Goodbye Guatemala--Hello Texas

This was our fourth trip to San Marcos since March 2008; each time had been for a month. It was a bit sad to say goodbye to our daughter and her family in San Marcos, but our flight was awaiting us in Guatemala City on the afternoon of Dec. 1. We had had a great time being with family for several meals, games, school events, and shopping. A local restaurant owner, Benjamin, had treated all of us to a sumptuous lunch on our last day in the village. It had been great seeing Josh and Courtney's  new home and the many changes at their school. Having fun with Althea and Mirabai was a special treat. Jerry had made trips to Panajachel and San Pedro via passenger boat, and Gloria had had two days of shopping via taxi (tuk tuk) in San Jaun.  We did less touring than usual on this trip, as Gloria's Parkinson's prevented her from getting in and out of the passenger boats. Also, she had a terrible cold the last week, so we were limited to short walks downtown. We don't know if we will ever get back to Guatemala again or not, but wonderful memories of the Lake and awesome volcanoes will be embedded in our minds for as long as we live. We were so privileged to get to know the sweet, gentle, industrious people, whose history in this area dates back to the early 1700s. Though their little village has twice been wiped out by floods, they keep returning to this spectacular place with its magnetic power.


Our driver, Dionicio, picked us up at our cottage on the morning of the 1st at 5:15 a.m., and we were thrilled to see the reflection of the rising sun on great clouds as we climbed the tall, steep mountains surrounding San Marcos. The sky was a gorgeous purple, yet the lights of the little cities around Lake Atitlan were clearly visible. Diminutive workers were already walking along the roads armed with their hand tools and baskets of goods. Big bags of avocados and coffee beans were stacked for transport. Wandering dogs and a young bull walked casually on the highways, slowing our progress. Busy street side vendors were spreading blankets getting ready to sell their wares

After being jostled in Dionico's rattling van for a couple of hours we were relieved that the roads had been improved somewhat since our arrival on Nov. 1. We stopped for breakfast at the same fine restaurant,  Paulino's, where we had had dinner a month earlier. Two ladies were busy as always making tortillas over hot coals.  Customers could hear their slap, slap, slap all over the dining room. As they tossed their tortillas into the air, we knew that that their art had been crafted long ago. The entire trip to the airport, including our meal, took a little less than five hours. Getting through security and customs in Guatemala City and Fort Lauderdale was a major pain with three heavy bags and 2 backpacks.
Finally, at 10:00 p.m. we touched down at DFW Airport. What a relief to be back in Texas! We stayed overnight at the Naval Air Station (NAS) in the last VIP suite available and did not leave until noon. Ah, the joy of a big comfortable bed, spacious clean suite, and shower with hot water on demand! Such accommodations are rarely available in Guatemala. After a few hours of shopping at the NAS BX and Sam's Club, we were ready to get back home to Hillsboro. Our son-in-law, Steve had done a fabulous job completing several upgrades to our house, and our trusty cleaning lady, Dawn, had everything sparkling in the house and garage. We love traveling, but the older we get, the more we can relate to the old adage, "There's no place like home!" However, the 50 degree, foggy weather that harshly greeted us in Fort Worth was an unwelcome contrast to the awesome 75 degree, sunny, breezy weather we had enjoyed every day for the past month in Guatemala.
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