Guatemala...after 30 years

I was in the Peace Corps as a youth development volunteer in Guatemala from 1984-86. Since then, Tom and I have traveled back every 10 years.

I'm relaxing with Adlai Stevenson at the Bloomington-Normal airport. Tom and I traveled with 3 carry on bags.

Guatemala is a 3.5 hour flight from Atlanta. Our hotel was a few blocks from this hopping joint called El Establo.

Pineapple stands are a common sight along CA 1 (Central America Route 1) which leads to El Salvador.

This was taken at the sports complex in Jalapa where Marta and I worked with Mario & Francisco. Tom and I spent the night with Mario and his family. In this picture, Mario is next to me in the striped shirt. Garca, the other guy in the photo, also worked at the complex with us and just happened to be at the complex last Sunday! After 30 years the complex was a pleasant place with lots of shady trees.

Mario and Veronica's kids, Melissa and Jorge Mario, were a lot of fun. Melissa is 15 and Jorge Mario is 19. He is an elementary school teacher.

"My" pool.

Doña Maria is going strong at 82. She was the queen of last year's big parade and walked the entire 2 kilometers!

This photo was taken between Monjas and Jalapa looking off towards Asuncion Mita and El Salvador.

Here is the "chicken bus" Unidos Jalapanecos that we used to ride back and forth to Guatemala City. It is a 2 lane road but you can see that there's a jeep passing the bus - so we were three abreast. Tom delights in driving in Guatemala. He says those Guatemalan drivers are so efficient.

Bamboo forest in the Quetzal Nature Preserve near Coban. We awoke early to search for quetzal birds but didn't see any. Guatemala's currency features quetzal birds, and Tom claimed the only quetzals he saw were flying out of his wallet.

Hiking in the Biotopo del Quetzal cloud forest.

Tom and I had dinner with Edwin outside Coban. When we met years ago Edwin was a law student at the University of San Carlos. Now he is an appellate court judge and, in about 5 years, he will try to become a supreme court judge for the country. 

Our sommelier doubled as an armed night watchman.

Guatemalan breakfast featuring fried platanos, tortillas spread with black beans and topped with a fried egg, cheese, and salsa.

The spectacular drive en route to Semuc Champey.

No hay nada como una Coca Cola hecho en Guatemala.

Oops.

Seemingly every piece of land is cultivated. Even the pine tree branches are hacked off to sell.

This was our most remote hotel. It was after dinner at this place that I was stricken with the Guatemalan "slimming" process.

The central park in Antigua has a wi fi zone! Tom couldn't help but comment that the señorita in the fountain wasn't hitting on all cylinders.

Working the terraces

The famous arch across 5a Avenida in Antigua with La Merced in the background.

La familia Recinos. I lived with Hugo, Sara, Judith, and Carlos as a PC trainee outside Antigua. Sara's husband, Victor, passed away in January.

Tom at Dona Luisa's restaurant in Antigua.

 Macaws at the lovely Hotel Antigua.

 Hotel Antigua

"Guate, Guate"  the bus to Guatemala City.

The last night in Antigua with the Agua volcano enshrouded in the background.

While not the same owners, this is the place where Marta and I used to eat pizza in Antigua. 

Agua volcano taken from our beautiful digs at the Hotel Antigua.