Guatemala

Marrying into the Amazing Cristal Family

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Trase Christian, Walker Clark, Nicholas Salzman and Elvis TsangNitke Choy, Alba Cristal de Cholac, Dorcas Cristal Clark, irma Cristal, Maya CristalEfrain Cristal, Clark Pogemiller, Ana Lucia Cholac and josue Cholac Our son was to marry in Guatemala at a beautiful hotel on the shores of Lake Atitlan.  Friends thought it a destination wedding but it… Read more »

Guatemala Revisited – 1975 and 2012

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Beautiful Guatemalan Countryside Thirty seven years ago, my husband and I started our married life in Guatemala.  After exchanging vows on May 31st, 1975, we arrived in Guatemala City four days later.  Ed had a three month grant to study intestinal ailments at the capital city’s Roosevelt Hospital and I was ready to explore. An… Read more »

Maya Calendar and Fire Ceremony With Xalista Gabriel

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Calista Gabriel, one of 3000 shamans in Guatemala “World To End on December 21, 2012”  should be a headline reserved for the National Enquirer at check-out stands in your favorite grocery store but this story has been covered by serious news outlets.  The excitement comes from the accurate Maya Calendar begun over 5,000 years ago… Read more »

Independence Day in Chimazat, Guatemala

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July 4th is not celebrated in Guatemala except by expats, Peace Corps workers, the Marines at the American Embassy and a few wandering tourists. But Guatemala has its own “dia de independencia” which is observed on September 15th. Guatemala and Mexico share the same Independence Day as they separated from Spain together in 1821 with… Read more »

Semuc Champey – Nature’s Water Park

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The name was so exotic – Semuc Champey, the loveliest spot in Guatemala. It was nature at its finest, a natural water park. The question was how anyone ever found it. Along a winding road from Guatemala City to Coban my son and I went 3 1/2 hours, continuing on for over an hour to… Read more »

Immigration From the Other Side

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Guatemala is a lovely country, especially in the mountains during the rainy season. Yes, it rains most days but usually for only a part of the late afternoon. The view for the rest of the day is of lush, deep green fields filled with vegetables, coffee and fruit supervised by puffing volcanos. Because plots are… Read more »