eKaqchikel 2008 - Volcanos, Vistas and the Old City

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Friday, July 25 - I'm writing this from our hotel in Antigua, Guatemala. It's just after midnight and I'm sitting at a bench outside my room. All the other guests have retired to their rooms and the hotel staff has left for the night. It's breezy and the mosquitoes are light. I guess it's a sign of our times that a weak wi-fi signal now constitutes "roughing it."

It was a good day. We started the morning in Panajachel taking portraits of our hosts at the Hotel Posado de Don Rodrigo. They've been so kind and helpful throughout this and all our previous trips that it's time they get a credit in the final CD-ROM. It was a particularly clear day over the lake so we also did some b-roll on the volcanoes and skyline. You never know when a good beauty shot may come in handy

After those few shots, the production really did come to an end. We said good bye to Panajachel, loaded our many bags into the waiting van and hit the long, winding, and often dusty road.

Mudslides had made our usual route to Antigua impassible, so the driver took us the "back way." The road was very long and winding, with numerous hairpin curves, blind corners, and nearly undrivable grades. But the view!

As we rose through the mountains, more and more of the lake became visible, along with the tiny towns that run along its shores and the massive volcanoes that ring the area. About 45 minutes into the trip, the driver pulled over and let us out to take in a particulalry breathtaking scene. It may have been just our imagination, but Lee and I swear we could actually see the curvature of the earth from where we stood. Unbelievable!

We finally arrived in Antigua and after checking in set out for food. It's a festival day here in the city, so the streets are packed with visitors. Not a bad scene, except for the canons that go off every ten minutes. I dare anyone not to jump with that much gunpowder being set off that near!

Our shuttle to the airport leaves at 9am and our flight from Guatemala City leaves at 12:30. After that, it's Houston and, finally, home to New Orleans at about 7:30.

Home, hearth, family, comforts and - for me at least - cats await. I'll check in once more after we're back, but the trip is almost over!

Almost forgot - a few video clips from yesterday that didn't get loaded in time: production with a volcano backdrop and the tortilleria.

Good night from Guatemala...