Sunday, July 06, 2008

Michele's visit to Guatemala - May 2008

Sorry, these pictures are all out of order. Michele and I at the airport before she left Guatemala City. For some reason, I'm not allowed to rearrange the pictures.

Michele trying out the bed in our new apartment, the day before she left. We had not moved in yet.


Lake Atitlan, Guatemala--a wonderful weekend retreat.

Botanical garden and parrot at the hotel at Lake Atitlan. This is where I regretted wearing capris, because I got 18 bites on my ankles and legs in a matter of seconds.

Balcony at the hotel, Lake Atitlan

Dean, Michele, and I in the gardens at the hotel.

Landing at the village, Santiago de Atitlan

More hotel gardens

Begging of blogg post:
Dean and I visited a community called Jalapa, about three hours from Guatemala City, and met with the family who organized and manages an NGO called Wells of Hope, http://www.wellsofhope.com/. We arrived late in the afternoon and were able to spend the night in the Wells of Hope housing facility, built by and for volunteers. Early the next day we toured the Wells of Hope clean water projects until around 2:00 p.m. We returned to the Wells of Hope compound called Esperanza and received a phone call from our daughter, Michele. She was flying into Guatemala City that night. We were so happy to hear the news! We left Jalapa within the hour and returned to our apartment to anxiously await her arrival.
Michele exited the Guatemala airport around 10:00 p.m. It was so good to see her. We had fun catching up on each other's life events. The next day Dean and I took the day off, since we would have still been in Jalapa. We gave Michele a tour of Guatemala City and went shopping. The next day Dean, Michele, and I went to Chiquicastenango with our neighbors, the King's.

Left, Michele on cathedral steps. Middle, outside cathedral. Right, Michele and Bonnie at Chiquicastenango, Guatemala.
Street scene, Chiquicastenango.

We visited the open market, toured a cathedral, ate fresh tortillas, and then traveled on to our destination of Solola and Lake Atitlan. (See pictures above.)


Michele & Bonnie Marilyn & Michele
Hotel at Lake Atitlan Hotel at Lake Atitlan


We arrived fairly early in the day and took a boat across Lake Atitlan to a small community called Santiago de Atitlan. (See photos at top of blogg.)
There were street concessions and venders everywhere. We had fun walking through the town and shopping along the way. We returned to the hotel and enjoyed a delicious dinner. The next day Michele was not feeling well and was running a fever. By that afternoon, though, she reported that she was feeling better. We drove back to Guatemala City on Sunday. On Monday, Dean and I went to work for a few hours. Michele stayed at our apartment and packed for her departure later that afternoon. We returned to the apartment and got Michele, who then spent some time with us at the office. Michele scouted out the area office caffeteria, which we didn't know existed! Thanks, Michele! We drove Michele to the airport and regretfully watched her enter the airport for her flight back to Mexico City. (Again, see pictures at top of blogg.)
I think this is the worst post I've ever done. I can only hope that things will improve.

4 comments:

TRIBU said...

That was such a great time and traveling there was so easy. Thanks for getting me a bed on such short notice. Hopefully I will make it back to see you before too long. I will be seeing you very, very soon in Utah and I am really, really excited. Glad to see you are posting again. Love and miss you both!

MamaBawden said...

Thanks, Michele. Your bed is waiting for your return. Love you and miss you, too.

Amazed said...

I'm so excited to see you this week!!!! Yeah!!! Happy Day for Tara! Love you. M.

Brandon and Natalie said...

How FUN to see Michele again. We are so excited for what you are doing as you serve the Lord. You serve as a great example to Natalie and I. We hope some day do follow in your footsteps. Keep updating that blog and we will keep enjoying it (sounds like a great trade off to me).
Brandon and Natalie

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