2007 GUATEMALA PHOTOS POSTED
Sep 30th, 2007, 04:47 AM
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2007 GUATEMALA PHOTOS POSTED
Hi, all -
I've finally posted a collection of the photos from my August visit to Guatemala. My friend Sylvia and I spent a week each in Nebaj and San Pedro la Laguna living with host families, volunteering, and studying Spanish. Before and after those weeks we spent time in Antigua, Chichicastenango, Rio Dulce, Livingston, Tikal, Flores, and other villages around Atitlán. I took 1396 photos so it was a little tough editing down to the 160-170 in the collection. Here they are (along with collections from our other trips) if you're interested:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections/
I've finally posted a collection of the photos from my August visit to Guatemala. My friend Sylvia and I spent a week each in Nebaj and San Pedro la Laguna living with host families, volunteering, and studying Spanish. Before and after those weeks we spent time in Antigua, Chichicastenango, Rio Dulce, Livingston, Tikal, Flores, and other villages around Atitlán. I took 1396 photos so it was a little tough editing down to the 160-170 in the collection. Here they are (along with collections from our other trips) if you're interested:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/staceyholeman/collections/
Sep 30th, 2007, 06:52 AM
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Yes - the lighting at Tikal the evening Hurricane Dean approached was extraordinary. The winds and rain the next morning (August 21st) were amazing and added an extra thrill to scaling the stair-ladders and sitting atop temples. Not much wildlife, though, which was the big highlight on my 1st early morning visit to Tikal. All-in-all another fabulous experience.
Please note this won't be my last visit to Guatemala, though I'm heading back to Honduras for a monthor so next summer.
Please note this won't be my last visit to Guatemala, though I'm heading back to Honduras for a monthor so next summer.
Sep 30th, 2007, 12:16 PM
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Great pictures! Brought back some great memories. We saved San Pedro for another trip, had to have some reason I guess LOL, that seems like a good enough one to me. It was nice to see pictures of it. The colors in the Chichi marketplace are so vivid!
You were braver than we were, we didn't go all the way up on Pacaya. My knee is still hurting from the hike down.
That school must have been an amazing experience. The home you stayed in was soooo rustic. I am curious about the spanish language part. When we were in Atitlan many of the mayan villagers didn't speak spanish. Did your maestro speak Mayan, Spanish and English? Even without the language lessons, what a wonderful experience for you and Sylvia. She was a trooper.
Looking forward to our next trip which will include Rio Dulce. Livingston looks like a lovely place.
You were braver than we were, we didn't go all the way up on Pacaya. My knee is still hurting from the hike down.
That school must have been an amazing experience. The home you stayed in was soooo rustic. I am curious about the spanish language part. When we were in Atitlan many of the mayan villagers didn't speak spanish. Did your maestro speak Mayan, Spanish and English? Even without the language lessons, what a wonderful experience for you and Sylvia. She was a trooper.
Looking forward to our next trip which will include Rio Dulce. Livingston looks like a lovely place.
Sep 30th, 2007, 02:33 PM
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Suzie2 - My Pacaya scabs have healed but I can still feel the spots if I want to remember how hard it was hiking down through lava fields in the dark. 
Virtually everyone we came in contact with in San Pedro and Nebaj spoke a Maya dialect as a 1st language (Tzutujil and Ixil, respectively) and Spanish - very well - as a 2nd language. My teacher in San Pedro, Lorenzo, spoke some English but not my teacher in Nebaj, Pedro. Both are EXCELLENT teachers. Both host families helped me practice, though the Nebaj family was shy and it took work on my part to develop relationships with them. I found both communities to be excellent immersion environments because of the lack of English spoken and because everyone could identify with the importance of knowing a 2nd language and the challenges of learning one.
It was really an unforgetable, fabulous trip for both of us. Sylvia is indeed a trooper and feels her life is changed forever by having moved out of her comfort zone to such a large extent.
Rio Dulce and Livingston are unique bits of Guatemala. Not my favorite bits but I'm not sorry I've seen them. I've never been to the Verapaces so maybe that will be on the table for the next trip. Honduras again next summer, though!
cmerrell - Hope you do make it to Guatemala some day and tell us all about it.
Virtually everyone we came in contact with in San Pedro and Nebaj spoke a Maya dialect as a 1st language (Tzutujil and Ixil, respectively) and Spanish - very well - as a 2nd language. My teacher in San Pedro, Lorenzo, spoke some English but not my teacher in Nebaj, Pedro. Both are EXCELLENT teachers. Both host families helped me practice, though the Nebaj family was shy and it took work on my part to develop relationships with them. I found both communities to be excellent immersion environments because of the lack of English spoken and because everyone could identify with the importance of knowing a 2nd language and the challenges of learning one.
It was really an unforgetable, fabulous trip for both of us. Sylvia is indeed a trooper and feels her life is changed forever by having moved out of her comfort zone to such a large extent.
Rio Dulce and Livingston are unique bits of Guatemala. Not my favorite bits but I'm not sorry I've seen them. I've never been to the Verapaces so maybe that will be on the table for the next trip. Honduras again next summer, though!
cmerrell - Hope you do make it to Guatemala some day and tell us all about it.
Feb 17th, 2008, 03:47 PM
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Finally got to view your pictures! OH MY HOW FABULOUS!
Your pictures alone would make me want to go to Guatemala.
Now I really have my homework cut out for me!
Thank you so much for all your valuable input here at Fodors.
Your pictures alone would make me want to go to Guatemala.
Now I really have my homework cut out for me!
Thank you so much for all your valuable input here at Fodors.
Feb 17th, 2008, 04:59 PM
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Thank you so much for the nice compliments! I really had a wonderful trip and the photos bring back smells and tastes and sounds as well as the memories of places we visited. Everyone should go to Guatemala at least once.
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