoning. The area is remote yet gorgeous. Being submerged in the pristine tropical setting was calming and restorative for us. After an energizing breakfast we began to explore our surroundings.

Lake Atitlan holds the title of the deepest lake in Central America. Originally formed by volcanic activity, it is an enormous caldera flanked by massive cliffs and three classic coned volcanos. All three volcanos can be captured in one photograph, which makes for breathtaking vistas. The area has often been noted as one of, if not THE most beautiful lake in the world.

View of a volcano from the pool at Club Ven Aca

Several villages are located along the shore of the lake, the largest being Santiago, which is located on the south side near the base of one of the volcanoes. The most visited and easiest to access is Panajachel. The primary road into the basin leads to Pana (as the locals call it for short) and boats can be taken from there to all the other communities. Pana's primary source of income today is tourism, and has a large number of places for shopping as well as the largest number of hotels and restaurants in the basin.

Our house

Many of the villages can only be accessed by boat, including the small village of Jaibolito, which is right next to where we are staying. Our apartment is actually one of three homes on an area known as Club Ven Aca. Two of the homes are private residences, and the third is available as a short term rental. The Club has a public restaurant at the edge of the water, and serves some of the best cuisine in the area. Tables placed around an infinity pool and hot tub are in a picturesque setting with the three volcanoes in perfect view across the lake. Our two-story house sits in the back of the perfectly manicured property overlooking a well stocked vegetable garden. Our view from the front upper deck peeks over the two private residences and directly faces the lake and volcanos. The other three sides face vegetation rich cliffs which are full of a wide assortment of fruit trees including papaya, avocado and banana. We are surrounded by a grove of lush beauty. Gilligan's Island has nothing on this place.

View of the lake from our balcony window

A Bad Wrap

(This entry penned by Trevor. It may not be suitable for the faint of heart or at least those prone to a queasy stomach)

Leaving Antigua was met with mixed emotions. We arrived, we learned, we adjusted - We had conquered! Moving to another city required us to start all over again. We were mostly packed the night before so we anticipated an easy departure. Mark woke early, as he did several times before, and had hot coffee and tea ready, and was preparing to use up the rest of our groceries on vegetarian omelets. Although prearranged plans were in motion, there were new issues underway for which we had not adequately prepared. Apparently as we were fast asleep and enraptured with sweet dreams of a vacation in paradise, Montezuma, disguised as the sand man, crept in and gave us a wallop we won't soon forget.

Mark was the first to notice, and consequently his omelets ended up a little runny, and I don't mean the eggs. While Bryan and I were trying to finish off the last of the eggs, juice and tortillas, Mark was hard at work using up the remaining toilet paper. As an act of sheer mercy, which can only help to prove the existence of God, Mark completely dried up just moments before our driver appeared to begin our three hour journey to our next destination, Lake Atitlan.

The highway was modern and well paved, but the small villages and towns looked like they were straight out of Old Mexico. Homes and businesses seemed mostly constructed out of concrete bricks and brightly painted. Many structures were incomplete and small stores of bamboo and grass roofs were dispersed throughout. There was a lot of traffic and surprisingly enough, a good percentage of the vehicles appeared to be relatively new. Gas was approximately $4, and was sold by the gallon instead of the liter.

Throughout the drive we were constantly ascending higher into the mountains. As we reached the crest, we entered a town that wound around narrow streets and steep hillsides. To me it seemed like a latino version of Eureka Springs, but without the quaint atmosphere and charm. This was more of a typical Guatemalan village, filled with perros, peddlers and pedestrians.

Descending toward Lake Atitlan

The road unexpectedly took a sharp plunge, and for the next 30 minutes we descend toward the lake. The road was only two lanes and in the process of being repaved, so the construction added to our time. The road snaked steeply down the mountainside and eventually ended at the small lakeside village of Panajachel. We then transferred from the van into a speedboat, which whisked us across the lake to our destination, Club Ven Aca. We checked into our domicile then went directly to the restaurant. By this time Mark and I were both feeling a bit uncomfortable, and we had hoped a good meal would help. We were served fish tacos which looked and smelled wonderful, but no sooner than we started eating it became a race back to the apartment and into the bathroom.

