Tourism? Business? Transit?
There was no box for "Family," so I checked the "Tourism" box. We toured lots of beautiful places in our two weeks in Guatemala, but the best part of our vacation was the soul-refreshing visit with family.
Maria and I don't normally take more than one week for vacations, so this one was special. Maria's sister Alicia and our brother-in-law Nelson let us stay with them during that time. They took excellent care of us, keeping us well-fed and entertained. We are so very grateful for their splendid hospitality. Wherever we wanted or needed to go, Nelson drove us there, navigating streets and dealing with hectic traffic, keeping us safe. Nelson and I are naturally curious and we investigated the history of the capital city's ancient aqueduct and explored different areas looking for great photo opportunities. He and I made new friends in the process. Alicia worked hard, cooking and otherwise making our stay very comfortable. Our niece Rebecca is funny, cute, and smart, and we loved being with her.
Eva and Carlos were gracious to let us stay for two days with them in Antigua for the Holy Week processions. Maria's sister Eva took us to a beautiful cultural center and a restaurant overlooking the city. We enjoyed getting to know our nephew Gabriel and niece Ruth Daniela better, too. They are wonderful kids and were great tour guides for me in Antigua. Another niece, Margarita made a special trip to see us and to help celebrate Maria's birthday.
We got to see Maria's sister, Aleida, and we were happy to meet Fernando. Aleida cooked some excellent meals for us for Maria's birthday party and for a lunch. Our nephew Pedro Luis, a bright college student, was with them and we had some interesting conversations about politics, culture, and more.
Maria Elena and Oscar drove us to the Atlantic side where we got on their boat and headed for Livingston on the coast. We then headed straight out into open ocean, finally landing on Manabique Point where we spent the afternoon swimming in the clear waters. We got to see our nephew Ramon and niece Maria Alejandra again, and enjoyed spending time with them.
On our last full day in Guatemala, Nelson drove us to Tecpán to visit our sister-in-law Elena. We fell in love with their new home up on a hill, with it's fresh air and impressive view of the countryside. Breakfast and lunch were delicious (especially the fresh, hand-patted tortillas!)
We love our family and are so glad to have made this trip! Thank you all for making it so special!
Here's our family photo album: