Jason's trip to the rooftop of Central America

Every good adventure begins with a ride on a chicken bus, right? 

Or rather in Jason's case, a chicken bus breaking down ...


























They did eventually get to the trail head of Tajumulco

The toilets at base camp - they have a nice view at least!

It had rained on their way up and most of their gear and clothing was wet when they got to base camp -- not good when you're at 13,000 feet.  Brrr!  Jason's feet were so cold that he put his dry gloves on them to try to warm them up!

VERY early the next morning - with the moon still out!  Cold and clear; ready for an amazing sunrise!

The volcanoes in the center of the photo are the ones here at our lake.  Pretty cool!

Shadow from Tajumulco being cast across the sky while the nearly full moon was setting

Small volcano erupting in the distance

Heading back down the mountain

Some children along the road --looks like it's time for their puppies to have a bath.

Sunset back in Xela

Heading up Tajumulco Volcano @ 13,845 feet

Jason is at it again!  This time heading for the highest point in Central America!

He left yesterday afternoon on a shuttle to Xela (shay-la) to join up with Quetzaltrekkers for a two-day hike up this volcano.  He'll be tenting it tonight at 13,000 feet, then up very early tomorrow morning to make it to the summit for the sunrise. Pretty awesome, right?

Image from here

Lake Atitlan Villages: San Pedro la Laguna

This past weekend we ventured across the lake to explore the village of San Pedro for a day.  It was great! Exploring a new place is always a treat; we enjoyed wandering the streets and alleys of this fun town. It is a much more gringo-fied place which was almost a bit weird at some points as we felt like we weren't even in Guatemala anymore.

The central church -- complete with statue of St. Peter ... with a chicken. Not sure why?

Heading to the fruit/veg market --

A lovely alley ... where every restaurant had a garden patio or terrace or both.  Felt like we could spend a week trying out all the different places and still not pick a favorite.

Women doing their laundry in the lake.
When I see images like this one, I am quickly reminded of where we live and the scarce resources of most of the population.

Mmmmm....coffee is almost ripe!

Beautiful sunset behind San Pedro volcano & village.

Day of the Dead Kite Festival: Sumpango, Guatemala

This year we got to watch an unusual celebration on November 1st.  

A day where people here remember their dead, clean & decorate their tombs, then build & attempt to fly some HUGE kites as a means of communicating with those who have passed on.  

Cemeteries, like the rest of Guatemala, are a little more colorful than those in the States.

The Kite Festival!

We arrived early in the day and were glad ... by the afternoon, it was CROWDED!

Of course, there was plenty of food!

 

And while I don't believe that a kite will communicate with my own dead relatives, I do believe that a culture who takes the time to remember those who have passed on has a depth to it that our culture is lacking.  It was a really special day to be part of. 

Guatemala Randomness

Some pictures from the past few weeks --

Jason drives in Panajachel!

A Guatemalan "enchilada" -- complete with beets & egg

I'm glad Jason saw this guy - I would have been startled (to say the least) when I blindly reached for the paper

I stopped next to this young man to watch a parade for a few minutes and cringed when I realized he had RAW
chicken in his bags, baking in the sun while he enjoyed the festivities.

Live chicken delivery

Poinsettia TREES already in full bloom here

AMAZING flower a friend brought me from her yard

Our bridge - looks super safe, right?

I love these wheelbarrows, they just look so sweet. When I commented to Jason about them, he brought me
back to reality by reminding me how heavy they would be before a load was even added.

What can you carry on your head??

Sunrise from our window