Forget me not

Brooklyn and Kara helped plant this little pot with Forget Me Not seeds that Andrea brought. They are growing and doing well. There are many people here whom I hope we don't forget. What wonderful people they are. As we get closer to leaving, we are totally excited to go home again. The people whom we have met will forever be in our hearts. 

We have been training the temple workers from the city who come maybe once or twice a week. One day, we have been told, the temple here will be self sustaining. That means there will not be anymore temple missionaries coming to help run the temple. All the workers will be from the 20 stakes in the city of Guatemala. They can do it.

the Governors Palace

We were able to go to the Governors Palace the other day. We tried to go another time, but there was a teachers strike which made it not a safe place to be. The Wilson's, the Eberhard's, and us went. There was another young couple there from Isabel. He said he was a member of the church but is not active. I told him he needed to become active so he could go to the temple. His fiance said, but I am Catholic. I asked her if she would be interested in learning, but I was not prepared because I did not have a paper or pencil to write their address down for the full-time missionaries. Her mother was with them. We also visited with them on the tour.

The governors palace from across the central park

The flag of Guatemala in the center of the park and some businesses across the street

At the entrance to the palace there were three lights, each with the Quetzal bird on the top by the chain

Before we went in for the tour, we had to wait at the front door

This is the plaque that is at the front door. It says "Homenaje del Pueblo de Guatemala- A sus Heroes historicos protagonistas de la Gloriosa Revolucion del 20 de October de 1944."

The Guatemala Flag
The blue on both sides represent the oceans on both sides of the land and the white center has a Quetzal bird on green

This mural represents the war between the people of Spain and the Mayans

This mural on one side represents the take over by Spain. The man on the horse looks a bit like Don Quixote

The floors through out the palace were full of color and very clean

The out door court yard shows the different levels of the palace with the court yard on the ground floor. The colors on the walls inside and out were a soft green. There are five pillars on each side.

On the walls by the ceiling there are emblems depicting the wars in the country

A plaque is up by the roof in the outdoor courtyard

Plants in pots are all around

These emblems are colorful. So is the ceiling.

Each emblem tells a story

A huge chandelier in the big ball room of the palace. This floor has a mural in the middle of the floor, but we were not allowed to go into the ballroom

These window are stained glass telling more of the history of Guatemala. There are more stained glass windows in other rooms in the palace.

The ceiling of the ball room has some intricate art work on it also

This is the dinning area. Notice at the back where the flag is there is an area for speeches and also on the red platform. Lunches and dinners for VIPs are served here.

A closer view of the speech area in the dinning area.

Some more stained glass

These walls are the same green as inside

Notice the green walls

looking straight up

Up to some offices. We were not invited up to the offices.

There are five water fountains in this area, two larger ones on both ends and three smaller ones in the middle.

If you notice, this statue has two left hands depicting helping, with arms as the second from the bottom of the base which represent working together.

The monument depicting some of the history of Guatemala during the Condo war.

Central Market is within walking distance so we walked by there to get to the car we came in.

We all lived on the orange mini van

The kids made up a song about the orange mini van that we spent sooo much time on, from the time we picked them up at the airport, all the way to and back from Rio Dulce, and to Atitlan and back to the airport.

Here are the words to the song, to the tune of  "we all live on a yellow submarine and the wheels of the bus"

We all lived on the orange mini van, The orange mini van, The orange mini van. 

We all lived on the orange mini van.

With Ryan, Andrea, Britain, Brooklyn, Austin, Marc, Amy, Jacob, Ellie, Kara, Justin and our grandparents.

The family on the bus go De-ga- vu, De- ga-vu, De- ga, vu

Kara on the bus goes He He He

Brooklyn on the bus goes Ha Ha Ha

Ellie on the bus goes That's not my hat

Britain on the bus goes I fell off

Justin on the bus goes Don't touch my coconut

Austin on the bus goes The battery's out

Jacob on the bus goes Stop that singing

Marc on the bus goes Don't fart on my pillow

Ryan on the bus goes Watch the fro

Amy on the bus goes Where's the trail mix

Andrea on the bus goes Like a vomit smell

Grandpa on the bus goes I hate raisins

Grandma on the bus goes I lost my pills

The pictures are not in the same sequence that the week went. 

