We hit the road early, leaving San Salvador by 7:30 AM to make sure we finished our trip with enough energy to recharge and prepare ourselves for the intense week ahead. The trip itself was relatively uneventful, but there were a few noteworthy moments along the way.
At customs in El Salvador, we were held up for almost an hour because a group of travelers like us were having immense trouble convincing the Salvadorians that they had entered the country legally. The entire affair produced fierce debate about their origins and purpose, mostly because half the group had majestic dreadlocks and magical Jamaican accents. Most of us settled on the idea that they were a band of some sort, and a few were convinced it was Ziggy Marley with his retinue. Whatever the case, we made fast friends with a few of them and were entertained while we waited behind them in line, but we never got the chance to uncover their actual reason for traveling around Central America.
We passed into Guatemala and were quickly greeted by beautiful landscapes of hill farms, plantations, and jungle-covered mountains. It was quite stunning. Soon enough, we had passed through the idyllic countryside and reached the fringe of Guatemala City. Unfortunately, we were in the midst of some type of local "holiday shopping" day, so the traffic was unbelievably heavy.
We trudged through stop and go traffic for about two extra hours, but we finally made it to the retreat house and settled ourselves. The afternoon was filled with soccer and frisbee, and we also joined a group of local college students in some friendly relay games.
After dinner and a few card games, we settled into another gargantuan game of Mafia. All in all, the travel day proved to be both restful and scenic, and we made a few new friends along the way.
Tomorrow we will head to Antigua to attend mass, shop, and embrace the local culture.
We miss all our loved ones at home and hope everyone is doing well.
Mr. Dane
Pictures?
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ReplyDeleteI thought this was a service trip not a soccer trip. Just kidding it sounds like you guys are having fun.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you made it through the border without incident. The Ziggy Marlow wannabes should have toured New Jersey instead.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your adventure with us. We look forward to reading what you have been up to each day. Nothing much is happening here. See you soon!
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