Clearing the Camera -- August

We're not great about taking photos -- I hate having my picture taken, Scott's not a big fan either, and we often forget our camera. However, I cleared the camera and realized we do have some pictures from the last several months...






In August we went to Guatemala. It was a fascinating place and we had a fabulous time. Here's the view from our hotel of the lake where we stayed for a few days.


We went on a crazy hike up a steep volcano. It was like walking up stairs for several hours. While it wiped us out, it seemed like no big deal to the people who lived there -- they even grew corn on the mountain.






Here I am on the hike. I am drenched in sweat in this picture, but the view was gorgeous.





We thought the textiles were so interesting -- apparently, the different designs indicate different regions and villages. There are different types of weaving -- some done by men, some by women.





The role of Christianity was interesting, too, since it seems to co-exist with the Mayan religious beliefs.

Most of Guatemala's terrain is comprised of volcanic mountains, so there is a lot of geothermal activity. We went to some super-hot hot springs, which were beautiful, but we could only handle the water for a few minutes at a time.

We loved the city of Xela, where we found a bit of Brooklyn.

We went on a bike ride to a smaller village. Nothing makes you feel spoiled like riding by a man carrying a bunch of stuff on his back! The woman on the left was talking on her cell phone when I took this picture.

Our trip ended in Antigua, which was beautiful but very different from the rest of what we saw in Guatemala. Here's a little Scott with some big ruins.

In August I also went to Alaska, which was also beautiful and fascinating. Those pictures weren't on this memory stick -- I'll have to post them when I find them.