CROSSROADS CAFE

While in Pana, we walked up several blocks to a Christian coffee house. Mike, the owner, opened the shop about 6 years ago. He buys his own coffee, shells, roast and grinds the coffee himself. He does buy from other countries too. I thought that was unusually, since they grow so much coffee here in Guatemala.

I like the little coffee shop, because it has flags hanging from the ceiling. While we were there, several Europeans dropped by for some coffee. I wished I loved coffee more to appreciate this place.
I walked outside and watched Mike has he was "culling" through the coffee beans. The day before, we walked by and we could smell the coffee roasting. Nice!

Glenn treated us to some coffee and cheese cake. The coffee was quite strong. Besides owning the coffee shop, Mike does "fireworks" show. He will be doing one on New Years Eve at the small village up the road from Panajachel here on the lake. While we were in Panajachel, Mike gave us a "Preshow" of his works, just down the street from LBN where we were staying. There were some loud fire crackers and some real sparkling ones too.

THROWING CANDY TO THE KIDS

We learned that up on CA-1 hiway after Tepan and before you get to Solala, that Guatemalan kids would sit along the side of the road and wave to vehicles, cars and buses that drove by in hopes that folks would throw out candy to the children. We learned of this tradition and bought 2 SAM size bages of hard candy. It was fun to watch the kids in the rear view mirror run along the shoulder of the road and pick up the candy.

One time, I didn't cage our speed correctly, and I hit a young teenager in the face with hard candy. Many times, the candy would roll off onto the revine and end up in the grassy area. I can just imagine the kids rushing through the brush looking for the hard candy.

Driving to Panajachel, we had to stop for road construction just for a few minutes. The kids came running up to our window and we were able to give them the candy.

3 Days in Panajachel (Lake Atitlan)

Wednesday, we drove 3 hours up and over and down to Panajachel. We rented 1 of the 4 CAM houses on the LBN property (Las Buenas Nuevas). It is so peaceful here. We played "Mexican train" one night, Scattagories and also Farkel. I started a cross stitch project that I'm nearly finished with. Glenn and Karen were reading books. It was so relaxing up there. Glenn made "Pirates eyes" one morning. I had made the traditional coffee cake and brought that up to the lake with us for breakfast too.

email
judy.stewart@scbbs-bo.com

Relief Map

I found this quote from TRIP TRAVEL ADVISOR....enjoy
"This outstanding map is the only one of it's kind in the world. Little is said about the engineer who did the majority of it's construction until now 100 years later. Engineer Don Claudio Urrutia who was born in 1857, was ask to build this map after setting the boundries and drawing the first official map and it's boundries of Guatemala. He left behind many documents that substantuate his claim. His daughter Neka McDonald , now nintyone years old is now bringing to life theses claims, so that her father will one day soon recieve the honors and recognition he has been intitled to for the last 100 years. On the 29th of October 0f this year there will be a dedication and ceremony in honor of this man and the others involved in the construction of this monumental effort. I am his very proud grandaughter."

Guatemalan Relief Map

Make your way to the Guatemala Relief Map in Minerva Park Zone 10. After going to the artistian market, we headed out in the direction of the Relife Map.

We kinda felt like we were on Amazing Race, as we "felt" our way across town, in wall to wall traffic. It started to rain, but 30 minutes later we arrived at the Relief Map.

This map is way too cool. It shows all the mountains, volcanoes rivers and lakes.

Shady Parque Minerva features a 1:1000 scale relief map of Guatemala; a unique engineering masterpiece created in 1904 by Francisco Vela.The 2,000sq m/21,500sq ft map shows Guatemala's topography in detail complete with rivers, lakes and oceans and is viewed from platforms located on each side.Nearby is a small forest of hormigo trees, the wood of which is used to make marimbas (Central American xylophones). These trees were planted to commemorate of the marimba tradition in Guatemala.

Karen visits Guatemala

We went to the local artistian market to give Karen an idea of "stuff" you can buy for gifts here. We also Karen some different landmarks of the city. How about a little Eifel Tower, that you can drive under! Did you know Guatemala City had an Eifel Tower?

Tuesday, December 19

Karen arrived on Thursday. Her luggage arrived on Saturday. Karen slept most of Friday and Saturday. She's enjoying sitting out on the upstairs patio and "soaking" in the sun. She's also enjoying time with her brother. Yesterday, we adventured out to Mira Flores mall to eat lunch and possibly take in a movie. Nothing showing we wanted to see. 5 days and counting and Ellen will arrive.

The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

A friend sent me this today. I have seen it before in a little different format, but thought it was worth posting.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes." The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now" said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first, he continued, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Judy
email judy.stewart@scbbs-bo.com

MAYAN CULTURE

The following is an excerpt from co-missionary friend, Maria. We were at the same Ladies Retreat and I've received permission to include the following notes.

While I attended the Women's Retreat in Antigua recently, there were several ladies there doing their weaving, which, of course, we had the opportunity to buy! This is just one picture of several that I took showing the involved work of weaving cloth. The majority of the textiles you see from here are hand-woven and hand-stitched. It is amazing the work that is put into these "works of art"! But the old ways are beginning to die out.
The newer generations are not being taught to do the weaving and stitching. They are also losing the Mayan languages, since the children are taught Spanish in school. I have talked to several young ladies in their late teens and early twenties who cannot speak the "old " languages of their families, even though their parents speak it, Spanish is used in the homes.