Last week was my spring break from school. MOm and Dad came for the occasion and we torn this country apart. Well not really, be we sure did see lots of it!
We started off in Antigua (ease them into the chaos of Guate) . We went to the market there and to see some ruins. At night we went to a veneration of an idol that would be processed around the city on Good Friday. This church grounds were FULL of people and stalls and things to buy. It looked like a fair grounds. We go there just in time to hear the band tune up. Dad was shocked at the number of tubas in it! We listened to them for a little bit and then went on our way. But it was quite a site to see and hear!
From Antigua we went to Coban which is in the North of the country. It is about an 6 hour bus ride or well, shuttle ride. We were quite tight in the shuttle, but we made good time. There isnt all that much to do in Coban itself. We tried to go to a museum but it is no more! to translate directly. So, since it was raining, there wasn't much to do...we went on a search for a coffee place or a bar... found a weird mix of the two.
We decided to go to the hotel restaurant for dinner. We were shocked when we discovered they did not serve wine (mom was ready to leave) but we decided to have some good ol' Gallos instead. (Guatemala's fav beer!) The next morning we got into another shuttle and went to Semuc CHampey... a natural park. There we hiked a mountain (it was like straight up, but mom and dad trooped to the top...even I made it! haha) to a gorgeous mirador. The view was of the natural pools that are on, what is basically, a natural limstone bridge. Under these baths, a river rushes by...when we were down by the pools and peering over to see the river and the rapids our guide looked at the and said: 2 ppl die here, if you fall in..no life for you! I laughed... probably not the reaction he was looking for! After lunch we swam the pools. So they are on a downward slant. So you get to the edge of pool one and jump into pool 2... and you keep going down. between pools 3 and 4 jumping doesn't work and you must instead slide on your bum down... fun times! when we got to the bottom..or well pool 6 we had another view of the lake...just about a mile down stream, since it was under us the whole time! We looked around for a way out of the pools when our guide started climbing up the waterfall... (whaaaaa?). We climbed back towards pool 1. It was nuts but so much fun and I cant wait to go again..but I think I will skip the hike! haha
From there we were supposed to go visit some bat caves..but didnt because of time. and we returned to the coban.
The foloowing day we left Coban and drove forever to Panajachel! Oh Pana, of the lake! It was great! THis is Good Friday we are talking about now. We got into Panna around 2, changed our clothes from the 5.5 hour drive and went for awalk, vowing basically never to sit again. We did some shopping at the markets, found and ATM etc. Then heard that the Procession for Good Fridya was coming down the main street in a little bit of time. So... we got ourselves front row seats at a little restaurant bar, had Margaritas and waited to see it! It was breath taking.
The carpets you see are what they make on the group before the procession. The idols they carry are considered sacred and must not touch the sinful ground of our world. These beautiful designs are made int he soul purpose of destroying them. (walking over them destroys them).
After the procession we had dinner and early to bed.
The next day we took a boat on the lake to go to a couple of little towns. By this point Pana was so fully saturated with people that we were happy to go to some quite quaint towns instead of the masses. We found a little store which sells items made by the moms of the student's at the local school. The proceeds go to help the school.
We came across a soccer match and watched for a little bit. And of course, had some fresh pineapple and mango juice in a little restaurant.
On Sunday we wondered around town. Went to the nature reserve and hiked another mountain. Much lest steep than Semuc's. This is the same place Alicia and I did the Zip LIning.
Sunday late afternoon we went for a late lunch and then walked up to the cathedral to go to church. The church was beautiful and packed! It was interesting to follow Catholic Mass in Spanish...mom and I were quite out of our element, not knowing when to do what... whenever I find myself in a Catholic church I have a missal to follow!! Dad had far less trouble remembering masses of his youth.
From there, back to Guate city on Monday.
Tuesday mom and dad visited my class. The kids were thrilled to meet them and very sad when they left. On Thursday one girl kept asking me: are your parents in the sky or in Canada now?
They asked them lots of questions, including their ages... were they ever shocked when dad told them how old he was... they were like : AHLA! (there favourite saying)... haha
And that is our week in a nutshell.
Once mom gets me some pictures I will add some. Here are some I took with my telephone..sorry for the crappy quality!
ox
