Today is our last full day in Guatemala. Last night we were honored at a dinner with the Retalhuleu (or Reu) Rotarians at a hotel near IRTRA.

Today we will spend the morning at IRTRA before taking a five- hour bus ride to Guatemala City. We leave at 4 .am. on Sunday for Honduras (Copan, San Pedro Sula and the north coast of Honduras).

Our first week in Guatemala took us from Yaxha and Tikal (Mayan ruins in the north) to Puerto Barrios, Livingston and Rio Dulce on the Carribean (Monday to Wednesday), and finally to Guatemala City for their District Conference (Thur. to Sat). Besides seeing the best of Guatemala, we observed many Rotary projects and potential projects. And as you know, we experienced the impact of the truck strike on entering Guatemala City. The truck strike seems so distant today. Since then we have experienced much more of Guatemala, given at least a half dozen more presentations in Spanish, and seen countless Rotary projects and potential projects that clubs in our district can be engaged in.

Let me highlight a few of the places we have visited. We went to Antigua three different times. It is the first capitol of Guatemala, more than 500 years old. It was partially destroyed by an earthquake more than 200 years ago at which time the capitol was move to its present location. Next to Tikal, it is the most visited place in Guatemala by foreigners. Besides the ruins and architectural beauty of old Guatemala, it has outstanding markets and hotels. My team thinks that the Santo Domingo Hotel in Antigua would be there top choice to go for their honeymoon and I would add for special anniversaries. We also did professional visits and visited schools, orphanages, health programs and a micro-credit program - all sponsored by local Rotary Clubs.

From Guatemala City, we went to Chichicastenango in the highlands of Guatemala (Thurs). It has the largest open market in all of Guatemala. Each of us spent whatever quetzals we had in our possession on gifts.

From there we went to Panajechel, a small city on Lake Atitlan. Lake Atitlan is often described as the most beautiful setting for a lake in the world. This large lake is surrounded by Volcanoes and many small tourist towns with excellent hotels and restaurants.

From Lake Atitlan, we went to Retalhuleu (Thur.-Sat), just south of Quetzaltenango, the second largest city in Guatemala. Quetzaltenango has rather cool weather, at times dropping below freezing - the only place in Guatemala that happens. Retalhuleu is just the opposite.

Quetzaltenango is high up in the mountains. Retalhuleu or Reu is on the southern coast and it is hot and humid - both in the upper 90s. Here we took a dip in the Pacific Ocean, went fishing on a canal (or salt water river), saw shrimp farms, visited coffee plantations and one of the most informative and oldest Mayan ruins we had seen so far. We learned about their culture and how advanced their civilization was.

By the way, Mayans still live today and make up more than half of the population of Guatemala.

Today we are going to IRTRA. There combination of Disneyland and Epoch Center.

I am back in Guatemala City. We spent the day at IRTRA in Retalhuleu and then went by mini-bus to here. Its 10 p.m. and I need to get up at 3 a.m. to leave for Copan and Honduras by commercial bus.

It has been difficult to find a place to send photos. There are some up on the Rotary Web site: www.rotary5960.org with identifying information.

IRTRA is incredible. It is a combined Epoch/Disneyland, except with Guatemalan flavor and it is for the workers of Guatemala. They have free access as a result of a payroll deduction.

We are seeing the best of Belize, Guatemala and soon Honduras. We also are making new friends, visiting our professional counterparts, attending cultural events, etc. Also, almost daily we visit another Rotary project and almost every other day we are making presentations, except one day last week when we made three in one day.

The poverty is pervasive. The living conditions of the poor are appalling.

Education in Guatemala and Belize is totally inadequate. Guns are everywhere in Guatemala, the worse case possible scenario of Carry and Conceal.
I have made significant contacts with scouting organizations here and have primed the pump for trade and tourism here as well.
My team is tired ñ weíre constantly on the go. Nevertheless this is the adventure of a lifetime.

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