Anitgua, Missionaries and McDonald's

DAY 2: This may be a picture overload, but I am a very FIRM believer that pictures tell the best stories.  So may I guide you through our day with pictures...it was a fabulous/beautiful day!

The girls first ride on a chicken bus..the guy I was sitting by obviously was interested in the camera.  Ha! Ha!  No, he was super nice and told us how much we should pay to get to Antigua.  The good thing about this bus too was that it was SUPER empty, so no pick pocketers here!

This market is so fun!  Here is where we saw SEVERAL missionaries.  Apparently it was p-day and they were having a Zone activity.  Way fun!  We met some missionaries from Utah, one from Oklahoma and then several from central and south america.  They were the funniest to talk to!

Dear Ronald,

You have not aged one bit since we last saw you in 2003. 

Thank you for remaining faithful and waiting for our return.

Yours truly,

Jen and Michelle

(no, I am not suggesting that we become polygamist!)

Reminiscing our almost fateful evening all-nighter back in 2003.  Jen, Heidi, Annie, Laura and myself stayed here in June 2003 until they closed for the night.  We played canasta right here...for several hours until we go the boot.  Then we went to a bar (yup, a bar) and stayed there for a couple of hours.  Once we had to leave the bar we sat on the sidewalk in the middle of Antigua until about 4am when our bus was ready to leave to take us to Honduras.  No, we did not tell our family that we did that until we returned home to the states...we were just babies and they would have not been too thrilled of our choice.  When we were home and told them...they kinda freaked out! Funny, right?

P.S.  This is one of THE nicest McDonald's I have ever been to!  Nice waterfalls/gardens and beautiful interior.  I wonder what people would think if we had McDonald's like that in the states!

Our lunch destination...I don't remember the name but it was all typical food/decor.  So fun!

We ate this...

And this...

We enjoyed the architecture of Antigua, 

soaked in the cobble stone roads, the bright colors

and continued to marvel at the beautiful people!

More achitecture.  This was a beautiful cathedral that we went to.

Ate helados...YUM!  I swear ice cream is better in 3rd world countries!

Paolo, Emiliana, Manola, me, Jen

Patricia, Eddy (my dad's oldest brother)

Our family was so gracious to feed all 5 of us and allow us into their beautiful home!  They are wonderful and I am so glad that I can call them family!  This night was also the 1st time we met Gianna (Emi's daughter) and Paolo (Emi's husband).  It was so fun getting to know them...we love them all! 

Ok, for my own personal rememberance...Patricia had called us the morning that we left for Antigua.  We had already made plans with Emi that we would be going to our aunt and uncle's home for dinner after we arrived back to the city.  Patricia let us know that she had a meeting in Antigua and she would be able to take us directly to her house...AWESOME!  We met her at a very beautiful hotel and got in her car.  We were TOTALLY SMUSHED!  But I suppose that is another part of the Guatemalan experience.  You don't have to wear seat belts, you are always squished.  Rebecca and I's legs were totally dead when we arrived at their house.  Good news was...when we returned to Grandpa's house we got a personal chauffer and we had plenty of room for everyone and great leg room.  Worked out fab!

I know, I know...

I am such a BAD blogger.  But I have had lot's of requests to hear about my trip to the Motherland.  If you are reading this and don't know that my family is from Guatemala...well...then, you probably shouldn't be reading this because you are most likely a sick stocker!  Sorry, was that a little bold...but really, am I right, or am I right?  And if you are a friend reading this and didn't know that, well, then...get to know me!

So, I don't think that it is a secret that I have Guatemalan blood in me, and I like that fact.  I am proud of my heritage and I love Guatemala.  Many of you know that my sister, Jen, and I went to Guatemala in 2003 to teach English.  That was my first experience out of the country and it was...interesting.  I loved it!  But going back 8 years later with a totally new perspective in life was an AMAZING experience.  I honestly couldn't have asked for a greater experience...I suppose that the only thing that would have made it better would have been having my immediate family with me.  My parents have not been back to Guatemala for 30 years, when my mom was pregnant with Jen.  I am praying that they will be able to return soon...hoping for the beginning of next year.  Tickets are very cheap right now, so I am pressuring my dad into it.  Ha! Ha!  

Well, shall we...

DAY 1- Flights and food-kinda boring.

We traveled to Mexico City from SLC.  Holy cow...Mexico City is the LARGEST city I have EVER seen.  Kind of ridiculous!  That flight is 4 hours, it was fine.  We got off in Mexico City and the couple Elder's that were on our flight we like deer in headlights.  Oh, how I remember that feeling!  It was so fun to see missionaries and reminisce myself about my experiences as a missionary, nothing can compare!  Good luck, Elders!

The flight from Mexico City to Guate was fab.  We flew with AeroMexico and we would HIGHLY reccommend that airline, it was wonderful!  On a 2 hour flight they give you a MEAL...really?  Way better than peanuts!

When we arrived to Guatemala City, Grandpa, Olga (she is for another post I suppose), and Fernando were there to greet us.  We then went to dinner and met up with Gauti, Maritsa and their kids.  And where did we eat?  None other than...a pizza place.  Why would we go anywhere else?  We were only in GUATEMALA!!!  Ha! Ha!  We had to laugh!

Welcome to Vesuvio's!  Do you like the nice touch of the red/white checkered table cloth?  Can you tell that we had been traveling ALL day?

Cute pic of Jen and Grandpa.

Do we fit in?  One thing I learned on this trip is that I apparently look 'more' Guatemalan than Jen.  If any of you could shed some light on this for me, that would be great!  I'm guessing it is just more of my features that makes me look 'more' Guatemalan.  I definatley have the Guatemalan hands!

Family and Friends-Fernando (uncle), Jen, Becca, Dayna, Camille, me, Grandpa

Maritsa, Paula, Gauti, Jose Nascio, Olga

We were exhausted when we arrived to Grandpa's house, but as a 'thank you' to Fernando for taking us home Jen played the piano and us girls sang hymns in Spanish.  It was actually quite exhilirating, we started off our 'missionary week' off right! (Fernando is not a member of the church).  Stay tuned for many more missionary exeriences and opportunities we had through the week!