Arriving by boat to Club Ven Aca

The next 18 hours proved to be a constant marathon of unimaginable discomfort. In stark contrast to our previous apartment, our new facility had only one bathroom instead of three. There were no pharmacies nearby for medicine and no stores for necessities. Mark and I were taking turns perching on the commode then on our knees staring into it and then back to sitting, and again back on our knees, and occasionally requiring both positions simultaneously. When one of us showed a momentary lapse in production the other immediately took over so as to keep things moving. I had delirious visions of being handcuffed to Colonel Sanders while Ronald McDonald dipped us back and forth in a vat of rancid oil.

Mark and I temporarily shared the bed closest to the bathroom since the location of the next available bed would have assured disaster when the inopportune moment struck. Bryan was fortunate and did not partake in this ancient Central American tradition with us. Instead, he worked overtime with attempts to soothe our misery while keeping the bathroom stocked. He brought us occasional green tea or bites of fruit which went down gratefully but were speedily met with eviction.

The night crept along as we continued our regular devotion with the local porcelain pot between moments of helplessness on the sweat laden bed. By morning we were both completely exhausted. We lay motionless as Bryan tried to determine if we had survived the night and to what extent. With no small degree of effort, we made our way to the restaurant, managed to keep down our breakfast, and began our recovery back to the realm of the upright.

Thinking back as to what likely initiated our traumatic adventure, the only thing that Mark and I ate that Bryan didn't was from McDonald's. Bryan ate a McPollo (chicken) burger while Mark and I split a McChicken wrap, since they were so large. I remember at the time thinking how it was just slathered in mayo. It's ironic that we are more than a thousand miles away from home and eating in dirty little local hangouts with no trouble and then end up getting deathly ill from a McDonald's. I assure you that darn clown was no fun at all!

It's a Wrap

As our first week in Guatemala came to a close, so did our time in the mysterious walled city of Antigua. After a week we were feeling pretty much at home. The apartment was beautiful, the people were friendly, and most things we needed were close at hand. Grocery stores and pharmacies were within walking distance, numerous restaurants were on every block, and plenty of ATM machines were available when we needed more cash. We also learned which areas to avoid to escape the street vendors, and found where the best ice cream shops were.

In our first week of eating in restaurants, we never ate at the same place twice. Besides traditional Guatemalan cuisine, we also found and enjoyed Italian, US, Thai, Japanese and even Middle Eastern food. One restaurant near our apartment was owned by a man from Oregon. In the front of his restaurant he had a store which sold an assortment of US goods including a line of products from Trader Joes.

Tuk-Tuk

During the day, the city streets were bustling. Tuk-Tuks filled the streets and seemed to be a primary form of transportation, although there were plenty of automobiles and even some brave souls cautiously maneuvering the cobblestone streets on bicycles. After the sun would set, traffic mostly came to a halt except in the area right around the city square. It seemed that most of Antigua's night life consisted of sleeping, except for the frequent blasting of fireworks and the sound of a tolling bell at all hours. We were told that the fireworks were probably a part of wedding celebrations, and the bell could be a call to mass. Mass at four in the morning? What devotion!

The mornings were particularly beautiful; each one like a postcard with beautiful blue skies and perfectly placed puffy white clouds rolling across the tops of the volcanos. Birds chirping playfully and the scent of flowers blowing through the windows created the perfect start to each day. The only exception to the morning bliss was a couple of frisky pigeons that woke us every morning with banging and thumping on the metal rooftop.

Morning view from our bedroom window

Internet accessibility has revolutionized the city by connecting it not only to the world, but also to each other. It truly is a case of old mixed with new for a beneficial outcome. But as available as internet is in the city, our apartment was obviously not one of the chosen spots. The connection was strongest in the stairwell so consequently we all spent adequate amounts of time together on the stairs.

