HOLA GUATEMALA!

I have officially escaped. My house on the dusty roadside in Moroceli is now lonely, with only my two bunnies keeping it company. On Saturday morning, we woke at the wee hour of three thirty AM and packed our final socks and underwear, careful not to forget our diplomatic passports and camera in our big backpack. At four thirty, the bus rolled by and stopped briefly for us to hop on. The ride to Tegucigalpa, ugly smelly belly turning dust hole, is two hours long. Needless to say, we stayed only long enough to breath in a bit of the polluted smog and hopped on a bus headed North, West to Copan Ruinas. Seven hours of putter puttering along the road--I had lots of time to read through my lonely planet guide book of Central America. I read about El Salvador, our destination spot and read about how El Salvador has the most deforestation of all the central american countries. I wanted deep jungle forest. I read about how El Salvador is the least visited country by tourists. I wanted tourists. I read about how the El Salvadorians are very hospitable and the off the beaten track tourist is sure to be delighted with the kind atmosphere. I already know the hospitable kind culture. I began to dread our vacation plans. I read about the blue pearly carribean seas in Belize and the wild jungle and ruins in Guatemala and seven hours later as we arrived in Copan, I greeted our Canadian friends with a hug and one simple frase {We need to talk!{ So we talked and for now I find myself in Guatemala in a little cute adorable touristy town called Antigua running out of time on a computer in this small internet cafe. So yes, I am taking a vacation from being a peace corps volunteer and for the next two weeks I am playing the role of the tourist with the big backpack and the camera. As time is escaping, I will relay briefly without the fun detail our travel plans... Tomorrow we are headed to climb a volcano with a guide near Antigua and we will return to Antigua the same day to wine, dine, and enjoy a hot shower in the hotel here ..yeah the hotel actually has a hot shower and a flush toilet.. imagine that! We plan to next visit the Lago de Atitlan...supposedly a beautiful lake and then THursday night off on an overnight long bus ride to Tikal and Flores! Jungle hidden ruins with Howler monkies to wake us up! From Tikal, we plan to head to Belize and the Carribean coast to enjoy the turquoise pealy waters! Our trip will come to its last delight on a river boat trip through Rio Dulce in the jungle before we board a final direct long horrible bus ride all the way back to Tegucigalpa on June third. Our canadian friends are leaving June fourth from Teguicigalpa and we will head back to our bunnies and our cozy little home and bucket shower in Moroceli. Time is out. I send you lots of hugs, kisses, and all my love.. I am loving Guatemala. Pray for me that my bag and camera doesnt get robbed like my previous travel experiences... but even more pray for all my neighbors in Moroceli that are struggling to earn a dime in their bean-corn farms just to live day by day and will most likely never have the experience of staying in a comfortable hotel and eat dinner out at a restaurant. THey need the prayers more than I do. They need Gods help... I will try to take care of the backpack myself. If I loose it, so be it, I have the best thing life could ever give. The love of my life and all the love I could ever desire from all of you. Keep in touch and write us often.