Reaquainted in Guatemala

Looking over San Antonio below.

The outside of a rural house.
Farm area with cornstalk fence.
Macadamia nut plantation.


Tony getting a "free facial" with macadamia cream.

Tour guide with Linda and the kids (school to the left) heading toward a jade factory.

Worker describing the process of making jade jewelry.

In front of Santa Maria's (village) laundry washing area.

Is it time to go home yet???


Mom says it never rains here??

And she ain't saying Shoot!!!

Joshua's idea of a tuc-tuc ride home in the rain was the best idea all day!!

Touring "La Recoleccion Church" destroyed in earthquake of 1772.

If only I would have been here 300 years ago??

I'm King of the World!!!

Just cruzin the streets.

In front of the apartment.

That face says it all!

We will be heading into Guatemala City tomorrow for our embassy appointment on Wednesday!

WE ARE PINK,PINK,PINK!!!!!!!!

Got the email tonight at 5pm.... we have our embassy appointment next Wednesday, October 1st at 7:15am. OMG.. it is finally going to happen!

Tony and Joshua got here today too... so this has got to be one of the top days ever!!! Tony had called me this morning not sure if he was going to be able to connect with his flight in Houston. They had an hour delay in K.C. taking off due to thunder/lightning. Luckily he ran through the airport to another concourse with Joshua, 2 backpacks and a camera bag, and made the connection with some help from a cart driver. Their checked luggage also arrived with them which he couldn't believe. All that, and he didn't even get any sleep last night.

We had a low key afternoon just hanging out getting to know each other again. Everyone is asleep but I am still too excited to be tired!!

We will update you with pictures from our "adventures" - as Joshua likes to call them.

Love to all!!

Tony, Linda, Joshua and Rosalia

Life on the streets of Antigua

These poor dogs have seen better days. Many dogs are well cared for but there are also a lot of strays.


These cows were trying to find something to eat. As you can see... not quite like American cattle.

Begging is pretty common along the streets of Antigua.

Trying to survive.. it breaks your heart.

These kiddos playing in the rotten fruit behind the market.

This little girl followed me down the street, asking for money..

Homeless here, like everywhere I guess.

In the market, chicken piled up sitting out on the counter.

Meat hanging out a few feet from the street.. kinda makes you a vegetarian doesn't it.

I was walking along one day when I noticed this woman and what was on her cap..

I had to do a double take and asked to take a picture... what a small world!

This just made me laugh because this elderly couple just looked so out of place.

I am not sure what they were king/queen of??

So many of the people carry such heavy bundles on their heads, it is amazing.

The typical "chicken bus" with the baskets and bikes on top.

With the rain comes a lot of dirty streets and buildings.

Scaffolding Guatemala style!?!

Some of the housing on top of each other going up the hill... more common nearer Guatemala City.

Ever wonder where your old clothes go after goodwill?? I am pretty sure some of it ends up here.

This area is way behind the market and at least a block long.

Another picture of "America's throw-aways". Everything is just piled up or hanging.. you just have to sort through it all for what you want. Most everything is $3 or less.

I have to admit I got some clothes there for Rosalia.. having outgrown most of her stuff.
In the middle (red shirt) is a man preaching.

Just wanted to give you more of a taste of life in Antigua!!!!

DNA on the way back to Guatemala!

We received an email from a wonderful woman who works at LabCorp that our DNA results are on the way back to the US embassy in Guatemala. She gave us a tracking number and the estimated time of arrival is Monday at 6pm. That means hopefully we will hear Tuesday or Wed. when our visa appointment is at the embassy-(pink.)
The BEST news is Tony and Joshua will be here this WEDNESDAY! I am so darn excited I can hardly stand it!! We will spend about a week and a half here. I know Tony is in such need of some relaxation time. He has been working so hard... burning the candle on both ends. Even our dog has been sick for him. Our return flight is Sat. Oct. 4th, so we are planning that our embassy appointment will be the week of Sept. 29th. They are only doing visa appointments Mon.-Wed. so praying nothing will surprise us now!
I will let you know when we are PINK!!!!!!!!
Love you all - Linda and Rosalia

Guatemala's Independence Day

Say's "Happy Birthday Guatemala!"

Goverment building with torch burning in the center.

How these girls walk in those heels on Antigua streets - I would

be down in a second!!!!

The royalty!!!

The Guatemalan flag

I don't think the nets were to keep away the mosquitos(?)

Plenty of food vendors around the park

The bands still playing that evening!

Here are some photos of the parades and marches we saw yesterday - September 15th. I took more video than pictures but I don't know how to attach video to the blog. On Friday and all weekend we saw many runners (groups of children and adults) with torches that they carry as they run. They were running along the highway and through the towns.

I don't think I will ever hear a marching band again without thinking of our time here in Guatemala. I believe every school had a band in the parades and they started in the morning and I was still hearing them when we went to bed! Of course plenty of fireworks to top off the day also. Antigua was FULL of people.... not quite as many as for Holy week though!

Hope everyone is doing well.... it won't be long now!