In the fall of 2024 we visited Central America for the first time, with a 10-day trip to Guatemala. We had a great time, starting out in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua, a beautiful city with roots extending to pre-Columbian days. The small city is ringed with volcanos, and we saw one experience several mild eruptions. We climbed up another volcano that is under more or less continual eruption. The Guatemala highlands had very pleasant weather, much like a Seattle summer. We also had a 'cooking class' at a local home, where we learned to prepare Pepián, a rich chicken stew.

Our second overnight stop was by Lake Atitlán, which featured more volcanoes and interesting local villages that we reached by boat. One village, San Juan, was notable for its arts and crafts.

Finally, we flew to the lowland jungles, home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tikal and many other Maya ruins. This was hot steamy jungle, but the ruins were fascinating. Many were completely moss-covered, although there are photos from 20 years ago showing bare rock. An extra bonus for the entire trip is that it was the time of Day of the Dead celebrations.