Beth and I were fortunate enough to have our two good friends, Mandi and Aaron Forehand, come visit us two weeks ago. We all became friends while living in Lawrence, and shortly after we moved to Guatemala, they moved to Los Angeles. So it was especially nice to spend a week with them since we won't get to see them very often any more. We had a really fun time and wished we could have had more time together.
They flew in on Tuesday, June 28, in the afternoon. That evening we had a tasty dinner of Guatemalan specialties at the Hacienda Real restaurant in Zona Viva (the nightlife zone of the city). They were exhausted from traveling all day, plus Beth had to go to work the next day, so we called it fairly early that night.
On Wednesday, we slept late and took our time getting around. Mid-morning I took Aaron and Mandi down to Zone 1 to see the National Palace and go shopping in the market. They enjoyed exploring the wares, buying a few souvenirs, and perusing the colorful food market where we bought fresh mango, pineapple, strawberries, and bananas for smoothies later in the day.
After the market, we drove to Beth's school to have lunch with her at the cafe on adjoining University's campus. We all had crepes with various tasty fillings. Afterward we showed them around the expansive, pretty campus.
That night we lived it up by going to our first VIP movie showing! A new mall in the city has a special movie theater that charges double the normal ticket price, but you get to enjoy sitting in large leather recliners, order dinner from a full menu, as well as drinks, and of course candy and popcorn. It was the most comfortable movie viewing any of us had ever seen. And best of all, the tickets only cost $8! Oh, and we saw the new X-Men origens movie, which was entertaining but not as memorable as the experience.
Beth had off from school Thursday and Friday, so we got up early Thursday to head south to the coast where we stayed a night at the Cayman Suites. It was an easy drive, and we got there early enough in the day to enjoy the place all to ourselves until late afternoon. We spent the whole day by the pool and really enjoyed the time together. That night we ordered room service to get away from the bugs and heat as well as to watch Harry Potter 4 (they're big fans like Beth and me).
The next day we got up early and were at the pool from 7 a.m. till nearly 1 p.m. getting in as much sun and water as we could before leaving. Once back in Guatemala City, we took our time cleaning up and repacking our bags for two days in Antigua. That evening in Antigua we did some light shopping and exploring before having dinner at the Mexican restaurant, Fridas.
The following morning we had a wonderful breakfast at Cafe Condessa, one of our favorite places to eat in the town. Afterwards, we explored the local and artisan markets. After noon, Aaron and I tried catching a shuttle to a nearby coffee farm to take a tour, but it never came. So, he and I spent the afternoon snacking on chips and salsa at the Irish pub, reading our books while it rained in the afternoon, and then getting coffee later. All the while, Mandi and Beth were busy shopping and exploring the multitude of shops.
In the evening, the four of us went to Casa Santo Domingo for dinner. The Forehands seemed to really enjoy the food, ambience, and grounds of the amazing hotel.
On Sunday morning, we did a bit more last minute shopping, then drove over to Pacaya Volcano for a hike. We had good views again of flowing lava, and even enjoyed lava-toasted marshmellows! After the tiring hike, we drove up to the Santa Terecita Spas at Amatitlan to relax in the thermal pools. Aaron and Mandi also got massages. Getting home that night took longer than normal due to a carnival taking place in Amatitlan, followed by heavy traffic into the city. Unfortunately, Beth came down suddenly with a bug that evening and ended up going to bed at 8 p.m. and missing the next day of school.
Monday night was our last night together, and since we had nothing planned, we decided to go back and rewatch the Wolvering movie at the VIP theater. It was just as enjoyable as the first time around.
The next day we said our goodbyes, but had already made plans to come visit them this summer in L.A. The adventure wasn't over yet however. Mandi and Aaron arrived at the airport on time, but had somehow missed their flight by a full day! Somewhere along the way, we were all convinced they left on Tuesday, when in fact their ticket was booked for Monday. But thanks to the unbelievable generosity of a Mexican Air employee, they were able to fly back home for free and at the same time as their originally scheduled flight! Pretty amazing.
2 comments:
We had such a great time! Thanks for being amazing hosts and making this such a memorable trip. Can't wait to see you soon!!!
It was a wonderful trip! We can't wait to see Mandi and Aaron again in July. HP 6 midnight showing! Too bad it won't be VIP. ;)
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