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Monthly Archives: April 2011
Hasta la vista, PLQ
21st April: When we arrived in Xela and enrolled at PLQ we intended to stay for two weeks. Three weeks later we left the school with lots of new friends, a deeper understanding of Guatemalan history and culture, and – … Continue reading
Posted in Guatemala
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Semana Santa in Xela
Semana Santa is Holy Week, the week before Easter Sunday, and is probably the biggest holiday in Guatemala – a largely Catholic country. There are a myriad of processions, traditions and foods to enjoy. The majority of the celebrations are … Continue reading
Posted in Guatemala
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A verse or two for Easter
We were treated to a recital of this lovely ditty way back in January, on the ferry over to Mazatlan. It´s an appropriate thing to share with y´all for Easter (although more appropriate on Palm Sunday, granted)… and a homage … Continue reading
Posted in Livestock
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How fair is fair trade?
Buying fair trade products is popular back home. People happily pay a premium on their coffee, bananas, chocolate, and a range of other products in the belief that a proportion of the money is going to pay workers a fairer … Continue reading
Posted in Food, Guatemala, Horticulture
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Women of the Western Highlands
By and large women have a tough time in Guatemala. Machismo is an expected character trait for a Guatemalan man, and women are widely discriminated against in personal and professional life. Many are trapped doing housework whether they like it … Continue reading
Volcano Ascent Take Two: Tajumulco – THE highest peak in Central America
6am, Saturday 9th April: A bleary-eyed crew of 19 PLQ students plus two guides, Oscar the driver and provisions for two days pile into a school bus designed to take a maximum of 20 small children. Ned and I, egos … Continue reading
Posted in Guatemala
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Land of plenty
The land around Quetzaltenango is very fertile indeed. Two villages in particular: Zunil and Almolonga have a thriving agriculture industry. Almolonga is k’iche (the local language) for ‘place where water springs’. There are many rivers and streams tapped for irrigation … Continue reading
Posted in Guatemala, Horticulture, Local Agriculture
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Reflections on cycling through Mexico
Three and a half months after crossing the busiest border in the world at Tijuana, Ned and I pedaled up the hill and out of Mexico. Reflecting on the rich and colourful experience of cycling through Mexico is difficult. But … Continue reading
The Western Highlands – the story so far…
Every picture tells a story, and here are some of ours from around Quetzaltenango/ Xela thus far. The museum of Zunil This very cute, family run place was a joy to visit – just the kind of museum I like: … Continue reading
Posted in Guatemala
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Back to school…
From 4th April: So here we are – in Quetzaltenango, or Xela. We have signed up for language school at PLQ, and will be immersing ourselves fully in Spanish for the next couple of weeks. Five hours a day tuition, … Continue reading
Posted in Guatemala
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