Category Archives: Guatemala

Rocinante’s Repairs or Restoring the Timeline

We seem to have gotten a little out of synch here. My description of Joe’s Mud Bath concerned events that actually preceded by a good week those described in Elizabeth’s comments on Christmas in Ciudád Guatemala. So in the interest … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Gear, Guatemala, Itinerary | 2 Comments

Further on down the road

When we last left our heroes, they were coasting into Salamá, after a prolonged hot and dusty drive through the mountains. The next morning, we rose at our usual leisurely hour, and began an easy drive into Cobán, the stepping-off … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Family, Guatemala, Mayan, Nature, photos, Religion | 8 Comments

Christmas in Guatemala II

We spent most of last week hanging out in Guatemala City while Rocinante was being repaired. Our hotel, the rambling and comfortable Hotel Spring, was in the historic district, near the central square, the police headquarters, and the famous 6 … Continue reading

Posted in Guatemala, Religion | 5 Comments

Rocinante Redux

Our van has been a stalwart, faithful conveyance. For the most part. It’s taken us along highways, byways and barely-there-ways. It does have its share of quirks and idiosyncrasies: early on, the driver’s window stopped working and needed to be … Continue reading

Posted in Gear, Guatemala, Preparation | 4 Comments

Christmas in Guatemala

I was loitering in the streets of Antigua with our housemate and fellow student, Frances, waiting for our pedicure appointments, when a funeral came into view. Children scattered flower petals in the street; the mourners followed, dressed all in somber … Continue reading

Posted in Culture, Guatemala, Religion, Time | 5 Comments

Shiny

Thinking of having dental work done?

Posted in Guatemala, Health | 3 Comments

Volcán Pacaya

While still in Antigua, we celebrated the end of our first week of school by getting up at 5:00 a.m to climb a volcano. It was the third time in the past month that we found ourselves up, dressed, and … Continue reading

Posted in Family, Guatemala, Nature | 7 Comments

Antigua

Antigua is to Guatemala as Austin is to Texas. It’s charming, you can get a cappuccino with soy milk, and it’s chock full of non-natives. All the language schools here (and there are many) operate on the no curriculum/individualized lesson … Continue reading

Posted in Food, Guatemala, Itinerary | 3 Comments

Back on the road

When we talked to people in and around Tikal, they all agreed that it would take about seven hours to drive from there to Antigua, our next destination. We had arranged to spend a week in Antigua, attending one of … Continue reading

Posted in Guatemala, Itinerary | 4 Comments

Tikal at Dawn

We had set out from San Ignacio early in the day (well, early for us, anyway), and had crossed the Belize-Guatemala border with no trouble at all. Although a visit to the ruins of the Mayan city of Tikal is … Continue reading

Posted in Buildings, Culture, Guatemala, Itinerary, Mayan, Nature | 4 Comments