GUATEMALA & MÉXICO 2021

In late October 2021 I made my first trip to Guatemala since the Fall of 2019.

The next morning I woke up and enjoyed my first typical Guatemalan breakfast in nearly 2 years at my favorite hotel in Guatemala City (Villa Toscana), enjoyed people watching at the airport while waiting for our friend Mynor‘s brother to arrive from Canada to share a ride with me, and survived a serious bout of car sickness en route to Lake Atitlán (not pictured).

I was grateful to be included in a luncheon celebrating the life of Manual Cortez, a friend of mine and the father of one of our dearest friends in Guatemala, Mynor.

One of the (3-4' wide) soup pots

One of several nearly as massive pots of rice - a friend dropped her beer bottle into the photo for perspective. 

From the dining room window of Ti Wachooch, our little apartment in San Pedro, I watched neighbor kids flying and unsticking kites, then this ethereal sunset from the terrace, and, stomach recovered, feasted on luncheon leftovers. 

 

One of my first tasks the next morning was securing food. Here you see: a produce stall in the market with women vying for fresh meat in the background, egg stall action, an odd potato, what I came home with, and the result of an hour of disinfecting and preparing fruit and vegetables to simplify meal prep for the next week.

 

New things in San Pedro since my last visit:

New construction viewed out of the living room window that looks old

A new service station down the block with all new paving that looks old (but the puppies look new)

 A few of the many new murals around town

The covid19 vaccination station by the municipal building - thrilled to see that one!

That evening I had all the windows wide open, enjoying the first hard rain of my visit and then the power went out. Minutes later it came back on to the cheers of neighbors coming in from all sides. ❤️

I visited the cemetery a few times/day for 4 days to watch the preparations for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and for the flowers and candles and music. It was a quieter version this year because of covid rules.

In addition to two lunches out with expat friends, I was invited to Mynor’s mother’s house for a ladies lunch, again, in celebration of the life of his father, Manuel. 

A babysitter with the kids

Josefa (Mynor’s wife) was wearing this apron/skirt combination; with permission I took a photo of her lap 😊 

One morning Mynor, Josefa, their older son Manuel, and their 4 dogs (2 pugs, a beagle, and a golden retriever that guards their lake property), and I started a hike predawn. I enjoyed the gorgeous views and flowers as well as the exercise and good company.

Josefa and Molly with 10,000’ Volcán San Pedro in the background

Mynor and I took more than 70 families shopping for food and household items - a wild, productive, and emotional experience. Here are a few of the 100+ photos I took.

I love how their blouses match each other’s skirts. 😍 

I attended a graduation that included 5 of our Beca Project students - a big reason I generally visit in the fall and such a happy, proud time for everyone in the room. It was quicker than usual due to covid protocols - an hour compared to the typical 3+ hours. Not complaining. 😊

One morning bright and early I left with Mynor and Josefa and their sons Manuel and Antonio for Xela, Guatemala’s 2nd largest city. We made a quick stop for this view of the lake and volcanoes.

We had a nice breakfast out and headed to the Fuentes Georginas hot springs. We had this pool to ourselves for the first half hour. The temperature ranged from a nice bath temperature to too hot to tolerate near the rocks at the back.

The long and winding road between Xela and the hot springs passes through some of the richest agricultural land in the country.

We stopped at a mall (in part so I could book shop for students) and then had a nice lunch before heading back to San Pedro.

I visited the families of 26 new Beca Project students who started in 2020 and 2021. Mike and I have 2 new students I hadn't met yet including Paulina (right).

Baby sister napping in a hammock

Maria Guadalupe is our other new student. So happy to finally meet these bright-eyed girls and their families!

Our daughter Mariah and her husband Greg have 2 new students, Domingo...

...and Cristina

Here's our son Isaac and his wife Tara’s Rosalia (center) with her family.

Every visit I run into dozens of our Beca Project graduates. 

Rosemary (a graduate of Mariah and Greg’s) and her daughter 

Mike's sister Marla and and her husband Mark’s university student Candelaria

Juan Navichoc and son

Hitting the town with Dorcas

Mariano is the owner of a popular clothing shop

Vicente Hermalinda

Josefa Angelina and family

My life-long friend Susie Jones arrived and visited her own new Beca Project student, Juan.

She took her Beca graduate Karina (right) and Karina's whole family out for dinner including her husband (left), grandma, mom, and siblings; a nice evening, gratefully received by all of us.

We went on a wonderful birding trip with guide Rolando Tol Gonzalez and Mynor and his family. We took a pre-dawn boat across the lake to Santiago Atitlán and piled into the back of a pickup for the ride to Los Tarrales Reserve. 

We enjoyed the hike and returned to the lodge area and more birds.

After breakfast we headed out again, on an adventurous hike to a waterfall.

We went out to eat in San Lucas Toliman and the birding continued over lunch.

The weeks had flown by! Susie and I headed to Guatemala City for an afternoon in the museums at La Universidad Francisco Marroquín. We stayed at Villa Toscana near the airport ahead of our flight to Cancún México.

Museo Popol Vuh (Archaeology)

Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena (Indigenous Textiles and Clothing)

We flew from Guatemala City to Cancún México, shuttled to the dock, and took a ferry to Isla Mujeres. 

We stayed in one of Candelario's Apartments; Mike and I stayed in a 1 bedroom unit 12 years ago and Susie and I had a 2 bedrom unit - comfortable and right in the heart of town. 

We shopped and ate some meals in and some out.

Family run Al Natural, just around the corner from our apartment, was our favorite. Over and over. 😍

We did a little shopping (University of Oregon Maya god!)

The main goal of our stay on Isla Mujeres was diving. We dove 3 days (6 tanks) with Aqua Adventures.

Here are some highlights:

Me and a friend

One of hundreds of installations in MUSA, the underwater museum of art.

Susie (right) and me

Our last full day we rented a golf cart and headed to the south end of the island where there is a small Maya site and hiking trails down to the stunning blue water. 

We accomplished the testing and registration steps to pass the covid inquiry at the airport, crossed back on the ferry, shuttled to the airport, and flew our separate ways: Susie flew to El Salvador for the the winter and I headed home.

SO GREAT to be traveling again after 2 years of sticking close. This trip met my dreams. ❤️

If you'd like to see the complete sets of photos for this trip, check out the collection on my Flickr site HERE.

HAPPY TRAILS!