Guatemala Trip!! Arrival Day

Wednesday.  What a lovely lovely treat: Art and I going, sans kids, to Guatemala for 6 days to visit Aunt Juicenana and Alex.  Despite the slight unease in the pit of my stomach at 1) going to such a high crime place, 2) leaving my boys, 3) getting kidnapped, 4) speaking only "food" Spanish (burrito, taco, etc), and 5) leaving my boys, I was very excited for our adventure!  Which started too too early in the morning with Joy taking us to MARTA around 6am.  Then no issues with bag check or security, us walking the entire distance (instead of taking the train) from security to the E gates, still with 1 hour to spare.

Killing time reading People (thanks Staci for supplying me w/ reading material!)

The flight was educational.  People flying to Guatemala act very differently than people flying to ATL to Dallas.  Can't explain it really, but a different mentality.  It took about an hour just to load the chaotic plane.  Art and I were sitting comfy, excited about our 3 hour flight, able to do WHATEVER WE WANT - not having to entertain kids.  It was about to get even more comfy when a flight attendant, bless his soul, came and asked if we might want to switch to the Exit row (people there had an under 15 kid w/ them).  I shoved and clawed my way there before someone changed their mind!  Now the only irk was that we had so much room that I could barely reach my purse. :)  Flight left seriously seriously late.  Gained time, and we arrived pretty close on time.  Our bags were among the last and I was getting nervous - however unlikely a lost bag is on a direct flight (though later found out a youth group got 19 of their 23 bags lost).  Bags arrive, and we walk OUTSIDE (odd) to meet Alex.  He's there grinning, and my heart swells with gratitude for being taken care of in a foreign-to-me foreign country.  Alex drives us around a bit, showing us Joanna's work, then over to a university where Joanna, surprise to us, was taking the GMAT.  So far, it's difficult for me to tell what is a good area of town, and what is sketchy.  Art keeps asking.  Joanna finishes just as we arrive, and we catch her buying a celebratory Diet Coke to celebrate her being a genius - scoring 770 out of 800.

We leave, Joanna calls Dad, informs me Wyatt has a cough.  Heart seizes.  His last 3 coughs (in Jan, Mar, and May) turned into bronchitis.  Now worried, and reminding myself that PoppiMeMa (as they boys call them) are excellent caretakers.  Off we go to LUNCH!  Why did I not take a picture...so yummy!  First little surprise - the parking lot has an armed guard.  Ok.  Different.  Lunch was a bit Congrats Joanna, and Happy Birthday Art.  Meat lovers heaven.  Plus, we were introduced to the most yummy drink ever...like an Orangeade (instead of Lemonade).  Good!  We had chorizo and steak for lunch, with fries, and yummy bread.  More driving around, showing stuff.  Then off to Alex's house - so lovely!  Love love love the open air feel to it.  Of course Auri the maid was there and super nice.  Her 6mon old daughter Genesis took a shine to Art.  We relaxed under the gazebo by the pool while Alex did a bit of work.  Art got reacquainted with the lovely internet

Art sitting in Marissa's room, using Joanna's laptop

I had to send Dad an email with pictures of Wyatt & Zachary's insurance cards.  Last year, when we left the boys with Poppi & MeMa for 10 days, I was so prepared.  I wrote a permission letter for medical treatment, left copies of their insurance and passports, etc.  This time, though in a foreign country, I made no preparations - ehh, they've got it covered. :)  Before dinner, we drive up to the local coffee shop and get some yummy coffee with Joanna while Alex does some work.  Art and I also get some $$$ out of the ATM for our visit.  Dinner time.  Still not hungry from the gorging experience of lunch.  So we decide to go out for drinks and snacks then will re-evaluate our food needs.  Alex drives the 4 of us to a swanky area near the foothills.  Of course it's pretty early, and we are the only ones there until Alex's friend Hugo shows up.  SO ODD - Hugo is about to move to Groningen, a tiny university town in Holland (we visited Baastian et family there).  He's been there before.  So odd.  So he and Art spoke of Holland a good deal.

Fearsome 4 out on the town

We got tons of little snacks there, which I did not want (b/c I was still so full), but felt the need to eat anyway.  Uggh, so full!  Back to Casa Garcia, where we got to meet Alex's mom for the first time.  Such a cute, tiny, lady!  And so gracious.  She's letting us stay at her house for 4 nights in her daughter Marissa's room (she is visiting their other sister who lives in Orlando).  So generous!  We hashed out the plans for the morning - get up early-ish, and head to Antigua after breakfast.