Accessing the internet in the apartment stairwell

As our final night in the city arrived, we were busy packing and preparing for our move on the following morning. Not wanting to spend too much time out, we opted for a fast food dinner at the local McDonalds. In keeping with the Antigua norm, there were no protruding signs and we never even saw it until we were in the doorway.
Once inside, it was gorgeous with a large multi level courtyard with flowers and fountains. The interior was landscaped beautifully and equalled some of the more expensive restaurants in the city. For the most part, the menu looked like ours in the States and the prices were very comparable.
One difference we saw was that all sandwiches came as a meal deal with no option for a burger only. So, like it or not, you get fries and a drink. Also, besides the usual apple pie they also offered pineapple and cream cheese fried pies. What could be more fitting to wrap up the week than have a chicken wrap? It was three times as large as ones back home, which is not necessarily a good thing (as mentioned in an upcoming blog entry: A Bad Wrap).

Mark/Trevor/Bryan on a mountain overlooking Antigua

Walls & Doors

Our first impression of Antigua was that it entirely consisted of only walls and cobblestone streets. As we spent time walking through the city we started noticing the wide array and variance of the walls and doors. Walls were routinely painted bright colors and frequently outlined with colorful plants and flowers; the natural wear and weathering highlighting them as accents. The doorways and entrances to the homes and business were certainly unique and we soon realized we had found a treasure trove of art.

Money Matters

The Resplendent Quetzal

What can be more indicative of another culture besides language and currency? The language of Guatemala is Spanish, that's an easy guess. But what about the currency? We were not familiar with it, and in fact, our first currency converter app for the iPhone didn't even have it as an option nor did we see it as an option at the currency conversion booth at the airport. We had no choice but to wing it.

The Guatemalan currency is called the Quetzal, named after the national bird, the Resplendent Quetzal. In ancient Mayan culture, the quetzal bird's tail feathers were used as currency.

Similar to the dollar, the quetzal is divided into 100 cents, or centavos. The centavos comes in coins while the whole quetzals are paper bills the same size as our US dollars, yet in various colors. The older bills have a feel very similar to our dollars while the newer bills feel very much like plastic. The coins are either gold or silver and greatly vary in size. The smallest we found is the 5 centavos which is smaller than our dime, and the 1 centavos, about the size of our 50 cent piece. The coins don't seem to be used as much as paper money and it was three days before we saw our first coin.
As of this writing, the conversion rate is approximately Q7.7 for $1 so trying to calculate the cost of things is not always direct or easy. At our first breakfast, we were presented a check for a straightforward Q120 while the waiter stood by for the payment. The three of us hovered over the check as if we were trying to decipher a secret code. We guessed, divided, calculated and added, and then with uncertainty did it again. Still unsure of the tip, which we later found out was always 10%, we started over-figuring in both dollars and quetzals. It must have been quite a dialogue going on inside that waiter's head watching as if we were trying to iron out the whole country's financial trouble. Whatever he though, it must have ended with "crazy gringos". We soon improved on our payment methods and decided it is sometimes best to pay up front and do the figuring back at the apartment. Fortunately, in a pinch we found that most places would accept American dollars too.

Business is Business

For you my friend make special price.

Ever see a school of fish attacking a morsel of food dropped in the water? Just pause for even a few seconds on the streets of central Antigua and you will soon be surrounded by street vendors pressing you to buy scarves, table runners, necklaces and bracelets, hand carved flutes, and many other items.

Every vendor we encountered claimed to have made the item or wove the fabrics themselves, even when their items were exactly identical to every other vendor's items. We were immediately identified as 'friends' and promised a special price, followed by the phrase 'business is business'. Oddly enough the street vendors usually spoke better English than the workers inside established stores. Once we thought we'd outwit them by speaking another language but we soon found out they were prepared. One young girl, barely a teenager, already knew how to bargain in English, Spanish, Kaqchikel (Mayan), French, German and even Japanese. We were goners!

The street vendors were VERY persistent and even aggressive at times. Some of the younger girls hit us, slapped us with their wares and called us names. "Cheapskate!" and "Stingy!" were insults frequently in use. The only English word they were apparently unfamiliar with was 'NO', and in fact it appeared to fuel them. The louder the 'no' the more vendors arrived. We decided that 'no' must be the ancient Mayan call to congregate. While incredibly annoying, we chose not to get angry at their persistence, in fact, we did just the opposite and made it into a game. We laughed and laughed WITH them, yet even in their laughter they still worked in the request for us to buy.

