Guatemala Trip: Day 3 Antigua Guatemala

Today was an unbelievable day! Today we (Karin, Lauren, Lee, Tamara, and Edwin) decided to spend the entire day in Antigua, Guatemala. Edwin is not only our wonderful tour guide but also our shopping buddy, photographer, historian, and most importantly our friend. For those of you who haven't been, it is a beautiful town with cobblestone street, ancient Catholic churches, beautiful hotels, and breathtaking views of the city and the spectacular volcanoes.

Karin road in the "trunk" of Edwin's toyota corolla station wagon. Our car scrapped the bottom of the road as we were leaving the Hogar and Karin promised not to eat too much :)

We started off the day visiting the cross which overlooks the town. It's a quite and peaceful place. I could sit there for hours. I prayed for a sign....prayed Gabby is ok. Prayed for this week....for my friends with me, for a safe and wonderful trip. Prayed for the rest of our lives until we meet Gabby again.

After leaving the cross, we went to the jade store where I found a butterfly pendant. Karin, Lee, and Lauren enjoyed a sample of coffee and bought me a jade symbol for Gabby's birthday (wild cat). We then went to the toy store while Lee, Lauren, and Edwin when to the chocolate shop and learned the benefits of Guatemalan chocolate. Afterward we went to the market for shopping for Guatemalan items. From textiles to jade, all items were unique and handmade. We spent a lot more time than we expected and at 4pm we decided we need to head back to the Hogar. Karin piled back into the trunk with all the bags. But this is not an unusual way to travel for Guatemala. In fact this would be relatively calm compared to others. We have seen police on motor cycles with large riffles sticking up while driving down the road, children as young as 2 on motorcycles with their parents, buses so full the doors can't shut and people are hanging out the sides, people standing up in the back of a pickup truck (but we will talk more about that later) and people climbing up chicken buses while they are moving. Chicken buses are old US school buses that are painted in all kinds of bright colors. They are called chicken buses because Guatemalan are known to bring chickens, pigs, crops on the buses with them. Workers climb up on top of the bus (sometimes when in motion) to secure the items.

On our way out of town, we stopped in the Pollo Campero (Guatemalan KFC) drive thru and started to place our order when we suddenly decided that was not what we wanted. And we headed to a wonderful restaurant inside the Hotel Posada de Don Rodrigo. Shane, Edwin, and myself ate at this restaurant almost 9 years ago (the day before we got Gabby). I had a delicious meal...Chicken with loroco cream sauce. Loroco is a flower used in this dish and it was fabulous! At this restaurant, my friends gave me a jade butterfly necklace. They make me cry and Edwin actually cries with us and even gives us hugs sometimes! It was here that apparently Edwin compared me to a flower with all the butterflies around me....Karin really was touched by this comment and told me I had to mention this :) I certainly don't see myself that way but it was a very sweet comment.

After dinner, Edwin told us that we could go onto the roof of the hotel. It was right around sunset and the sky turned a pinkish color. We were all taking pictures and enjoying the view when Edwin asked "Do you see the staircase to Heaven?". When we looked, we could see what appeared to be vertical steps that lead from the top of the volcano and extended all the way up to the clouds. It was breathtaking. Then the smoke from the volcano suddenly came up into two lines and started curling around and started to form a heart. And, if this wasn't enough, at the top of the cloud staircase, there was a gigantic butterfly shape in the clouds. My description does not do it justice and neither does the pictures. I don't think any of us will ever forget that moment. Wish Shane could have seen it so much.

After leaving the restaurant, we stopped by the bread store for some banana bread for us and the nannies. When we got back to the Hogar, the older kids ran out to give us hugs in their pajamas! What a wonderful welcome home! It was Claudia's birthday today and they had a birthday party before we arrived. In the guest house, we laughed and talked and were all amazed by the day's events. As Lauren climbed up the top bunk I saw a spider on her bed and I said "uh, Lauren, I think you need to come down from there". She backed her way down the stairs. Karin thankfully saved us from the spider. We had a good laugh and wondered if it was the spider dust that made Lauren cough in the middle of the night. It was then that Karin told us that our shower is called "the widow maker" according to Tamara. It is a shower head with wires and duck tape and when you turn the water on, the lights dim. Below you will find a picture.... :)

Funny Moments:

Karin's Cindy P. "bus" moment in the back of the station wagon!
Lauren's spider friend
Lauren being taught the benefits of Guatemala chocolate
The persistent street vendors
Our widow maker shower
The bathroom now serves as a sitting area in the guest house for those who keep waking up at 4am anticipating the day's events (i.e., me! and sometimes Lee). It is also complete with a recliner!

Gabby Moments: