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Mateo Matateo - Matt "Bling-Bling" Wendling

Mateo Matateo is a rough-rambler, professional gambler who is cruising on the guero highway. He resides in the midst of gunfights and ballroom dancing the city of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. There are reports that 37 men have died at the hands of this outlaw, however, statistics always come up short. He´s been married 12 times and travels with a pack of vicious poodles who have their fur dyed (suited to his pleasure, of course). Though you might think as the kind of guy you do not want to face in the street, you are correct. In his spare time, he writes love-struck ballads in all the Romance languages.

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Joined on: June 7th 2006
Last Login: January 16th 2008

Blog Entries: 24
Photos: 309

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Blogs & Travel Journals

by Mateo Matateo, order by Date newest first.

By Mateo Matateo
February 19th 2007

more random fotos Central America Caribbean » Guatemala

Xela Graffiti

2007 [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
December 27th 2006

Navidad en Guatemala Central America Caribbean » Guatemala

Comandante Mateo

So, it´s about 3 months late, but oh well. After La Megan left, Christmas came. Here there is more emphasis on the 24th than the 25th. So on December 24th Kriss came by to get me around 6 in the evening and her and I went to church. It was interesting to say the least. It was like something on TV, I couldn´t believe what I was watching. A huge theatrical production, well put together with a storyline (no preaching) which told the story of Christmas which was augmented by song and dance. A band of about 20 people played the [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
December 27th 2006

La Visita de la Megan Central America Caribbean » Guatemala

What Up

On December 13, Megan came to visit. I left Xela for Antigua to pass the night there before heading to Guatemala City to get her at the airport. Not much exciting happened in Antigua, I actually went to sleep very early because I had gotten up at 4 am the day I left Xela. I got a ride to Antigua with the school. A man from Oregon has been fundraising for the past few years to get money for the La Pedrera Project (to visit our site, which has a history and information on the project, go here: http://www.casaxelaju.com/pedrera/) through Casa [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
November 20th 2006

The Feet of Heaven Central America Caribbean » Guatemala » Volcan Tajumulco

Happy Trekker

Well, I finally did it! For a while now I had really been aching to get out and go camping. In Boone, NC it is so easy to just head out for a day or two. But here I can really only go on day trips which are nice but after awhile, just don´t do it for me. I knew I had wanted to do a hike with Quetzaltrekkers for a long time now, but I was worried cause it costs about $50 US to do the hike (though it includes gear, food, transportation when not hiking, etc) and since I [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
November 15th 2006

Zaculeu Central America Caribbean » Guatemala

Riding in Style to Huehuetenango

So on Saturday the 11th, we went to Zaculeu (meaning "White Earth" in Mam-Maya), which is just outside of Huehuetenango to the north of Xela. We couldn´t have been any luckier with the weather, crystal blue skies, not much wind, no rain, and warmth of the sun (but not too much). We got on a bus at the Minerva Terminal and to our suprise there was a TV and DVD player at the front. So instead of Ranchera music, reggaeton, or cheezy 80s music, we got to watch Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was great! In [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
November 10th 2006

High Tide in Champerico Central America Caribbean » Guatemala » The Pacific Coast

Champerico Sunset

The last weekend in October I took students to Champerico, a beach town about 3 hours from Xela. It is definitely nothing to write home about (but ironically that is exactly what I am doing now) but it was certainly a nice change of climate and pace from the cold city of Xela. However, what happened is kinda interesting. We decided to go for a swim. I told the students to be careful because the undertow is very strong in Champerico. This is due to the fact that it was formerly a major port for exporting fish and other mariscos (seafood) [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
October 27th 2006

Just Random Pictures Central America Caribbean

Cloudy Day in Xela

Well I decided to make this a section just for random photos (hence the name). This way I can show you little blurbs of what is going on without boring you or I. Also, this is good because lets face it, I´m not too good about updating this thing, but I will be much more inclined (I think) if it is only an explanation of some photos. Gracias. Mateo [View Full Entry]

a littel rock jumping with the dedo pequeño

By Mateo Matateo
October 17th 2006

Takalik Abaj Central America Caribbean » Guatemala » The Pacific Coast

its a croc

On a Sunday morning we headed out of Xela for the coast. First to Reu, then to El Asintal, and finally a pickup that took us to Las Ruinas de Takalik Abaj. The name Takalik Abaj, which was until recently known as Abaj Takalik (wow! big difference I know), means "Stopped Stone". It was a pre-Classic site and is not very interesting for the average site-goer, but for someone who is interested and has read about the religious, cultural, and political significance of this place it is incredibly saturated with interesting tidbits. I had never been here before so I had [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
October 2nd 2006

San Felipe y Francisco Vela Central America Caribbean » Guatemala » The Pacific Coast » San Felipe » Cant n Francisco Vela

Porch view at Jaime´s crib

This past weekend I went to the country with my friend Jaime who works in the office with me. He is the cousin of the owner of the school. They are both originally from Francisco Vela, a canton (kinda like a suburb, but more country and not ´rich´ part of the surrounding area of a town) of the pueblo of San Felipe which is down the mountain and alot warmer. On Saturday we hiked La Muela which is just outside of Xela and then in the afternoon we headed to San Felipe, the municipalidad of Jaime´s pueblo. When we got off [View Full Entry]

By Mateo Matateo
September 29th 2006

Long Time Central America Caribbean » Guatemala » Lago de Atitlan » San Pedro La Laguna

tres amigos

I know, I am really lazy, but sorry, I´ve been living and not wasting my spare time on the internet. Things are going here, new adventures (which are often always the same) happen daily. I remember one morning, we left here (Xela) at 8 am on a Saturday morning. It was almost still dark out and clouds filled the views, giving everyone awake slight chills. We made our way to the bus terminal, a grudgey, gross place and a long ugly walk from where one urban mini-bus drops you off to the massive bus Terminal called Minerva. Here you can find [View Full Entry]

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