Guatemala Day!

Since most of you don't know that I am from Guatemala, I thought I'd share some pictures of this beautiful country in celebration of it's Independence Day! :)

I grew up and lived in Guatemala for 18 years, half of my family is American from Texas, and the other half is from Guatemala. I 1st went down there to live when I was 2 1/2 years old and had to learn to speak Spanish right away because no one down there spoke English like they do now! It is amazing how much this country has changed!! Life was pretty different in Guatemala but I wouldn't change it for the world! Growing up in a foreign country that was a 3rd world country was very interesting but also very eye-opening. It was an experience and I am proud to be half- Guatemalan! I may not look like it but I can certainly speak, read, and write the language! Believe it or not people assume you can maybe speak the language but not be able to read or write it! One of the funniest things I had to deal with when I would come visit my family in the States was, when I got asked where I was from or where I lived, and once people heard where I lived, I immediately got asked, "Do you live in trees with the monkeys?!" And my response to them was always " Yeah, I live on the 4th branch and we sit and eat bananas all day" Seriously?? If it wasn't that question, it was always, "Where are you from?" "Guatemala", "Where's that?" In Central America, the 1st country below Mexico" and I kid you not, people would still even ask me " and where's Mexico?!" Geography was obviously not taught or something! So, it was quite interesting growing up down there! All I can say is that it was a great experience and got to see and go through things that most kids here don't have to worry about or deal with. Freedom was and still is precious to me. Guatemala is a beautiful country but it is very dangerous unfortunately. I was fortunate to be exposed to many great things! So, to not bore with my life in Guatemala, as a celebration to it's Independence day, I am showing you all of Guatemala's great beauty it has to offer and how lucky I was to have lived there!
ENJOY! :)

GUATEMALA'S FLAG

GUATEMALA'S NATIONAL BIRD: EL QUETZAL

GUATEMALA'S RUIN IN PETEN: CALLED TIKAL

ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA: THE FAMOUS SANTA CATALINA ARCH

MAYAN INDIAN WOMEN WALKING IN ANTIGUA

MAYAN INDIAN WOMEN CARRYING TORTILLAS OR TAMALES

OLD CATHEDRAL IN ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA

TEXTILE STORE IN GUATEMALA, MERCADO DE ARTESANIAS

TYPICAL GUATEMALAN MAYAN OUTFIT 

GUATEMALA'S NATIONAL INSTRUMENT: LA MARIMBA

                                     ONE OF GUATEMALA'S BEAUTIFUL RAIN FORESTS

                             
                       TUCANS LIKE THIS BEAUTIFUL ONE LIVE IN THE RAIN FORESTS

LAKE ATITLAN IN GUATEMALA, ONE OF THE WORLD MOST BEAUTIFUL LAKES!

GUATEMALA HAS MANY VOLCANOS 20+, THIS IS ONE IS CALLED FUEGO

                     

DID YOU KNOW THAT GUATEMALA HAS A RAINY SEASON? MAY-NOVEMBER! IT RAINS EVERYDAY AND SOMETIMES 2 TO 3 TIMES A DAY!

                    GUATEMALA'S VERSION OF STREET FOOD AND A HOT DOG STAND!

                                       
                                                  COLOR GUATEMALAN FRUITS

             COTTON CANDY IS SOLD ON THE STREETS AND FARES BY THE DOZENS!

           ISN'T THIS INCREDIBLE?? GUATEMALA IS KNOWN FOR THEIR KITES!

     GUATEMALA IS KNOWN FOR THEIR GREAT AND AWESOME TASTING COFFEES!

GRAINS OF COFFEE

                                        VIBRANT COLORS OF THE COFFEE BEANS

GUATEMALAN BEACHES WITH BLACK SAND! THIS IS MONTERRICO BEACH

                             BEAUTIFUL SUNSET AT MONTERRICO BEACH

THIS VOLCANO IS PACAYA { ONE OF THE MANY VOLCANOS THAT WE HAVE} AND IT IS 25 MILES FROM GUATEMALA CITY AND ERUPTS QUITE OFTEN!

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PACAYA ERUPTS AND IS TOO CLOSE TO THE   CITY!  BLACK ASH IS EVERYWHERE AND THE CITY LITERALLY HAS TO SHUT DOWN AS WELL AS THE AIPORT!

VIEW OF GUATEMALA CITY

                                           OVER LOOKING GUATEMALA CITY

                           BEAUTIFUL SUNSET OVER LOOKING GUATEMALA CITY!

Hope you enjoyed all of these pictures and learned a little bit about Guatemala and where I am from!

FELIZ DIA DE LA INDEPENDENCIA GUATEMALA! :)

Have a Fancy Day!