Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

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Today is my last day in Guatemala; tomorrow I fly back to the States, and expect to be home a few days later. I can tell it is time for me to leave because there are things annoying me that probably shouldn’t. The latest example is the color of the room I am staying in tonight. The bottom half of the walls is a particularly unpleasant shade of green, with some blue in it but not enough to be teal. The top half of three walls is baby blue, and the top half of the fourth is sunshine yellow. The … Continue reading →

Bird’s-eye View

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As far back as I can remember I have had flying dreams. And not just flying, but takeoffs and landings. When I was younger sometimes I felt a little apprehensive in the dreams, particularly about landing, but overall the dreams were enjoyable. The more I had them, the better I got, as if each dream was a practice session. And for many years my flying dreams have felt exhilarating, with no apprehension at all. I have no idea what they mean, if anything. A few days ago, I got the chance to go flying for real. An Aussi guy named … Continue reading →

The Old and the New

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To those unfamiliar with Guatemala it is difficult to convey what the country is like. There are the iconic weekly markets held in every village of any size that are a feast for the senses. And the psychedelic painted buses chicken buses that haul people, products and yes, poultry to and from nearly every place in the country, especially on market days. There are villages, towns and cities constructed almost entirely of concrete block, with buildings often left crudely unfinished, by our standards anyway, or painted in bright, unattractive colors. Advertising and political logos seem to be a pervasive design … Continue reading →

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 →