"Just one more and you finished". "You buy from her, my friend, you buy from me too!". "Why you buy from her and not me? You no like me?" "You need for your wife", "you need for your mother-in-law", "you need present for friend", "no friend? then buy for your enemy", "I make you better price for TWO", "take one more and I make you even BETTER price!". After a young girl's plea of "Please buy, for my lunch", we offered some money without taking an item. She declined and just presented a more expensive item to buy.

Most of the street vendors were female, but a few were male. Some were younger girls, but ALL had gone to the same school of "Business is business" and we heard the same pleas and phrases repeated by all of them.

We were never so afraid of short women as we became when passing through the central part of the city. Fortunately we tall Americans have longer legs, and the shorter Antiguans could eventually be outrun. But they are sharp to follow escaping tourists around corners too. Boo! "Business bad today so I make you even better price!"

Inauguration Day

Dec 21st, 2012 was highly recognized as the final day on the Mayan calendar. Rumors were rampant concerning the possibility of the end of the world. Of course the world didn't end. Since Guatemala is the center of the Mayan civilization, we were on a mission to find them and set them straight. We failed to find any Mayan prophets but we found plenty of Mayan T-shirts.

While pursuing our quest for anything Mayan, we found out that an authentic Mayan ceremony was to be held in Antigua on January 20th, Inauguration Day for the president of the United States. The purpose was to invoke a special blessing on Barack Obama during his second term, since the economy of the world is effected by his leadership and policies. At only 25 quetzals donation (about $3) it was quite an opportunity to see the Mayans in action.

We passed down an average walled street and entered through a doorway into an inner courtyard that continued on to a tree lined open field, adequately hidden behind the outer walls. Including the officiating Mayans, the small group consisted of about 25-30 people, and one full-size cardboard stand-up of president Obama. Two colorfully dressed Mayan women were busy setting out the ceremonial candles, herbs, spices and other unidentifiable items. In a clearing under a canopy of trees, a traditional Mayan design had been poured on the ground with what looked to be salt. Within the confines of the oddly shaped design were many compressed pellets (about the size of a hockey puck) that were made from burnable materials gathered from the forest floor rather than harvested from living wood. These pellets are said to burn longer and hotter than regular wood.

The Mayan women continued preparations by placing piles of fresh green herbs around the pellets within the confines of the ceremonial circle, then placed many small vibrantly colored candles on top of the pellets. Before the ceremony began, we were all presented a handful of green herbs and seven candles; red, yellow, green, blue, black, cream and white.

Our shaman for the ceremony was an intelligent Mayan woman who spoke several languages and held several degrees. Throughout the ceremony she seamlessly switched back and forth between Spanish, English, and Kaqchikel (traditional Mayan), yet she did need an occasional reminder for an English word. She explained that the full ceremony could last up to five hours, and for this particular event it would be shortened for the comfort of the visitors who may have never previously experienced such.

We formed a circle around the gathered supplies as the center fire was lit. The ceremony began with a cleansing ritual as our leader walked around the circle waving between each participant a censer with burning incense made from rosemary, sage, and other dried herbs. After the second pass, everyone knelt to the four directions inviting the blessing of our creator and honoring Mother Earth, kissing the ground before moving on to the next direction. We invoked the blessing of our maternal and paternal ancestors, favoring neither gender and honoring both.

The next part was a much wetter experience. Our shaman brought around a container of blue water for us to dip our herbs into and then swat ourselves with them. Most of the non-Mayan participants apparently did a sub-par job, for she then came around again with a much larger cluster of grasses, wet them considerably, then whacked us from head to toe with the dripping herbs. All of this was for cleansing our physical bodies for the ceremony, getting rid of undesirable odors and other such contaminants that would compromise the event.

The wind direction varied throughout the ceremony, and at any time any one of us could be standing within the thick smoke from the central fire. There were many additional candles handed out, each having their own mini ceremony before tossing them into the fire. There were candles representing the air, water, fire, fertility, seeds, income tax (!), personal health needs, and personal requests. At one point our Mayan Shaman sported a large cigar and specifically blew a smokey blessing on the cardboard Obama, and on anyone else who needed a specific blessing or prayer. She later picked up the flattened representation of our president and waved him repeatedly over the fire from all four directions. There was certainly speculation as to what the actual procedure would have been had he actually been present in place of the light weight cardboard image.

