Feb 2007

After two uneventful flights, we arrived this afternoon in Guatemala City and promptly got caught in a huge traffic jam. Which just made it easier to check out all the tricked out "chicken buses," which are basically recycled U.S. school buses now in service of Guatemala's many bus routes, given names like Esperanza and Esmerelda and decorated with everything from racing stripes to Playboy bunny profiles. Sweet.

Also memorable was driving by La Casa del Waffle.

Our mode of transportation was a "shuttle," which in reality was a rundown, exhaust-belching cab that seemed one long idle away from a permanent breakdown. Our driver was affable enough and had his windshield decorated with a skeleton, multiple rosaries and a Winnie the Pooh doll. Not sure what that all means.

But we finally made it to Antigua and have already sampled the country's beer of choice: Gallo. We're fascinated by all the church ruins - seems like earthquakes have claimed nearly everything taller than three storeys here. the weather is gorgeous and the purple-blossomed jacaranda trees are stunning.

It's really starting to sink in.

So we've taken an extended break from work, sold all our earthly possessions and moved to Guatemala to start an organic llama farm.

OK - the first is true, the second is definitely not true (with the exception of our tropical fish, which we're entrusting to some friends with a groovy television aquarium after a bunch of Craig's List wannabes flaked out on us) and the third is sorta half-true (we'll be in Guatemala for the first two weeks of our trip and we're bound to see a llama here and there).

Welcome to our big, fat, irresponsible adventure. Hopefully, we'll be less big, less fat and less irresponsible by the time we return. Leave messages, admonishments and helpful hints as you wish and we'll try to keep you all posted.

Adios,
Bryn and Geoff