Our itinerary this week was Sunday evening we had BBQ Ribs. Monday to Tikal and on the way back to the airport we got ice cream in Flores, Tuesday and Wednesday at Rio Dulce including the boat ride on the big wave on the Caribbean. On Thursday we were at Atitlan. On Friday everyone went home. We missed them as soon as they left us to get their airplanes back home.

In these trees there were some spider monkeys

Our group getting instructions from our guide

This is in Flores across the street from an ice cream shop

Looking out at the water in Flores

Here is our family taking in the view

Looks like apartments next to the ice cream store

fisherman in his boat in Flores

There was a vine that the kids saw. They each swung on it

Two at a time?

Kara's turn at it

Justin swinging on the vine

At the top of a ruin

Coming down from the ruin with our guide

This is a pyramid

On the path to the next temple or pyramid

in part of the court yard by a temple

One of the tallest pyramids

ball court

In the court yard
you can see Ellie in the front

Another view of the pyramid

This is a temple. Andrea with her girls 

Ellie

Andrea and Brooklyn

walking on some scaffolding

There is Ryan up there

supposing these were homes

Tikal

Tikal

Tikal

Tikal

Tikal

There were a flock of birds that had yellow-gold tails. They were very pretty, but it was hard to get their picture because they would fly away before we could get a good shot. They are called " ____ oro", which means gold.

Tikal

Justin swinging on a vine

our guide showing us something about the rock

The air plane we flew on back to Guatemala City

Blair (Bubs) on the plane ready to fly back to Guatemala City

Sunday evening we had the Smylies come over to have dinner with all of us. Marc and Amy knew the Smylies when they lived in Church Falls. Brother Smylie is also a Consulate Service officer and a councilor in the Bishopric in the ward we attend here in Guatemala

Ryan is helping with the ribs on the grill
Marc is talking to Brother Levi Smylie and his wife Rebecca

Everyone is getting acquainted and patiently waiting for dinner

The kids are having fun with the balloons in our little back yard at our apartment here in Guatemala

Jacob with a balloon

dinner is served
Justin and Austin, Kara and Brooklyn and Adelaide Smylie 

Jessie Smylie (Levi Smylie's sister) with Britain and Ellie and Jane Smylie

the serving table by the circular stair case in our back yard

Brooklyn loves those ribs

visiting after our Sunday meal.
The back door is left open so the kids can run in and out. Little Levi Smylie in front center

dessert of cheese cake

 Monday morning early we left for Tikal. They also fed us lunch in Tikal. We were picked up at the temple address and here we are at the airport waiting to board the plane for the one hour ride to Tikal. If we had driven it would have taken 12 hours.

In the airport ready to go to Tikal

Our air plane to Tikal

We have arrived in Flores, which is the first stop to Tikal

On the mini van to Tikal we stopped to look at the hill that forms a crocodile

This mini van is nice. Not like the Orange mini van

Justin and Austin are just waiting until we get there

We have arrived
group picture for the kids

These are caterpillars on the tree. They will end up becoming butterflies of something like that

At the base of the tree they call the tree of life

another view of some of us by the tree of life

Our family group

Something is growing on the branches of the tree and it is not the leaves of the tree

Some are going up the pyramid and some are coming down the pyramid

the first of many climbs

There was a tarantella on the tree truck
Ryan wondered what it felt like

So he touched it

Lunch on the way to Rio Dulce

Getting on the boat to go to our hotel in Livingston. We went with several of the Temple Missionaries.
The Eberhards, Wilson, Roberts, and Sister Paniagua

We are on our boat to go to our hotel. The boat is called Happy Fish II. The Eberhard's are sitting behind Amy and Ellie. She had the dis-pleasure of feeding the fish on the Caribbean

Here we are, ready to go
President Roberts and Sister Roberts (with her head turned back to talk) behind Kara, Justin and Austin and the Sister Wilson on the back row

