Guatemala!!

I've delayed my blog about Guatemala because well between babysitting, catching up with people, and my new bedtime I have created. I've been to tired and busy..:/

Here it goes.

While waiting in the Airport I thought I was going to die. I was so anxious to get there and see some place new I didn't want to wait. Although it was worth while. I flew over in First Class. The food is not that bad. It was salad, bread, chicken and veggies, and then some ice cream!!! YUM!

I got to Guatemala City's Airport at around noon. And Just from looking outside the window I was already falling in love. They have so much green there! It was awesome to see mountains, and tree's like everywhere. The house that I stayed at in Antigua was beautiful. It was difficult at first on the ears because of the altitude which got to 1900 meters. :) But with the help of gum I was able to survive.

They have awesome food too. Like simple stuff to start, their Queso Spread is awesome. I must check the stores here to see if we have. Their sausage's are awesome. For breakfast they eat eggs; anyway you want, sausage, beans of some sort, fruit and fried plantains. I was in heaven.

The Hotel we ate breakfast at Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo. That was the view from up on the roof.

It was difficult for me to speak only spanish but I got the hang of it. Although I'm sure that any traces of my improvement are being wiped away as I type. Since I don't exercise it as often as I should.

Anyway, the first Sunday away we headed to Florence. Which is where we were going to head off to Tikal.

The 4 hour walk around Tikal was amazing. The history around you, the animals, the fresh air and all of those steps. I have never seen so many stairs at once in my life. I was sore for 4 days after. After those 4 days there was still a little bit of pain but I was able to stand it.

After Tikal we took a 3 hour bus ride to catch a boat ride through Rio Dulce to Livingston. That place was so tropical and well beautiful. I really didn't take photos there though. I never had my bag on me when I was walking around and of course didn't have my camera.

But I did witness a ton of handmade coconut purses that were to die for so I bought one for my sister that was only 50 quetzal! Which is somewhere between like 6 or so dollars! The last night I was there which was the 6th I saw a festival of sorts. It was a celebration for Kings that the people dress up in homemade outfits, head dress and all, and shells around the legs that when they danced made a graceful soft clinking noise. They walked down the streets and when someone payed they would settle down. Get chairs for the ones on the drums and begin the music. The voices of the women who belched out loud words I could not understand was breath taking. The dancing of the children and elders was enchanting. It was a show. Something that could never be captured in a theatre or movie. Because they had such belief behind their every word and move.

Dia del Reys was a also night of good fish. I cant remember her name but a woman who is friends with my aunt invited us to dinner and it was fish, fries, and a radish salad. Everything but the salad was cleared off. I cleaned my fish, and left only its fragile yet lethal bones behind. That I did not even once almost eat. :)

After Livingston we went back to Guatemala. My aunt took me to a tour of Antigua, where I learned that it used to be the capital of Guatemala, but because of the floods had to be moved and is now Guatemala City. We saw how they made Jade, as in shaping and smoothing. I got a pair of earring's (studs) and a necklace with real Jade for only $63! I swear I want to shop there all the time! The cathedrals there are old and half missing but beautiful, so much story behind them. And well yea, it was an amazing trip. I cant even believe I went. Oh and their McDonald's, and Pizza Hut is so much better. :) And their Taco Bell is 2 stories high..

I met a lot of awesome kind people that didn't mind my horrible accented spanish. And well they made it hard to want to leave. Cause I really wouldn't have minded staying. If only it weren't for my horribly cute and adorable nephew! Oh and the driving their is so scary! Those people need to learn how to drive. I'm referring to their bus drivers that don't know how........... But something I noticed outside of Guatemala, in Livingston and Florence was that all the drivers, while driving acknowledged one another. And everywhere you went didn't matter where, if you were walking and someone came by, you said hello to them as well. Talk about awesome. If you did that here someone would probably flick you off and resume their horrible lives.

I hope to go again. To see the Volcano of Water as they say, that is still well in the works. That one is in Antigua right by where I was staying. To see the green, to shop in the shops, and just enjoy it. It was a great vacation!

I love Guatemala!!!!!