Hope's Grand Adventure : November 2018

Hello friends and loved ones,

I dedicate this blog update to Katy Linnen, our colleague and dear friend who passed away last weekend. Katy loved her new life in Guatemala. She was passionate about her weaving and crafts. She was learning from the local Mayan women and loved to try new techniques. Katy was our travel buddy. We never worried about getting lost together. Take it in stride and enjoy the breathtaking landscape. At work, she was passionate about early childhood education. So sudden, so tragic. We miss her and feel her absence deeply.

After a week in Quetzaltenango mid October, we were off on another adventure on Lake Atitlan for the long weekend over The Day of the Dead Celebrations Nov 1st-4th.

We spent the morning in Sumpango, a village that honors their dead with the creation and launching of enormous kites. Children too make and fly their smaller kites in honor of their ancestors.

The kites are made from rice paper and bamboo. The designs are very elaborate and tell a story or relate some sort of message intended for their dead. The kite threads serve as the conduit for communicating these messages.

The cemetary is a collection of above ground tombs. On November 1st families visit, dressing the grave sights with flowers, incense and other religious symbols.

On to Lake Atitlan - San Pedro, San Juan and Panajachel...