I scream, you scream: Guatemala: Part 2

You will see everything in Guatemala. You look over, and WHAM! Something you've never seen before. My favourite: overturned melon truck. Melons EVERYWHERE!

Guatemala was a near-perfect trip. Anything that we had done with mom was lovely to do again. It was great to think about her in that context: being SUCH an adventurer. She was so happy there. What a traveler. She would have loved to have met Eduardo, I’m happy we got to see him as a little guy. He smiles with his whole mouth wide open. He was mostly afraid of Kath, Caryn and me, and would scream when we were near (but he also screamed when we left: “LAS NINAAAAAAS!!! So that’s nice).






















RED BANANAS! A REALITY.


The west coast was new for us this time. When you go to the coast you don’t see the ocean (too polluted!), instead you go to a giant resort. It’s big and it’s immaculate and Disney-land-esque, but you don’t feel like your ethics are compromised. Yes, all the worker are Guatemalan BUT so are 99% of the guests! I guess everyone in the country pays a sort of... vacation tax... and then they are able to go on holidays locally very cheaply (for example, the rollarcoasters etc were 50 cents).

As someone who loves water parks, I can assure you that the water park was fantastic: the best I’ve ever seen. The Guatemalans know how to do water parks. They know everyone just wants mat rides and to go in trains. So, yep, that’s what most of the slides are. And that’s why Caryn’s lungs were right in my ear when I bore witness to the most terrified scream I have ever heard. Her throat is still sore to this day.

Me: “So, are there many tourists right now because of Christmas?”
Martin (our driver): “There are no tourists.”
Us: (confused silence)
Martin: “There is a no-travel advisory on Guatemala right now.”
Us: (more confused silence)
Martin: “You know, cause of the war up north.”
Us: (slightly embarrassed silence)

Guatemala (we speak no americano)

First thing is first:  open THIS in a new browser to listen to as background music.  Then proceed.  

Its been practically a month since we got back from Guatemala and we have not whispered a word about it!  This may just be part one (aka Caryn’s account), which may or may not be followed by part two (aka Alison’s account).

So yes- we were in Guatemala for around 9 days over Christmas time, spending time with Wendy, Louis, their 1 1/2 year old Edwardo  and other family members.  Wendy is a friend of Alison’s family- she lived with them for 3 months during a Canada world youth exchange. 

We spent 3 days in Xela (where Wendy and Louis live), then 3 days at the coast, then a couple of days in Antigua.  Each place was very different from the last.  A very diverse trip.  Lots of fun.

Instead of boring you with many words, here are some pictures :)

Christmas decorations- This frosty looked a little out of place to say the least.  In Xela, where we first stayed, it was around 5 or 10 degrees in the morning/night, but got up to about 25 during the days.

In Xela we visited the Cementerio General, which is a large and sprawling cemetery, full of colorful headstones and family crypts.  According to legend, Vanushca Cárdenas Barajas was a gypsy girl who fell in love with a wealthy young Spaniard. However his parents forbade the union, and Vanushca died of a broken heart when this boy was sent to Spain (and she was told that he had died). People visit Vanushca’s grave and offer flowers or will paint her grave, with hopes that she will help them with love favors or other things.  Her grave is covered in graffiti recording these requests.

 Ralph, Katherine, Alison and I in the cemetery.  The cemetery's outer wall is a continuous row of tombs stacked four high, and painted a variety of colors.  There were many local people around in the graveyard, cleaning, decorating and 'flowering' their family members graves and tombs.  This is very common for people in Guatemala to do before Christmas.

 This was a church in Antigua, at night.  I know nothing else about it- but i thought it was beautiful.  There is a lot of spanish architecture in Antigua... it is a very cool place!

 A picture of Wendy, Her mother in law, and Eduardo (who is adorable!).  Eduardo has one speed: RUN.  He is a very very sweet kid.

Alison, Kath, and I on Christmas Eve with our Scarves (which we wore quite a bit in Xela!)  It was cold at night- and their houses are made of cement- which keeps them quite cool during the day!

So back to the song:  I heard it frequently in Guatemala... and it definitely got stuck in my head for the entire flight(s) back to Canada. 

Is it stuck in your head yet?