After spending three weeks - that's 21 sleeps away from home, folks - eating meals together and sharing adventures with fifteen new friends and an outstanding Tour Director, it ain't easy - slang fits so smoothly here - saying farewell ending an insightful trip to Central America.
El Salvador, Guatemala, Hondurus and Belize, I love your welcoming attitude to your neighbors from the North. All the safety concerns the media had warned me about were not an issue. I went about my way always being situationally alert, and yet not overly worried.
I purposely chose this trip to view the ancient Maya ruins for it is not the same as studying the pictures in a textbook. Oddly enough, when I was in Copan at the archeological site, an image of a young pigtailed Kay seated at a school desk on Long Island pouring over her social studies book came to mind. Did she ever wonder if she would see this location for real some day?
Over and over, when I stopped in the center of a plaza looking around me at a partially uncovered city, I was in awe of what had been accomplished at one time long ago. Unraveling each site continues to be a work in progress, and with modern techniques, there will be new findings challenging old theories.
Then again, I was naive in not realizing that there is a visible Maya population living today and keeping the traditions in big and small towns. Glance back over older blog posts to see what I mean.
Although the people and places were outstanding in all respects, there is more lingering in my mind to be sifted through in the coming weeks. It's always that way, especially when I come with no preconceived expectations for an assignment. The writing will come when it‘s ready.
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