Destination Guatemala

Life has been so crazy busy for the last few months that it has literally taken 2 months for me to get this post up (I didn't even try the first month because we were caring for Cohen and Colbey).

March 9th-16th we had the privilege of taking a family trip to Guatemala. My family was currently residing there and we were able to spend a week in their company.

Lake Atitlan

We drove to Washington DC on tuesday and got to bed around midnight. 3:30 am Wednesday morning truly came entirely too quickly. We took a shuttle to the airport just to find out that Carson was ticketless. It would have been tragic to leave him behind because he was so excited to fly. Thankfully the attendant figured it out and allowed both children to come with us.

We get all ready for take off, the moment Carson had been anticipating for a week, and come to cruising altitude when he decides he is ready to go back down. Luckily it didn't take much to help him realize that we wouldn't be going back down for several hours.

Once in we arrive in Guatemala the shuttle picks us up, makes a stop at price mart for madre, and continues the 2 1/2 hrs to El Kaiser where my family is staying. We stayed here for dinner and then headed with Hannah and Will to our hotel in on Lake Atitlan.

Cooper

On Thursday we enjoyed breakfast at our hotel (w/ Hannah and Will) and then Chris, who was dieing to fish, headed for the Lake. The boys and I went back up to El Kaiser and joined mom (and kids) in the Thursday feeding program that they do. We got to meet some of the women and children and see the buildings they have built for these purposes. This was a great experience and the people were so appreciative. (I hope to add these pictures soon) After this we went back to El Kaiser so that the boys could play. That evening we all meet at Chinitas for dinner.

While we were riding the Tuk-Tuk from our hotel to my parents Carson ask "Mom, Grandma has 3 houses, what house is she going to live in? And what is she going to do with all the toys in her other houses?". He calculated that she had her Pond Mtn (main residence), the cabin that is across from our house (he just learned that she was the one to own it), and now sees her living in another home in Guatemala. It was a rather comical conversation.

Friday brought on the adventure. We had it planned to take the boat over to Santiago but the lake was too chopping so my parents had the genius idea for us to all pile in the van and drive. You can only truly appreciate this if you have been on Guatemala roads or even taken a 10 minute trip in their van (that have no cushions in the seat, and no liner above you head). Chris had set up a fishing trip on the lake so he did that, and then met us in Santiago.

Seat Belts are required, only recommended :)

Our first stop, an hour into the trip, was at Manuel's. These children used to be in the orphanage until it was shut down and are now living back with their parents in the home of the forthcoming pictures.

Carson

Waiting outside their home

The entrance and sleeping quarters

4 of the children

Their kitchen and dining area

Exiting

Scotia and Cooper

We continued our overly hot, miserably uncomfortable, incredibly loud, journey (I might be over exaggerating a little) and arrived at the Posada de Santiago. It is a fabulous restaurant and hotel that we have had the luxury of eating at almost every time we've gone down to Guatemala. It is one of mom's favorites. It is right on the lake and therefore has amazing views.

Carson

After we ate half of the group walked to where the mudslide occurred a few years back, killing hundreds (800ish) and burying everything in its path. Chris took Carson to see this and Carson came back with a report of what happened and how he really didn't like it. The other half of us walked to the shopping area and got down to business...

The hospital - you can see the mudline almost up to the top of the door, they have since started digging it out

Friday evening Scotia and Caleb came over to our hotel and watched the boys so that Chris and I could go out with Hannah and Will. Hannah took us to a little place where we had Pupusas (an El Salvador delicacy). Chris and I had never had these before but really enjoyed them. Thanks Hannah for expanding our culture.

Saturday was more layed back and relaxing. I got to enjoy an hour massage which was everything I dreamed it would be. I had never had the opportunity before and now all I want to do is figure out the next time I can go. Afterwards Chris, boys, Caleb, Scotia and myself, all walked the streets of Panajachel trying to score some awesome bargains. We were very successful. At this point we were no longer staying in the hotel and now got to enjoy El Kaiser with the whole family. It turned out ok.

Saturday night Chris and I went back to Pana, trying to decide what painting we wanted, and had the privilege of driving the roads at night. What a scary experience. The roads are not only extremely steep and curving, but at any point the road will be completely washed out (from mudslides) and you have next to now warning of this. Basically your best bet is to drive in the middle of the road, and hope that no cars come around the curve at the same time. We understood why mom and dad never drove anywhere after dark.

Seth

Cooper

Hannah and Will

Alisa and Cooper

Flossie and Carson

Carson

Sunday morning Carson woke up asking "Where's my best friend Emmie?". I don't know what spell Emmie puts on kids but they seem to all be BFF's with her.

