I’ve made it a favorite pastime to have adventures in cooler
climates during the 115+ degree days that are all too common in Phoenix,
Arizona during the summer months. Like many people, I have a bucket list of
places I want to visit and things I want to do. Guatemala has been on that list
for many years.
Mexico and Central America have always intrigued me. I love
the history, the ruins, the people and the simplicity of day to day living. My
last trip to Costa Rica five years ago was amazing, so when a friend told me at
brunch she had some friends with a vacation rental house on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala, I was hooked.
Serendipity.
We booked the trip within several days of talking about it, and
planned a dinner with Earl and Suzanne, the owners of the house who split their
time between Phoenix and Antigua, Guatemala. I was even more drawn to this
house and these people because Earl and Suzanne have a non-profit in Guatemala
called Seeds for a Future.
Guatemala is home to 13 million people, approximately 75% of
whom live in poverty. The country has
the highest malnutrition rate in Latin America, and the fourth highest in the
world. Ironic, as much of the produce we consume in the U.S., along with the
coffee we drink, is grown and harvested in Guatemala. (On a side note, I was
reading a sign while in Guatemala about coffee, and it said by the time the
coffee is grown, harvested, processed, shipped and consumed as a $5 latte in the
U.S., only about 3 cents makes its way back to Guatemala.) Even more reason to
pay attention to buying fair trade.
PBS recently did a segment on the
child malnutrition problem in Guatemala.
“In the Americas, the
situation is most dire in Guatemala, where roughly 50 percent of the children
are so malnourished they’re stunted, physically and developmentally, for life.”
Seeds for a Future is working to combat this heartbreaking
crisis. In rural Guatemala, adults on average have less than a 6th
grade education. The program takes a holistic approach by offering both
hands-on education with regard to community and family gardening, harvesting
and nutrition instruction, as well as a community library where computer
training, adult education, women's health education and much needed pre-school
programs are taught. Nearly 500 families are currently taking part in the
various programs. I encourage you to
check out the Seeds for a Future website to
learn more and follow them on Facebook
too!
Now back to the adventure…
We flew into Guatemala City, where we were greeted by our
driver David, who drove us to a lovely B & B in Antigua, about a 45 minute
drive. I’ll also add that I was traveling with two other women, Mara and
Michelle, so we were the three amigas.
Antigua, Guatemala is a beautiful city
full of Spanish colonial architecture, fountains, ruins, markets (mercados) and
brightly colored buildings- a treat after living in the land of beige for so
long.
The streets are cobblestone, the sidewalks narrow, the
people friendly and we spent hours just walking and exploring, soaking in the
sights, sounds and smells. Ornate wooden
gates with small, decorative openings stand out amid the blue, yellow and red
walls, beckoning you to come in and explore the lush interiors.
One of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life
was Casa Santo Domingo. It was the largest monastery in Antigua and was founded
by Dominican friars in 1542. Three 18th century earthquakes wreaked
their havoc on the monastery along with pillaging of materials. It was taken
over as a private residence by an American archeologist in 1970, then converted
to a 5 star hotel and museum, which is what it currently is today.
To say the grounds are breathtaking, especially after dark
when lit by candlelight, is truly an understatement. Mara and I wandered the
estate one evening for several hours. The way they’ve incorporated modern
conveniences such as a large shade structure to blend into the surroundings
aesthetically was very inspiring. You
can read more about it here and if you’re ever in
Antigua, put it on your not to miss list.
The following morning we traveled by car to Panajchel, also known as Pana which is about a 2 hour
ride and located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala on Lake Atitlán. The lake, renowned as one of the most
beautiful in the world, is the deepest in Central America, measuring depths of
over 1000 feet. It’s surrounded by three volcanoes (San Pedro, Atitlan, and
Toliman) and is ringed with many indigenous Mayan villages, Pana being the main
village for port of entry.
A boat ride from Pana delivered us to the dock of the house
which would be our home for the next five days.
Nicholas and his family, the caretakers of the property, welcomed us and gave
us a tour. We fell in love with the
warmth and hospitality of this local family. Wife Rosa, who prepared us
delicious local food and freshly caught tilapia from the lake. Joanna, their
vibrant 4 year old who would teach me words in Spanish and always start my day
with a big hug. The teenaged children who we briefly met but who always seemed
to be helping their parents and always had a smile. Even Rocky the dog and the
two adopted puppies were friendly and lovely. Clothes would be hanging out on
the line in the morning, and there was a conscious effort to reuse and not
waste, which was apparent daily.
The house is nearest to SanMarcos La Laguna, which is a small village and only accessible from the house by trekking up a picturesque
flight of stone steps to the main road or by taking the boat to the village
dock. Many of the sidewalks in the village are simple dirt paths, and local
women line these streets with fruit and vegetable stands. We met many expats in
San Marcos who had come to the lake on holiday, and simply decided to stay. I
can’t say that I blamed them…
Water cisterns are everywhere and many of the walls are made
with recycled bottles. We also saw bottles used to separate garden beds and
other creative uses. This is a place that was built around nature, versus on top of it. Many of the roads and sidewalks
are pervious to allow the rainwater to go back into the ground easily.
Composting is done everywhere. People walk and use their bodies and it’s not
uncommon to see local women with a baby in a sling, a basket on their head and
a bag in their hand.
For all of Guatemala’s beauty, it certainly isn’t without
its environmental and sustainability challenges, including poverty and
malnourished children. There has been an ongoing effort to clean up Lake Atitlan
which has been on the decline from raw sewage, fertilizers and trash either
being dumped into, or making its way into the lake. You can read more about it here. In 2009, Global Nature
Fund listed Atitlán its “Threatened Lake of the Year.” We noticed in our
travels throughout Guatemala that there were very few, if any, trash cans in
sight. Progress has been made, and I can only hope it continues to save such a
magical gem of a place.
Other issues, which commonly plague developing and
third-world countries in general, include:
·
Lack of access to potable water (especially in
rural areas)
·
Poor air quality
·
Tropical deforestation
·
Soil erosion
·
Natural resource extraction issues (mining,
petroleum, etc.)
I’m encouraged by the number of public/private partnerships
I’ve seen to address many of these problems, and it appears there is increasing
awareness of these concerns worldwide, which gives me hope.
If you’ve ever thought about visiting Guatemala, I would
highly encourage you to make the trip.
I’m planning to escape the commercialism of the holidays and take my
children, so they too can experience this captivating country and have their
eyes opened to a different reality.
Stepping outside of our comfort zone to see how others live
in different parts of the world is important. After watching Nicholas make the
journey into the village just to bring us five gallons of clean water to drink,
I came home with a renewed appreciation for the tap I’d been taking for
granted. This is just one of many examples I could give.
Green Guatemala is in my dreams for now…
Love and Laughter,
Ms. Champion
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you
occupy in the world.”
― Gustave Flaubert
― Gustave Flaubert
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