The overarching purpose of the ceremony was to pray for President Obama to lead with wisdom and compassion. Prayers were also offered for restoration and healing for the earth and her inhabitants, and for individual requests. The ceremony lasted around two and a half hours, and by the end we were thankful that it wasn't full length. Whew. It was quite interesting to see a alternate view of world politics as seen from the viewpoint of an indigenous people in a different country from our own. It reinforces the idea that we really are one huge world family, and we need to act with respect and compassion toward each other.

Mayan Treasure

The Antigua walking tour introduced us to the world of Jade. While coffee, sugar and bananas are expected Guatemalan products, we were not aware of the importance of Jade. Guatemala has become renown for reintroducing Mayan Jade to the world. The only other source of this type of stone in the world is Myanmar (formerly Burma).

"JADE" is a generic term which describes two different silicate rocks, Jadeite and Nephrite. Though relatively similar, they are quite different in terms of their mineralogical characteristics. Jadeite, the kind mined in Guatemala, is the harder and denser of the two, and possesses a richer, more brilliant range of colors. Nephrite is a carving quality stone found in many places around the word.

Due to its scarcity, Jadeite is the most precious form of Jade. In its pure state, all Jade starts our white, but due to the slight presence of other minerals, it varies in color and shade from light green to black. Imperial green is the most rare form, prized by Mayan kings and emperors.

We toured the Jade Maya factory in Antigua and learned that its founder, Mary Lou Ridinger and her husband Jay Ridinger, are the archaeologists that rediscovered the jade in Guatemala in 1974. Jade Maya was the first and still the largest Jadeite Jade factory in Central America. The source, discovered by Mary Lou Ridinger, is the same one used by the Mayan people of Mesoamerica. The jade is cut and polished in the factory in Antigua by native Guatemalan workers, who follow the carving traditions of their ancestors.

While the tour was interesting, we soon made another discovery which turned the whole experience personal. We were fortunate enough to attended an authentic Mayan ceremony lead by a local Mayan shaman (the details of which will be shared in a different blog entry). Some of the organizers were either US citizens or expats (US citizens that have permanently relocated to Guatemala). One American in particular had a noticeable presence throughout the ceremony, and at the end she requested that a picture be taken of everyone present. Afterwards, she gave us her card as a contact so we could request a copy of the photograph. The lady turned out to be Mary Lou Ridinger, the same that rediscovered Jade in Guatemala. We were stunned to find that twice now (first with Elizabeth Bell and now Mary Lou) we have had interaction with two women that have had an immense and prominent impact on the cultural and economic development of Guatemala.

Antigua on foot

Antigua never ceases to intrigue. The longer we walked the streets the more curious we became of the life hidden behind the walls. We peeked inside open door ways and entered restaurants, hotels and stores, only hoping for a glimpse of what lay beyond the thick outer perimeter. Eventually we decided that we needed some professional assistance, so we signed up for a city walking tour.

Elizabeth Bell relocated to Guatemala from Palo Alto, CA decades ago, and established a travel company in Antigua in 1992. She has been quite influential in restoring the city, and is on numerous committees and societies to both preserve and promote Antigua. While a bit abrasive at times, we agreed that she has a 'get things done' personality and 'get things done' she has! Elizabeth is a qualified city historian and has published books on Antigua's history and customs. We were fortunate to have her as our guide.

Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque influenced architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches. The city is the municipal seat and is actually made up of about 27 surrounding villages.

Antigua Guatemala means "Ancient Guatemala" and was the third capital of Guatemala. At its peak in the 1770s, the population hit 60,000 and the current population is just over half that. Due to the destruction caused by multiple earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, the Spanish crown ordered the complete evacuation of the city, and moved the capital elsewhere. The city had turned from a cultural and significant center to a ghost town practically overnight. Only within the past two decades has it again started to blossom into a thriving community. Until the advent of cell phones around the turn of the century there were only two working telephone lines in the whole city. Communication was virtually non existent except for face to face dialog until the city was recently connected to the Internet. Now it is their primary means of communication. Government offices and the city council use Facebook for official communications.

