Around The World in a Quarter: IXIMCHE (EE-CHEEM-CHAY)

          Today was a free day, a weekend. This factoid's importance: we did not have to work at the school today (FACTOID #1). Instead, Mom, Nina and I (and most of our fellow volunteers) took a day trip. We visited Mayan Ruins, taking two and a half hours to drive there. However, it was more than worth it.
          The Mayan Ruins, called Iximche, were located a good distance away from civilization. We (our family and the volunteers, and our driver, Victor) took a big pink bus with Japanese lettering on the side. The drive provided us with a larger perspective of Guatemala. Outside the city is very different.
          The ruins themselves were not as big as I expected. However, they were still very large, built out of grey stone bricks plastered together with mortar. There were several grassy clearings, called Plazas, many tall, pyramid-shaped temples, and a playing field. Interesting factoid number two: The 'Mayan Governor,' or the one who governed (explained by our tour guide), would sacrifice some of the game's players. Sometimes the winner, if he thought the winner cheated. Or more often, the losers were sent to a larger Mayan city and sacrificed.
   Interesting factoid number three: The Mayans thought of the woodpecker much differently than we do. They looked up to the woodpecker for its intelligence. Our tour guide showed us a tree-a singular tree, none of the others-that was riddled with holes from the woodpecker.
            After the ruins, we took the two and a half hour pink Japanese bus ride back to our home away from home. (Interesting sentence.) And now, here I am, eating a frozen banana and writing in Mom's blog.
           And now, the moment you've all been waiting for.....the first pictures from Central America!
PS: Nina took all the pics with her camera.

The temple of the Sun (with the tree growing out of it) and a sacrificial altar (round stone platform.)

Woodpecker tree holes. This was the only tree with holes in it.

The bricks and the mortar of the ruins.

The farmland on the drive to the ruins. This is outside of Guatemala city.

This is part of the outside patio of the Base. And a bus (not the pink one.)

The houses of Guatemala, seen from a bridge.

Some of the people of Guatemala (seen on the drive to the ruins.) As you can see, the traffic laws are not strongly enforced.

Well, now it's time for some charming words and pictures from NINA!

But for now, goodbye.

-The Puffin

Hi, Everyone!

You probably know who is writing this by Puffin's charming introduction so I don't need to waste time introducing myself. Guatemala is very different than the USA. With roofs made of flimsy tin sheets, hundreds of stray dogs running about, and people selling potatoes on the walkway to make a living, the conditions really show us how much we take for granted. Have you ever wondered what your world would be like without air conditioning, running water, or technology? Living in a makeshift house? Living college-aged with a fourth grade education? Well, most people in Guatemala don't have to wonder.

They know.

In all fairness to the Guatemalans, though, not all of them suffer this level of poverty. Although it is few and far between to see a house considered a "middle class home." Had I not left my personal bubble in Park City, I probably would have taken all of these things for granted, too. Anyway, onto the market.

The market was in the town of Iximche. Natives sat on rugs selling everything from pineapple to used leather shoes. The assortment of items was bright and colorful, matching the vendors' clothes. Unfortunately, we couldn't sample any of the delicious-looking food due to safety concerns. Everybody was salivating as the delicious aroma wafted up our noses. Everything looked so good! Now for some pics...