Journey to the Summit This journal records progress to my first goal, a long time desire to learn, converse & dream in Spanish and a 2nd goal continue training in Guatemala for my future summit of Mt. Rainier, Washington.

Back home on Bainbridge Is. with Rainier in my sights

GUATEMALA | Saturday, 23 May 2009 | Views [472]

Yesterday we arrived back in the US of A with wonderful memories of a second home in Xela and an appointment with a mountain named Rainier.

Gallery: Week 9 - Antigua, Guate & home

GUATEMALA | Friday, 22 May 2009 | Photo Gallery

Last Supper

GUATEMALA | Thursday, 21 May 2009 | Views [694] | Comments [2]

We took our Guate hosts for the evening--Raquel & Gustavo with sons Estuart and Samuel--for a delightful dinner and Spanish conversation at the Italian restaurant L'Osteria. Unfortunately I did not manage to get a photo of all of us, but Raquel snapped ... Read more >

Central Square in Guatemala City

GUATEMALA | Thursday, 21 May 2009 | Views [1617]

Only spent one afternoon and evening in Guate. Took a walk up to the central square with its cathedral and fountain so typical of the cities from colonial times.

Gallery: T2C--Hiking Volcán de Pacaya

GUATEMALA | Thursday, 21 May 2009 | Photo Gallery

Capuchinas Convent

GUATEMALA | Thursday, 21 May 2009 | Views [1279]

The morning of our last day we visited the Capuchinas Convent, one of my favorite sites in Antigua. It is the most restored of earlier churches depicting the circular convent for the nuns. Here is the courtyard with Theora peaking out from one of the ... Read more >

T2C--Tom decides to stick it to the lava

GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 19 May 2009 | Views [481] | Video

I wanted to experience what it would like to push my walking stick into molten lava. It had a thick, gooey plasticity that yielded to my pusing. It was also, HOT.

Tags: lave, pacaya

T2C--Lava flow up close

GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 19 May 2009 | Views [484] | Video

Check out the flow of the lava and Theora's commentary.

T2C--Pacaya Hike--Lava Flow Up Close

GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 19 May 2009 | Views [498] | Video

Here is a Frenchman and his buddy trying to get a close up with the flow.

Tags: lava, pacaya

T2C--Hiking to the lava flow of Volcán Pacaya

GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 19 May 2009 | Views [571] | Video

My friends Rod and Lori and their two kids recently visited Guatemala and recommended this trip, as did all my classmates who visited Pacaya and returned to the school. The objective was to reach the lava flowing from Pacaya and roast marshmallows. ... Read more >

Tags: lava, pacaya

T2C--Hiking Route to Pacaya

GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 19 May 2009 | Views [1414]

The hike to Pacaya was not particularly difficult. The route is shown here on this trail map: 2.28 km (1.4 miles) with an elevation gain of 302 m (990 ft). Some people hire horses -- see "caballo y guia" photo in gallery. 

T2C--Model of Pacaya

GUATEMALA | Tuesday, 19 May 2009 | Views [1328]

OK, I am a sucker for maps and little models in museums and elsewhere. Here is a model of Pacaya and some of its volcanic neighbors in a glass case in the village of San Francisco that serves as the dropoff point and trailhead for the hike to the volcano.... Read more >

Frieda's Art

GUATEMALA | Monday, 18 May 2009 | Views [727] | Video

OK, this little video clip has nothing whatsoever to do with Antigua or Guatemala, but it is any interesting video montage of self-portraits by Frieda Kahlo's. Frieda did many self-portraits because she was often bed-ridden due to childhood polio and ... Read more >

Frieda's Restaurant

GUATEMALA | Monday, 18 May 2009 | Views [1305]

We decided to have lunch at Frieda's Restaurant. To practice Spanish during my time in Xela I re-watched the Selma Hyak/Julie Taymor movie, Frieda, about Mexican-born artist Frieda Kahlo so I was curious. (By the way, I recommend this movie and the special ... Read more >

Walking Antigua

GUATEMALA | Monday, 18 May 2009 | Views [461]

We set off in the morning to walk about this lovely and most walkable of cities. The sun was warm and the people bustling about. All roads seem to lead to Parque Central and its colonial architecture, this example along the east side of the square.