For being an ancient city, we are seeing a complete rebirth of the area, and it is exciting to see it still in the early stages of development. Next to coffee production, tourism has become the primary driving force of the economy. Hotels and restaurants are appearing rapidly to accommodate the visitors. The area is completely safe for tourists; full of charm and adventure. It is also a prime destination for weddings.

Cathedral of San Jose in Antigua

The walking tour took us through Central park, the City Hall and jail, a Jade factory, and several ruins and museums. The Cathedral of San Jose, located in the middle of the city, houses many valuable paintings and sculptures including a life sized figure of Jesus in a glass casket.

Figure of Jesus in a glass casket

Elizabeth took us to the ruins of a significant cathedral, and to the entrance of an underground tomb beneath the now defunct alter area. According to custom, the tomb is densely filled with the spirits of those interred there, and their presence can actually be captured by photography as small orbs. Our picture was definitely filled with light orbs. We got out quickly just in case one decided to get a little frisky.

Light orbs in a tomb below the ruins of a cathedral

One of our most cherished tour benefits was learning door etiquette. We discovered that any open door represented an open invitation and visitors were welcome to enter and view the interior and inner courtyard. We knew the life of the city existed inside the walls, but we were surprised at the extent. Gardens, trees and fields are not only abundant, but certain interiors are so large and spacious that no outer walls can be seen at all, giving the appearance of standing in the countryside.

View of gardens within the Antigua city walls

Trevor/Bryan/Mark on the grounds of some restored ruins

La Finca

Instead of starting the day with a nice cup of coffee, we decided to spend the whole day in it. Guatemala's climate, high altitude, fertile volcanic soil and traditional farming practices have contributed to its worldwide recognition for growing the highest quality coffee. It seemed only fitting that we take a tour of a local finca, or coffee plantation.

There are supposedly over 60,000 fincas in the country, offering a wide variety of coffees. The region of Antigua is one of the more fertile areas for the crop, and served as the perfect location for our tour.
We were picked up in downtown Antigua and tightly packed into what appeared to be an open sided army truck. Careening through the rough cobblestone streets of the city, the vehicle never missed a protruding rock or a weathered pothole. We were bounced and tossed around like coffee beans in the shelling tumbler, which we would soon be seeing.

The 142 year old Filadelfia farm has remained in the same family for four generations and is considered a medium sized coffee plantation. The farm spreads throughout a valley which is surrounded on three sides by mountains. Small villages and homes dot the ridges and high slopes above the plantation, and many of the workers live on the mountains.

Filadelfia coffee plantation

The coffee plants are basically overgrown bushes, or at most they seem like scraggly looking trees. Our tour began at the nursery. Each tree is a product of grafting an Arabica coffee plant onto the root system of a different, more robust type of coffee plant. On a good day, a single female worker can graft over 1000 saplings. The young trees stay in the nursery for at least a year before they replace older trees in the fields which have reached the end of their 24 year bean producing lifespan.

Coffee nursery

The bean harvest runs for about four months during the winter, and each plant is visited numerous times throughout the harvest season. The beans are hand picked one at a time by local workers, most of whom return each year. The beans are immediately sacked and weighed before beginning the long process of being washed, hulled, dried and bagged for market. On the day of our tour the beans were all being shipped to Japan, but the receiving companies and world destinations can vary greatly. Although the majority of the beans are shipped abroad to other coffee companies, a percentage of them are roasted on the plantation and ground into packets of coffee which can be purchased around the world under the brand R. Dalton.

The tour concluded where we began, with a nice cup of coffee.

Coffee beans are ready to be picked when they turn bright red

Coffee spread out during the drying process

The wind is not our friend

Arriving at Antigua and seeing our apartment for the first time, our first priority was to do what all electronically tethered groups do now-a-days, we checked the internet connection - only to find that there was not one. With a little effort, by the next morning we were online.
While the internet signal varied greatly throughout the apartment, we found that it was strongest in the stairwell and in the courtyard. Immediately after breakfast we gathered in the courtyard and reconnected to the world.

