Day 1: The Trip

The day started early, as you all know. Dad picked us up at 4:30 and we were at the airport by 5am; at the gate by 5:20. HALLELUJAH, Alan's metal plate in his neck did NOT set off the security alarms!!! :-) The travel "gods" were smiling on us already. Each flight was right on time for take off and about 15 minutes early for arrival.....so far so good.

We get to the airport, breeze through customs. We now have 3 Guatemala stamps each!!! For those of you that know me, whodda thunk it!!! ;-) We wait and wait and wait for our luggage and IT'S ALL THERE, IN ONE PIECE!!!! Whooo hoooo!!! The airport is being renovated so we had to go the long way around the airport to go out. It was not anywhere we'd ever been so we were a little more cautious. Go past the throngs of people that stand around waving and holding signs to look for our shuttle to the hotel. There I see the sign:
"Quinta Real - XXXXXXX, KRISTI". That's us and we go straight to the van.....as always, Guatemalan traffic leaves you no room to think. They dodge in and out like crazy and honking is a necessity!! Makes driving in NYC a piece of cake! We immediately flashed back to all those feelings we had on prior trips. It's so awesome to just sit and look as you drive with Jimmy Johnson, I mean the hotel driver.

We get to the airport and it's obviously not the one they used in the website but it's still beautiful and feels like all the culture I remembered from previous trips. We check in, wait about 15 minutes for our room. The nicest bellman helps us to our VERY LARGE suite and unloads our bags. Most of the hotel is open-air and it's just breathtaking! I wish you all could see it.

We get our things settled around and just hang out in the room. We missed the afternoon shuttle to the Handi-Craft Market so we'll have to do that another time. It was nice to be able to stretch out and take a nap after an early morning and flying. We ordered room service and scarfed down hamburgers/fries/coke. It was YUMMY!

Alan and I had to opportunity to meet another GuataMomma and her best friend who are also staying at the hotel, just two floors up. They were down for Mandie's 2nd visit trip to see Isabella ("Izzie" for short), their 6 month old. Izzie has just entered PGN and they are hoping to be out by June and bring her home shortly there after. Mandie also lives in Jasksonville, Alabama with her hubby Brandon and their 3 kids. We look forward to getting together with them soon. Aaron and Gabe are both 11 and baseball fans. They have alot in common. The older 2 girls will be loving Luke!!!



"View from the Plane"


"Children's Museum"


"Children's Museum"


"Children's Museum"


"Angel in Front of the Hotel"


"View of the Hotel"


"Beautiful Hotel Scenery"


"Look at the Crib"


"Baby Izzie"