Guatemala in the rear-view mirror

“Everyone is the age of their heart.”
-Guatemalan proverb

We left Antigua this morning under the cover of darkness, our van bumping and hopping its way through empty cobblestone streets. At 4 am, the Christmas lights of the main square flashed their seasonal cheer to us alone. Reaching the outskirts of town, I glanced in the rear view mirror of our careening van and caught a glance of Volcan Agua, the giant volcanic sentinel that looms over the city. It is a massive piece of geology, visible from almost anywhere in Antigua, and a postcard-perfect icon of the town’s unique and beautiful topography.

Just a week ago, I’d climbed up Agua’s flanks on my bike, grunting up dirt roads and narrow trails in my smallest gear, first cursing the tropical heat then grinning as we descended through fertile cornfields and small villages, farmers and children waving as we passed. We marveled at the ingenuity of Mayan agriculture, weaving green beans around fallow cornstalks, and gazed in awe at the spectacular views of the city below.

Guatemala has, in just two visits, become one of my favourite destinations in the world. What is it that stands out for me? Among many highlights I’m hard pressed to come up with just a few. Mostly it is just a collection of small moments, those brief slices of existence that collectively make up our memories, and consequently, our lives and identities.

I remember descending through the narrow cobblestone streets and stairs of Santa Catarina on the shores of Lake Atitlan, people emerging from seemingly every window and alleyway to wave at and run behind us. My heart grows younger at the thought of the old Mayan woman sitting in her courtyard under an avocado tree and sharing the stories of her weavings. I smile at the memory of the warm greetings and farewells of Lorenzo, the Macadamia nut farmer who told us that we now have a new family in Guatemala. The corners of my mouth turn up in a silent grin when I think of the children of Guatemala, some of the happiest and most prone to laughter I have ever met. I still giggle when I think of traveling along the main highway from Panajachel to Antigua, where an endless parade of small children waved at us from the side of the road, for seemingly no other reason than the joy of waving at a passing car.

Guatemala is a poor country, fraught with many problems. But in the midst of its poverty is a simple, quiet pride and a joy taken from the small pleasures of life: family, friendship, community, and the small moments that make up our fondest memories. There are many small, beautiful lessons to be learned from its people, and I hope I do not forget them.

My thanks go to Luisa, Matt, Rodolfo, Wilbur and the many people who helped make our stay in Guatemala such a fantastic one.

-Mike

We still have space on our Jan. 10, 2009 La Ruta De Maya trip in Guatemala and are offering spots at 10% off. Visit our website for more information on this amazing trip and our other mountain bike adventures around the world.

You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or e-mail, or if you are receiving it via e-mail, you can visit the blog site to read other posts and leave comments.