Chicken Bus of the Week

If last week’s Guadalupe chicken bus was the guiding light, then this week’s is the gateway to Hell. Check out the funky skull and crossbones design that decorates the back windows!

Just when we thought we’d gotten the chicken bus system all figured out, they threw us a bone….and a skull!

Traveling Clan

We’ll folks, this is it. We’re sad that is has come to an end, but Xela: Round 1 is coming to a close. We’ve packed up our things and are heading out this afternoon on one last adventure before returning to Colorado. We’ll be spending the next week traveling with some friends to the distant parts of Guate…..Coban, Semuc Champey, Lanquin, Tikal, and maybe even Rio Dulce and Livingston. If possible we’ll keep blogging, but if not, you’ll have to hold tight. It’s only a week long trip!

Tikal


Semuc Champey

Rio Dulce

We journey home to Colorado on December 12th, but stay tuned were not done yet! It looks like we’ll be beginning Xela: Round 2 sometime in mid-January. Yea!

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.

Chicken Bus of the Week

Holy Mother Mary! We encountered the mamacita of all chicken buses. Typically there is an understated theme of religion on chicken buses with proclamations of faith on the windshield or bug guard, but this one takes a more obvious approach with two giant Guadalupes adorning both sides. An excursion on this bus is sure to be one blessed ride!

Laundry Blues

As we're packing our bags and getting ready for one last travel adventure before heading home, we've realized it's laundry time once again! Lucky for us we use the best lavanderia in town, Lavanderia El Calvario. They're so nice to us and good to our clothes....I never have anything to worry about! If you're in Xela and you need your stinky travel clothes spruced up, check them out: 19th Avenida at the bottom of the hill (past all the Licensias), by Parque Clavario.

Turkey, Guac & Tupac

With the generosity of our friend Chris (and his parent's apartment) a gaggle of us students got together to celebrate my absolute favorite holiday, Thanksgiving (aka. El Dia de Gracias). Traditional, no it wasn't, but we still chowed down just like the rest of you, only I bet you didn't dine on guacamole, tortillas, and colored marshmallow sweet potatoes while jamming out to Tupac!



Actually, we are quite accustomed to non-traditional Thanksgivings. Being that we live a long distance from our families, over the past few years we have developed our own traditions. Usually Ben & I take charge of the chompipe (turkey) and ask friends to bring over the sides - potluck style. So, this Thanksgiving really wasn't that out of the ordinary for us.......except that our 14lb. turkey cost us $26! Yikes!



Preparations were a little different and included multiple trips to the market, moving an oven (only in Guatemala) and investing in disposable cooking supplies (I know, I know, we're horrified we did this!), but the end result was just like home-cooking, maybe even better!




About 25 of us squished into a small space (thank goodness for balconies) and gave thanks for our new friendships, many adventures, and good health (except poor Emily with the flu)! We somehow managed to even find canned cranberry sauce hidden in the chaos of the Paiz. It was the first Thanksgiving for some of our Guatemalan & European friends, all of whom were quite impressed with the spread! And finally Harris, got enough to eat!



Like all good parties, the night ended with a some Michael Jackson throwback.



How's that for giving thanks!

Seeing Red

Le presente mi esposo, Ben!

I love this photo! It is what could have been if he had only been born in the pueblo of San Antonio Palopo.