We have loved Guatamala, or rather the little bit we've seen today. Our tour was called 'Antigua at a Glance' and we were in a mini-bus with 14 others on the drive to the colonial city of Antigua, leaving the ship at 8.45. Driving through the lush countryside on the 1 1/2 hour drive we passed through many fields of bananas, sugar cane, coffee and fruit and vegetable crops. Antigua sits at the base of a volcano and we saw three, one of which is active and was spewing out smoke. Our guide was terrific, with excellent English and local knowledge.
Our first stop was at a Jade factory - a great story really as a husband & wife team came to Guatamala 43 years ago to search for Jade - everyone said they were mad but they persevered and found some of the purest jade in the world.
Jade Maya is a totally integrated jade company founded in 1974 by archaeologist Mary Lou Rindinger and her husband Jay Ridinger. Fine jadeite jade is found mainly in Guatemala and Burma, but valued throughout the world. The source discovered and used by Jade Maya, are the same used by the Ancient Maya people of Mesoamerica. The jade is cut and polished in the factory by native Guatemalan workers who are recovering and preserving the carving traditions of their ancestors.
The mini-bus ride through the cobblestone streets was pretty rough but the sights were amazing. Such beautiful architecture, (most buildings in need of a coat of paint), the happy smiling Mayan women in their bright colours carrying baskets of fabrics and the markets were lovely. We had an hour or so to look around then headed back to the ship in time for a late lunch.
Dinner with yet another couple from NZ tonight, they are from the Coromandel Peninsular. The show was OK, a young guy from the ship's troupe, singing in his first solo appearance on Regent.
No comments:
Post a Comment