This little guy likes the ice cream

Brooklyn and Kara by the Castillo de Felipe

The chain on the floor was across the Rio Dulce to stop ships from going into lake Isabel

Britain, Ellie and Kara looking out of one of the windows where the local people protected their gold, silver and jade from the pirates

Austin

Jacob

Kara

Brooklyn

Ryan and Marc

Austin on top of a chimney above the kitchen

The hotel we stayed in in Livingston

Ryan in the front yard of the hotel in Livingston

All the grandchildren at the Livingston hotel

view of the Caribbean

meal time

We got to sit with all the grand daughters 

Our beds in the hotel. Sister Viveros out did herself. This is the nicest hotel she has gotten for us since we have been in Guatemala. Good Job Sister Viveros.

the bathroom is behind the window

We see this sign every where we go in Guatemala

view of the pier by the hotel
There are no roads going to Livingston. The only access to get to Livingston is by boat, even for goods and supplies

Looking at the Castillo de San Felipe from Rio Dulce. This is where the people protected their natural resources of gold, silver and jade

entrance

Inside the kitchen area of the Castillo
Elder Wilson

An anchor and other items from the ships that were on the river

Our guide showing us the level the wall was before Restoration

Imagining the people here who protected their valued commodities from the pirates

Up with the cannons that were used to shot at the pirates ships

visiting by the cannons

taking pictures by the cannons

Britain is standing on one of the chimneys above the kitchen

sea birds in the trees

Water lilies on Rio Dulce

the walls on side of the Rio Dulce

Rio Dulce

a cave next to the water on Rio Dulce

Rio Dulce

A summer home on Rio Dulce

a yellow breast bird by our hotel room in Livingston

The morning was very misty

the kids enjoying the hammocks in the front yard of the hotel while waiting to go to the beach for the day

a sea bird in the air

Justin does get this coconut open after a bit of help from others and a lot of diligence

two pelicans in a coconut tree

a close-up view of a pelican

This Christus statue is at the mouth of the Caribbean. The hand was broken off during a lighting strike during the hurricane Gilbert, I think, our guide said. 

Up a small river where people live on the way to the beach

a family doing their laundry in a cement sink

daughters are  helping their mother

On the Playa Blanca "white beach" on the Caribbean

playing in the water

the waters of the Caribbean

Ryan and Andrea at the beach

Bubs is testing the water

Kara and Ellie are playing in the sand on the beach

THE Orange mini van

Atitlan

a couple of volcano's at Atitlan

cities around lake Atitlan

On the boat going to one of the towns or cities at Atitlan

Waterfalls near Atitlan along the road

One of the cities on the lake of Atitlan

Marc's family group in Panajchel just before getting on the boat at Atitlan

on the dock at Panajchel. Volcano in the back ground

A lady selling her bracelets and scarfs

On the boat

In San Juan at the Women's Association of Fabrics. This is the Association who make fabric from silk or cotton. Britain gets to string the cotton thread onto a spool. The young lady is helping her.

Britain is hold up the cotton that is ready to be made into thread

behind bubs is a pot that is used to make dyes for the fabric that is made

These are the many items that are used to make the dyes for fabric

Welcome sign to San Juan

Lunch at a hotel on the Lake Atitlan

waiting for everyone to get done so we can get back on the boat on Lake Atitlan

No. He didn't buy this hat

Ellie, Brooklyn, Kara and Britain in a Tuc Tuc

back on the boat

street vendors

who is that? Britain and sun glasses and Austin?

The young lady with the Women's Association who make fabric, dye it and make items

baskets of cotton to be made into thread to become fabric

all of us watching the demonstration

Austin is REALLY interested

Ellie and Britain back on the boat

Austin and Justin at the front of the boat

This is from the hotel looking out at Lake Atitlan

Another view of the lake from the hotel

a volcano across the lake

Getting into the ORANGE Van again. This time to go to the airport to go back to the U.S.

Saying Good-bye at the airport

There they go. We will not see Marc's family for almost one year

Into the airport they go