Hola de los montañas! Hello from the Cuchamatana Mountains. We traveled on our first bus ride Wednesday, to Huehuetenango (Tenango means pueblo or city in Quiche, a Mayan tongue, one of 22). The kids chose the back seat, roomy but hot. The views were great but the kids experienced their first really difficult time without electronic devices to ease the boredom of the trip. It was good for them, but hard. The mountain views climbing out of the Quetzeltenango valley were spectacular, volcano rising in the distance through the clouds and the patches of corn and little pueblos on the astoundingly steep hills.
Hue huetenango is a bustling town, with streets so narrow I cannot fathom how the traffic manages, and sidewalks so narrow I can barely pass people without turning sideways... but there is a Dominoe's Pizza and other American joints along with tiendas selling plantain flavored bubble gum... and the hotel had modern conveniences like TV, so the kids are leaving their technology behind slowly... Best salsa picante I have ever eaten at dinner, and we picked up a few pastries en route. We met Beth and party at the bus terminal, we were early and got our pick of seats for the kids with leg room, but they were across from the door... more on that later. My seat was so small my knees were up around my chest against the kids seats in front of me... and when the bus hit the road, they didn't shut the door... flying around hairpin curves in mountainous streets with no guard rails and stunning steep ravines, while the door across from my daughter was open half the time...
We got in at dusk, and found San Mateo as I remembered it, incredibly steep roads and people who come up to my navel, looking up at my son as though we had beamed down from some planet of long-legged giants. Michelle's blue eyes are fascinating, but the kids feel rather stared at right now. Two days later and they are feeling comfy running back and forth to the market to get local food and stuff... more later,
K
Luggage? GPS? Comic books?
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