While focused on our electronic addictions, two local men came through the courtyard carrying a replacement refrigerator for our kitchen. We opened the front double doors to allow them access and didn't think to shut them afterward (great temperature and no bugs). Shortly thereafter a strong gust of wind slammed both doors shut and set the security lock in place. Fortunately, the housekeeper Elsa was near and through her diligent effort the door was opened again. Sounds easy enough, right? We haven't the time or space on here to adequately explain about the triple coronaries we almost had when we were first told how we'd have to wait until the next day (for a returning handyman) to regain access to our domicile.

Elsa told us that in all her years of service this had never happened before. Leave it to our crazy group to find new challenges for the locals. Oh well, we still had a happy ending with hugs all around.

El viento no esta nuestro amigo.

Bathtime

TWO: That's the important number of the day.
When it comes to bathtime, that number is particularly relevant when there are THREE people needing to shower and only TWO proper towels. Fortunately we were also given a bath mat that was big enough to double as one of the towels.

Come to find out, our shower has a window at the top.
Being on the second floor, and the window being no lower than shoulder height, it was was virtually impossible for anyone to see into the shower.

Mark, being the first to shower, noticed that he could see out the window. Standing on tippy toes he could even see into the courtyard below. Since he could see out, he apparently assumed others must be able to see in. Of course someone would have to be on a nearby roof taller than our own, and then at the top of a full sized palm tree on the roof, and then at the top of a 10 ft ladder on top of the 15 ft tree on top of the third story rooftop, and THEN they might be able to see in the window and perhaps see all the way down to the showering person's arm pits. Still, the possibility must have alarmed him so he used the one bath mat (that was to serve as a desperately needed towel) to hang in front of the window, which of course got the floor mat/towel soaking wet.
But at least no one was able to see his forehead!

Arrive: Antigua

Our first stop and primary destination for a week was Antigua. Originally a Spanish colonial settlement, Antigua was once considered the third most important city in Central America after Mexico and Lima. Today it is but a shell of its former significance but still remains an architectural and romantic treasure nestled among the fertile foothills of three volcanos. Cobblestone streets define the city interior and are lined by unbroken walls masking the many hotels, restaurants, shops and homes hidden behind the stone walls. Driving through the city was intriguing yet simple, just an endless series of walls and streets. Fortunately, colorful people and vehicles reminded us that the city was indeed still inhabited. We saw no trees, no grass, no breaks among the continuous rows of walls.
The town life, we soon discovered, was well masked by the walls. The interiors consist of large courtyards full of beautiful landscaping, restaurants, hotels, churches and homes. We even found an entire soccer field safety tucked away from the visitor's eye. It is truly a hidden city within the city walls.

Antigua city streets

Our apartment is a dual level dwelling converted from an old monastery, meticulously decorated to show off the ancient Spanish architecture. Patches of original brickwork peek through numerous walls revealing the intricate workmanship and building curiosities. Two large bedrooms fill the top floor while the main living area is below. There are three bathrooms, a small outside patio, a full kitchen, a sunken living room and a favorite of ours- an indoor grotto.
The front door of the apartment faces a courtyard shared with 7 other apartments, all of which were occupied as far as we knew. The courtyard serves as a meeting area for the residents, where daily adventures are shared and plans are exchanged and recommendations are provided. The camaraderie of the other guests has proven to be a great asset and has helped us quickly learn the secrets of the village.

View of a volcano from our apartment: This one erupted in 2012

Touchdown!

The flight from Atlanta went smoothly aside from an hour late departure. Only clouds could be seen from the plane windows until we started our descent into Guatemala. The landscape consisted of steep hills and deep valleys as far as the eye could see. The tops of most hill tops were leveled and congested with small and tightly joined homes. Most rooftops looked to be made of rusty tin, including many businesses in the towns and cities.

We landed in Guatemala City a little off schedule, but our van driver was patiently waiting and found us immediately as we exited the arrival area. Driving through the city, modern North American restaurants seemed to leap out amongst the old style buildings and shops. We spotted Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, and of course McDonald's golden arches summoning visitors to subtly participate in obesity training.

Upon first impressions, the overall appearance of the city, buildings, the people and their clothing were strongly reminiscent of old Mexico, but with one glaring exception; There was no litter anywhere, and that included both the urban and rural areas we passed through.

