Category Archives: TRAVEL

The Dental Tourist

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I am doing something I never thought I’d do in Guatemala—I am getting dental work done. Several months ago a big chunk of a molar broke off during a poker game. (Maybe I grind my teeth when I am holding a bad hand.) The tooth didn’t hurt so getting it fixed wasn’t an emergency. But it was only a matter of time before the rest of it crumbled. I needed a crown, but at a cost of more than $1000 in the US, that was out of the question. Getting it pulled was more in my price range, but I … Continue reading →

Too Much of a Good Thing

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Our departure from Nebáj was dry and dusty; there was mile after mile of road construction, and in spots it seemed like the heavy equipment was carving new road out of the mountainside in front of us as we bumped along. We were ready to find someplace quiet and refreshing. After a one-night stopover in Coban, long enough to get some rest and make a quick visit to an interesting restaurant that serves cardamom-flavored coffee, we caught a mini-van up to Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey is one of Guatemala’s natural wonders. The Cahabon River tumbles down through a narrow gorge … Continue reading →

Beyond Statistics

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Joseph Stalin said that a single death is a tragedy, a million is a statistic. When people talk about Guatemala’s “civil war” it is usually in statistics—30 years of fighting, some 200,000 killed or missing. (I put “civil war” in quotes because it is a misnomer; it implies two opposing sides more or less equally matched. The guerilla forces never numbered more than 5000 even at the height of the fighting in the early 80s, and that number was divided among four mostly unrelated groups. The government reaction was not so much a fight as genocide.) One of the areas … Continue reading →

City Life

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We’ve spent the last twelve days in the highland city of Quetzaltenango, a name that is a mouthful to say and even harder to spell. It is known more by its original Mayan name, Xelajú, shortened to Xela (SHAY-la). At over 7000 feet, the air is cool at night, and our cardiovascular systems get an extra workout as we walk up and down the hilly cobblestone streets. It is a pretty decent city by Central American standards, but we probably wouldn’t stay long except that my four godchildren live here with their older brother and parents. The kids are all … Continue reading →

New Year’s Day, 2008

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For Faye and I, still in Panajachel, the old year ended with a bang, and the new one is beginning with a whimper. We were going to go on to Quetzaltenango this morning, but Faye woke up with an upset stomach, so we decided to stay put for another day. Nothing serious, just the usual minor intestinal distress that often happens about a week into a trip. It allows us to economize on the food budget for a day or so. Panajachel is a destination for partiers over the holidays, particularly around Christmas and New Year’s. There are plenty of … Continue reading →