In descending order of visitation:
Semuc Champey | Other | Sumpango | Lago Átitlan | Guate & Antigua | Tikál
Semuc Champey:
Cable bridges with Amy, Jamie, Edi, and Nina
New Year’s Eve with Adrian, Sam, Johanna, and Remy
Edi being cool =)
Other:
$3 chicken fried rice in Rio Dulce _after_ I ate more than my fill.
Green Routes, the best routes of course. The shuttle to Semuc Champey — the only place in Guatemala I say people “must” go.
Sumpango for the Día de los Santos Kite Festival:
seriously, I cannot even believe the detail in these kites. they look painted, but it’s just super labor-intensive crepe-paper-layering.
yes, bienvenidos indeed
the man from corn
messages of doom and hope
and a gajillion people
a team of young women made the only kite that actually got up in the air.
Lago Átitlan:
the noisy noisy church in Pana
mitch — he was my favorite house kitty. 16 years young and looking like a true war hero =)
Johann, me and Mr Mitch, Mama Debora, y Josh
the view on my route between home and school
mr mitch
Sr Juan Carlos Chavajay is an amazing artist and renowned lecturer on all things Maya and he wrote my name on the board! (also my nahual is Baatz)
Jeanette, Nicole, y yo con nuestra guia.
it looks like heaven now, but in a few years it will probably all be under water …
paradise flooded
Jeanette gets a bit fancy
the main church in Santa Cruz La Laguna
Map of the pueblo painted on the side of the main church
Painting of the lake on the side of the main church
tree fungi
los volcanes
a butterfly that died on my dorm bed frame (Sunshine 2) at La Iguana Perdida
Guate & Antigua:
the view from Dr Fred’s condo
see that big building directly center with the flag painted on it? I had the BEST pumpkin ice cream there! what do you mean you don’t see it? 😉
a giant flag
Aura Nineth, my first Spanish teacher — this is also my first professional futbal/soccer game and the home team won!
an ancient form of transport in front of an ancient church in an ancient city
(more of the church)
Cerro del Cruz and Citibank
The Lactation Fountain! once upon a time the women didn’t want to feed their babies so the men killed them and erected this fountain in the ladies’ “honor”. yep, seriously.
the arco, former nunnery
mas antiguenan ruinas
el volcan — except I don’t know which one …
soooo much pink in Dona Julia’s house
mystery sand on the bed — turned out to be the crumbs from feasting termites
termite crumbs close up — just before Dona Julia swept them on to the floor …
Tikál & Flores:
neat view across the lake in Flores
Model of Tikal at the park entrance
Ronnie (named for Ronald Reagan, or so he claims), a most excellent guide
I had mariposas on the brain after hours of fun con mis sobrinos 😉
the ceiba tree — it’s huge and symbolic
I climbed the only pyramid people are still permitted to climb (it has a proper walkway and everything) — yay me!