Ever since our first experiment with AirBnB (where we snagged a New York City...
Recent Updates
Antigua, Guatemala
Established in the 16th Century as the capitol of the Spanish colonial government for the Kingdom of Guatemala, which at the time included much of present-day Central America, Antigua is a living museum of Spanish colonial architecture.
Electrifying
If there is one thing I know, it is that water and electricity don’t mix; at least not in a good way.
Although I was aware of these hot water contraptions before arriving in Central America, that knowledge didn’t make stepping into an electrified shower any less unnerving. That switch on the front is the temperature control, which I left set at a comfortable “whatever the last person brave enough to touch it” left it on.
Sadness in Every Sip
The girl with sad brown eyes and dirt streaked cheeks prominently displayed the infant in her arms as she followed close behind our group. We recognized her for what she likely was, a scam; pressed into service by some unscrupulous adult to prey on the guilt of well-to-do tourists.
We came mostly prepared to emotionally handle children beggars, to the extent you can ever really prepare yourself for such things. We understand that giving them money directly only encourages more adults to abuse children in this way. The dollars they receive from well-meaning tourists often binds them, and future generations, to a world of servitude. Better, in our view, to give those dollars to reputable charities in the countries we visit that work to break that vicious cycle (please go to the botom of the post for more).
The children we saw carrying baskets and picking coffee beans at the Finca Filadelphia plantation were similar in many ways but more affecting in one; our complicity. While we refuse to support the industry that recruits sad-eyed children with outstretched palms, we do enjoy our morning cup of Joe.
Photo of the Day: Holy Tree of Life
Ceiba, the National Tree of Guatemala, can reach heights of up to 70 meters (230 feet). The Mayan worshiped it as the Holy Tree of Life and the axle of the world that connects the planes of the underworld, terrestrial realm and the skies.
Everywhere Once 