We attended church with my family and even though we understood nothing, it was still such a spiritual hour. To see these people, most of whom have nothing, come to church dressed in their best outfit, to crowd into their chapel and attend the meetings they know to be so important. What a humbling experience. Afterwards we walked to the tent site that my parents put together for the people who were affected by one of the last big mudslides. We learned that those men, women and children will most likely live in the tents until the government builds a community for them. This typically takes 5 years. Can you imagine living in a tent for that long?

Playing hacky-sack was a definite pastime for the boys during our stay

Would you drive this?

Riding in a pick-up is a norm

Flossie's pastime....reading (oh, how I miss it)

Tuk-Tuk (The boys LOVED to ride in them)

Another scenario for transportation

Cooper

Cooper in front of El Kaiser

Sunday evening there was a group of volunteers arriving, along with Joel who my parents have hired as the director of the programs. On our way through the streets we passed several drunk men who were just laying on the side of the road. Apparently sunday is the day that you will see the most of this kind of thing.

This little girl couldn't have been more than 6 years old and completely caring for the little boy who was probably 2

Mom giving her spill to the volunteer group (from NY) Cooper with Dominiga (the cook)

On Monday we packed and headed to Antigua. Mom and Dad had a meeting Monday evening there, and Chris and never been there, so we wanted to spend our last two nights enjoying the ancient city. First I took a walk through the property of El Kaiser with all the kids. It is a beautiful place.

Cooper loved having both Emmie's and Alisa's hand

Alisa, Emmie, Tony, Cooper, Carson

The back of El Kaiser

Carson, Cooper, Flossie

Juana - she has been their maid for years

Finally we headed out...

You can see a mudslide in the back

A typical tienda

Driving through the mudslide area

The bus stop

A man caring an insane amount of wood on his back, up a hill

Chimaltenango

a gas station, full service at that

Finally, we arrive in Antigua -

We stayed at a great hotel called Al Antonia. The spiral staircase led up to the roof.

While my parents were in their meeting, Chris and I took the kids to Monoloco. They have some good pizza, but seriously great Nachos.

Caleb at Marco Polo

Cooper...getting him to sit wasn't even a question

After dinner we relieved ourselfs of extra children and took the boys to get ice cream at Marco Polo's.

The Blonde hair and Blue eyes don't really fit in :)

Tuesday we all went to the shops in Antigua and then out for lunch. Afterwards, the Dalia clan headed back to Panajachel and we retreated for some much needed napping.

They bought them cool Guatemalan shirts so we tried for a picture...if only my boys would ever take pictures

Tuesday evening was our last night and we were determined to enjoy it...

If only we didn't have children.

We tried going into the "mall" area that I had really wanted to go to, but the boys were not the most cooperative, so we ended up just leaving before then pulled everything out of its place.

Armed guard on street corners - completely normal

We had romantic notions about eating our last dinner at a great restaurant with amazing food. We ended up at Pollo Campero (equivalent to McDonald's) because we had no faith in the boys being remotely decent during a dinner.

A glimpse at the monster

After dinner we went back to the hotel and packed. Our shuttle was arriving at 5am and it was a long day ahead of us (little did we know HOW LONG). Our first misfortune came when the airport security couldn't get Carson's carseat through the luggage scanner. We tried (in English) to explain that it wouldn't fit but they insisted it would. Needless to say it got stuck. We tried and tried to get it out of the x-ray machine, but we weren't having luck. Chris put his hand in to see if he could get it budged at all, and right about then the operator turned the machine back on, crushing his hand between the stuck carseat and x-ray machine. From this point on he couldn't use his hand and I'm freaking out about the long journey we have ahead of us and worrying whether his hand is broken.

Then we get settled on the plane. Chris gets anxious about flying, as is, and then with a hurt hand he just tries to sleep a little. The boys were being slightly uncooperative and not wanting to sit in the seats while the pilot takes a blue million years to take off. A older woman behind me keeps telling me how awful they are and why don't I do something, or have my husband do something, about it. He continues he opinionated comments through out most of that leg of the flight. Once we have landed and are exiting the plane she makes one last comment to Chris telling him to give him kids some wine so they calm down. She was rather pleasant to be with.

It was the second leg of the airplane that I was extremely grateful not to have the woman on. It was here that Cooper was truly awful. He was so tired and nothing we did would get him to sleep. After crying long enough and eventually feel asleep.

Finally, we land in DC. We go to collect our luggage only to find out that Chris is missing all of his fishing poles (packed away in a PVC pipe). So, instead of being able to leave and start heading home we get to go file a claim and pray they are retrieved and shipped to us. This occurs and thankfully we do receive them a few days later.

It was approximately 2 am EST that we finally arrive at our house...17 hrs of straight travel!

Being able to go back to Guatemala was awesome. Being able to show my children a different world (especially Carson who understood) was amazing. The work that my parents do for the people of Guatemala is priceless. I can't imagine living without the conveniences and luxuries that we in America have.