Blogs from Guatemala City, Capital Region, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 2

So here I am sitting on the roof of the UPAVIM building, looking at the beautiful view of the volcanoes off in the distance, and eating a dinner of black beans, a roll, and fried plantains. I can hear several evangelical preachers around the neighborhood blaring their amplified sermons and songs. Ladies are in the street calling out the wares they are selling… “¡Aguacate!” (Avocados), “¡Elotes!” (roasted corn on the cob), “¡Tamales!” and so forth. There are dogs barking, roosters crowing, and children playing in the streets. The heavy base beat from music coming from nearby homes permeates the air. This is no longer exotic for me, but an atmosphere to drink in when I arrive. Ah, yes, I’m back in Guatemala! I’ve been treated very well here. This makes me think that the picture we ... read more

Yesterday was when I officially started my journey to Guatemala; I had a flight that left from Calgary at 7:15pm and took me to LA where I’d have to board another plane to Houston, and then from Houston to Guatemala. Let me take it back even one more day; I woke up on Sunday feeling like I was getting sick, it was a devastating feeling to say the least. Shortly after waking up I immediately started taking Vitamin C pills like they were candy, as well as taking some of my homeopathic medicine. Sunday night I took Tylenol extra strength cold and flu to knock me out so that come Monday I’d be –somewhat –okay to fly. Monday finally rolls around and at first it’s all going smoothly, it feels like I have all of the ... read more

I am loving being here. It felt like coming home... only better. I arrived I Guatemala City and collected the boxes of donated materials I brought from baggage, and sailed through customs in 10 minutes with only one box opened and a "Welcome to Guatemala". Rolling the boxes outside, I was met by two women from UPAVIM who treated me like a princess. They took me by the bank to get my money changed and stopped to get a drink... I was VERY thirsty. I really didn't expect anyone to notice that I was coming back. I certainly didn't expect the royal treatment! Arriving at UPAVIM, there were lots of hugs and kisses and "¡Bienvenidos!". Last year, I really should have paid attention to those around me, because I didn't remember some of the ... read more

Arrival ************* And so we arrive, a little frazzled without our bags, but just happy to be somewhere close to bedtime. With taxi overpaid for, we set off to the central hotel we've booked. Easy peasy we think. Er, not quite. It turns out that Hotel Colonial, 7th avenida is far from enough of an address for a taxi driver to be able to find a place. And so begins one of the longest, silliest taxi journeys I recall being in. It goes like this: Guatemalan cities are divided into zones, every zone has a 7th avenida, there are 19 zones; but that's ok, we're confident we're looking for zone 1; except, every zone is divided into a grid of avenidas and streets, and without both, you are lost. So, our taxi driver knows we are ... read more

I´ve safely arrived in Guatemala, though my luggage was left behind in Houston. On my third flight, I was lucky enough to get a window seat (though unlucky enough to be next to an American man who talked dourly of the 'socialist' President who is 'trying to take our guns away'. When I could get away from his fascinating conversation, the view was of an endless network of green-brown steep valleys and hillsides beneath a scattering of cloud. "Oh, look, the mountains," I thought. A short discussion about the appalling taxes American guy pays later, I looked out again. Ahead were four or five wooded peaks, towering above the clouds. "Oh look. Thosemust be the mountains." Seeing Guatemala City from the air was quite impressive. It´s an enormous city that completely fills a huge valley, crossed ... read more