IXCACO: 4 de Junio en Guatemala

Although John Kerry, the Guatemalan President, and leaders from 34 Latin American nations are meeting 5 houses from ours to push at the Organization of American States Annual Meeting for the United States to try a new approach in drug fighting, an event warranting extremely tight security in the city, we nonetheless had a good time! In certain way, we also feel part of history in the making. Will the use of drugs be legal? In case you want to read more, here is the link:

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Latin+American+nations+push+meeting+approach+drug+fight/8474152/story.html

After eating a breakfast of french toast, tea and Antigua coffee, we went to a jade museum and were able to get a tour and see many types of artifacts -- jewelry, masks, the natural ore, and even the refining process with several smiths.

Jade museum courtyard

Jade refining process

Afterwards, we stopped at "Café Barista" to recharge our batteries with champurradas (small vanilla cookies), other small snacks, and either orange juice or coffee.

Cookies and "pastelitos"

Café Barista

We stopped at a shop that manufactures and sells handmade candles both to buy and to relive old family memories. This business has been in the same family at the same place for 143 years.

A view behind the counter

One of the many racks of candles in the back of the shop

Two of the four registration books for the store. Each one contains about 500 pages!

Finally, Gabe and I attended a tour of the local hospital where he will be volunteering for a few days. It was

very interesting to learn that the much of the medical service at this hospital are a fraction of the cost of what one would pay at another care center. This is because this hospital is catered towards the poor and those who cannot pay for health care. Due to this, volunteers and donations -- from both citizens and patients -- are cherished.