Just Landed!

Hello everyone!

I made it to Guatemala - all limbs and vital organs in check! Things got a little crazy on the way down though. I was expecting to be picked up at the airport in Guatemala City as planned, but I got word Fr. Bernie would not be able to make it anymore. Instead, he would be driving to the airport two days later to drop off the prior and was saving time and money by only making one trip. That made perfect sense, except Matt and I now had to chill with all our luggage somewhere in Guatemala – a good problem as long as an adventurous attitude keeps your spirit up!

We took the easiest route, which was to catch a shuttle to Antigua. That city is amazingly beautiful. Imagine a city plucked from picturesque Europe and dropped in the middle of Latin America. Fantastic. There are Macaws, fountains, and flower gardens all over, especially in the nice hotels and Parque Centrale. Volcanoes surround the whole city as well; creating a landscape that is absolutely breathtaking.

We spent our two days staying in a moderately nice hotel. Some how we happened to pick the only one right next to Antigua’s only Irish Pub, Riley’s. Funny how that works… The monks always say God works in mysterious ways, and I couldn’t agree more! The last night before heading to Cobán was by far the best, as a guest joined me all the way down in Guatemala. Yup – Michael Anderson flew all the way down there and spent several hours on various chicken buses (local transportation, usually not recommended for tourists) to meet me in Antigua. We spent the evening at a couple different bars, and yes, one was Riley’s Irish Pub next door. Expect another update soon as I just got to my new home in Cobán and will be filling you in on the details, friends.