Better than Pee Wee’s Big Adventure

Finally some more couples have joined the likes of us “old married students” at ICA, yea! Recently two couples began studying at ICA, both of which are on amazing driving adventures through the Americas. Chris & Kristin (aka The Darien Plan) have this awesome Honda Element converted into a camper and a plan to drive as far south as they can….then turn around and head back to California. Tom & Kelsey (aka JoyDrive) have a different, more retro approach, toting around surfboards on an old VW. They’ve already been traveling for almost a year and have no end in sight! Both couples keep blogs updated with helpful advice and together are working on a plan to help make this adventure easier for travelers who follow in their footsteps….stay tuned. We’re so jealous! If we only didn’t have jobs to get back to…and a savings account to defend! It’s been nice getting to know them and feeling like there are more people in which we can relate. Sadly though, we’ll be splitting ways soon. They’ll both be off to continue their adventure, and us back to Colorado for a holiday break.

Saturday we set off with our four new friends to visit the nearby pueblo of San Andres Xecul, where there was to be a fair celebrating …….. What should have been a half hour chicken bus ride ended up being an hour – it seems that we weren’t the only ones looking to party! San Andres Xecul is best known for it’s “technicolored dream church” with red, blue and green flowers, angels, saints, tigers and monkeys all completing for attention on a bright yellow background. Now imagine it even more dolled up, with live bands, market stalls, carnival rides, and costumed dancers. This was our Saturday. Not long after we arrived we spotted some flashy costumed dancers who danced to marimba music (presumably after consuming a lot of something) in front of the church. We stuck around for quite a while, wondering what would happen next with the giant wooden pole constructed in front of the church. After fighting off the crowds for a few hours (Mayan people can get a bit shovey in crowded situations), we gave up and headed back to Xela for a bite to eat. Later that evening our Guatemalan papa told us that people swing in the air around the pole. Darn! We missed the Guatemalan Cirque du Soleil! Oh well, we were over-stimulated from all the excitement anyway. Maybe next year.

Red & yellow & blue & green & purple & pink &.....

Interesting, but strange.

We were all pretty sure these guys were on something.

Do you think he knows what his jacket says?

It's not a fair without a Viking ship.

Check out some of our video highlights, if you want to feel like you too partook in the festivities in San Andres Xecul.