Sluggish Luggage

With an overnight stay in Atlanta, we were required to retrieve our checked bags. We located the carousel and discovered that only one bag had arrived. Passengers came and went, as did several other flights, until we were the only ones left. 'Round and 'round the carousel went, so empty and so lonely. The baggage assistants were kind and attentive and, for the most part, blood pressure levels stayed within safe limits. We were given hope that the missing bag may still arrive although they were not sure if the bag was actually at the airport, still in Arkansas, or perhaps on an early flight to Guatemala. At the start of an international trip, lost luggage can be quite a disadvantage. As a consolation for the inconvenience we were presented with two mini overnight bags filled with toiletries and necessities for bagless and weary travelers. Notable items included a miniature tube of Colgate that looked like an exact replica of a full sized tube yet it was so small it seemed more like a prop to the Barbie Vacation House Playset. The kit also contained what appeared to be a roll of gauze yet to our surprise unfolded into a large T-shirt, albeit paper thin and virtually transparent. There was some debate as to whether it was actually a shirt or some fancy mosquito netting sporting the Delta logo. The goodie bag momentarily distracted us from our plight but soon we found ourselves staring once more at the empty carousel. We contemplated various scenarios and looked at different options before withdrawing for a snack. We lingered for about an hour then revisited baggage claim once more before making our way to the hotel. The bag was found! It was now okay to exhale.

And they're off!

First out of the gate is Trevor, computer geek and sign language interpreter, originating from Arkansas' only National Park, the renowned spa city of Hot Springs; departing home on Sunday afternoon.
In second place we have Mark from Hot Springs Village, vacation property manager and world traveler, who was the first to actually leave Arkansas on a Monday morning flight out of Little Rock.
Quickly advancing from last place we have Bryan, hometown philosopher and yoga instructor, who joined up with Trevor in Fort Smith where the two proceeded to Fayetteville for an evening flight to Atlanta.

Thanks to the miracle of technology, trip preparation was easier than ever using our electronic devices. We were inundated with new "e" and "i" technology. We booked our eTickets on our iPads and checked in with eBoarding on our iPhones. Even our packing was simplified by using iPacking on our iDevices, although we purposefully left out some of the suggested items such as the 'bikini', 'tuxedo' and 'universal/functional underwear'.

Trip planning and pre-travel arrangements went smoothly, but as departure times neared it became a race to the airport between us and Mother Nature. A looming winter storm was quickly approaching and threatening our travel. Temperatures were in the 20s and parts of Arkansas were already experiencing snowfall and school closures. Mark made it to the airport in clear weather but Jill, his ride to the airport, was stranded on icy roads during her return home and was rescued by her husband. Trevor and Bryan were escorted to the airport without incident by Bryan's yoga partner Andrea and her husband David. Upon clearing security in the Fayetteville airport we were met with the concourse music system playing Karen Carpenter singing "We've only just begun". We looked at each other and smiled. The trip was on!

Trevor                                             Bryan                                             Mark

Welcome

Welcome friends and family to our Guatemala 2013 trip blog.

The primary purpose of this blog is to serve as a journal of our trip for our own future reference. We have discovered that even the most memorable trip or events can slip into the realms of forgetfulness. By writing it down we hope to keep our adventures alive indefinitely.

The secondary purpose of this blog is to allow our friends and family to experience the journey with us. We all know people that go off on some exotic vacation and all we can expect from their journey is a slide show of hundreds of photographs for which we have no point of reference. How much better the experience to have a descriptive explanation to accompany the pictures.

Another reason for this blog is to educate future travelers. In preparation for our trip we were full of questions and concerns about what to expect, what to pack and where to go or not to go. These, among many other questions, kept us busy searching the internet for answers and usually resulted in limited or varied success. We are making this blog complete enough so it can act as a ‘How to’ guide, so to speak, for others wanting to visit the same country.

We hope that you will enjoy reading this blog as much as we will enjoy writing it, and will adequately be able to visualize the sights, sounds and experiences as they transpire. Welcome to Guatemala; we’re glad you’ve chosen to come along.

Trevor, Bryan and Mark