Eldon and Dawn Hurst's Travels: We begin our July 4th week

The temple is now closed for two weeks for maintenance so we got in presidents car and headed out a 7 am to Quetzaltenango or Xela (Shela) which is short for Xelaju in the indian dialect here. It took 3 1/2 hours and since we were a little early to check into the hospidaje there we found a couple of markets to visit. Sister Norman and I bought apron. These are different than most others I have seen. Very lacey and practical. Aprons are as distinctive as the huipiles (blouses). Ours are pretty plain but many have embroidery, sequins and ribbon designs on them.

My new apron. Hey I like this pic. It makes me look tall and skinny!

Markets

Ladies bargaining with each other.

And of course we had to eat every so often.

Steak restaurant.

Food was good.

Only a facade is left. The church built behind it is modern.

Central market closing down for the day.

There wasn't anything too exciting in town so we drove to Zunil.We drove down a lovely canyon that Waze directed us to and we ended up in the middle of some fields. It took a 20 point turn to turn around and head back on a different road. We had gone right past the entrance to town apparently so we had to roads available to us and again we took the wrong one and got lost. But we finally chased the market down but it was closing. The farms and valleys we drove through were beautiful.

One of the farms we passed

Actually had sprinklers going.

Church in Zunil freshly painted.

We actually saw a lady with a turkey on her head rushing to catch a "bus" but she was moving pretty quickly and we missed the picture. Most do not like their picture taken.

They carry all loads on their heads.

The streets are very narrow. This one is two way.

It was late so we headed back to the temple housing and Waze got us there without mishap for a change. We do find a lot of unscheduled adventures when we let her have her waze. Haha

Housing complex at the temple.

It was Monday night so we enjoyed home evening with all the other missionaries who live here and got re-acquainted with two couples who had been at mission training with us in Salt Lake City.

Tuesday we got up early and went to the first session (8 am) and then drove to Salcaja for their market day. They had material for skirts all over the place and in stacks and colors no two of which seemed the same.

Huipiles. I bought the orange one in my hand.

Rows of material.

Lots of churches. This one is very plain

Vegetable market.

See sits on the ground and sells her vegetables.

Central Square. You can tell by the pigeons.

Next we drove to Totonicapan which was also having their market day. The markets are very crowded. The outfits were colorful. Some wore a cloth on their heads to keep the sun off. Or if it is cold they wrap it around their shoulders or carry bundles in them.

Cloth on heads. It has a name but I can't remember it.

They carry everything on their heads.

Lunch time again so we found a chicken place and ate and then headed for Fuentes Georginas-hot mineral pools that are produced from the Zunil Volcano. They are way up in the mountains and Waze took us up the narrow winding road and got us there just fine,

In the steaming mineral water. President thinks it was dissolving away our fat.

Lots of people at the pool.

Waterfall coming down into the pool.

We met a couple of young people from France who did not speak a lot of Spanish and were wondering if there was a shuttle going back to Xela. They had come in a taxi. We didn't know anything about the shuttle but offered them a ride back to town with us. The views were spectacular. We at dinner at a restaurant close to the temple and then went to our apartment and played five crowns with President. Great day.