Arriving in Guatemala

Nancy & Gary Pacha

 

Jim Arthur, Reinhard Juraschek, & Krasi Hristov



Thursday, February 23, 2012 has arrived! By 10:30am the majority of the Iowa MOST personnel arrived at the Eastern Iowa Airport outside of Cedar Rapids.  We boarded a plane to Dallas, where more of the Team joined us. Late afternoon we boarded a flight to Guatemala City. Leaving the airport terminal we were greeted by Paco our Guatemala in country coordinator/translator.  We were also greeted by warm 66 degree weather (while Iowa was having snow!).  Within minutes a bus arrived to transport the whole group to the Radisson Hotel in Guatemala City.  After a welcoming fruit drink we were off to our rooms. Wake up calls were scheduled for 5:40am.

Friday, February 24

A beautiful Guatemala morning greeted us – warm and sunny – sandals and short sleeved weather. Our day will consist of a bus ride to Xela.  We will be driving on CA-1 (Carretera Interamericana or Inter American Highway) the main highway connecting all of Central America.  CA-1 is truly a serpentine 4 lane highway with unlimited access.  Guatemala is a hilly to mountainous country – there are simply no flat areas west of Guatemala City.  If one is prone to motion sickness, taking medicine before this trip is worthwhile.  It will take ‘more or less’ 5 hours to drive from G’mala City to Xela.    

Bridge Demolition

In the lower valleys there was plenty of green agriculture – plots of tomatoes in all stages of growth, peas, potatoes, lettuce, strawberries, and sugar cane, etc.  As we drove west, ascending into the mountains of the Western Highlands, the agriculture changed – more cole crops, carrots and lots of areas that were winter brown.  The mountain sides are terraced with all the farming done by hand labor.  

Driving along the CA-1 is a cultural adventure in itself.  As you climb in altitude your ears keep popping.  Watching the landscape go by is an education – different modes of transportation, agriculture techniques, local attire, road side stands, etc.  ‘More or less’ halfway to Xela we stopped to allow everyone to stretch their legs and pick up a snack – cashews, coffee, and homemade chips. Back on the road, after an official 15 minute stop which actually was 35 minutes – “mas o menos” the Spanish work for “more or less”.  

 

After arriving in Xela we checked into Hotel Arizona before having a light lunch.  The rest of the afternoon was spent at the hospital unpacking the supplies which were left here two years ago.  The new shipment will be arriving tomorrow morning.

The pictures included in this blog were sights along the road or at the rest stop.  We thought it would give you a feel of Guatemala. 

Roadside Market

Checking in at Hotel Arizona

Lunch at the Hotel



Hospital Entrance



Unnpacking Supplies