Guatemala City. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Armed guards (shotgun bearing) at the Home of the Whopper. Talk about culture shock!

We arrived and got through immigration and customs exhausted (we had been up since 4 AM and arrived 8:40 PM) and unscathed. Then as we picked up our luggage "help you with your bags" "do you need a cart". The assault begins. I tend to be the frugal sort (some say self-reliant, others say cheap), so typically don't accept this type of hired help. Tonight I did. Tired and somewhat overwhelmed,  I gave in. Reflecting on it now, it was the right thing to do.  That person sort of becomes your advocate for that period of time,  and if you're a mark, at least you're their mark. The you only have to concentrate on that one person for that period, instead of the two dozen other pleading voices.

Thank you Jehovah. One of the last gatherings we attended back in Sheboygan before leaving was at Bitter'so.  They had a surprise guest, William Campos and his new bride, Viane (spelling? Vee ah nay), and his sister Judith.  William had stayed in Guatemala several years earlier and knew people there. He immediately began texting a Sister and arranged for her to meet us at the airport. We made subsequent contact with our flight specifics and photos.

What a godsend to have someone who knows you to meet you in an unfamiliar environment. Sisters Ana Lu, Itza, and Evelyn took us in hand and cared for us. We would have been lost without them.  They packed us into 2 cars and drove us to our hotel. They waited while we checked in and got our luggage to our room. They found a restaurant to have a late night supper. And although exhausted,  it was worth the effort on our part. The advice and guidance they provided in the 2-3 hours we were together was invaluable. Thank you, Sisters. We love you.