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.