Some aspects, comments and observations around our trip (Biya-Anton) to USA-Mexico-Guatemala- Belize (1 December 2022 – 12 February 2023)….73 days
Getting out of the winter period from the Netherlands and Korea and traveling together to the South is a plan we manage to realize practically every year. Then the older we get, the longer the winters seem to last. Unfortunately in the Netherlands our winter, in the past 40 years, has turned into a grey period, little sun, lack of cold and crispy weather, hardly any snow.. and I can go on. Hence Biya and I travel to areas where we can be outdoors and work on our project of becoming more fluent in Spanish.
This trip was not too eventful as Biya’s knee prevented us from challenging walks, climbs and adventurous outings. We felt good though just being able to travel and be together in faraway lands where clearly we only scratched the surface of the cultures we met. Then, definitely we appreciated all the people and the nature we saw! And we proved to be a positive minded couple without serious issues. Not easy for two strong individuals being together so closely for two and a half months. Chapeau to the 2 of us! Or not?
We decided to meet in L.A./California where we can stay at ‘Bona sister’s’ comfortable place close to LAX airport in ‘Koreatown’. We were able to visit Biya’s special friends in Salt Lake City (SLC) in Utah. Jerry and Janice Whitton sponsored Biya a nearly four decades ago, when Jerry worked for the US army in Seoul. They brought her to the University of Utah to study and get her Master’s degree in communications/public relations. An unusual invitation from an unusual couple. Jerry and Janice lived for over 20 years in Fairbanks, Alaska where we visited their rude cabin in the woods a few years ago. Thanks God they are back in Utah now. Though when we arrived at their home in West Jordan Valley it was cold with snow. Now old and frail, the Whitton’s are hanging in there. May God continue to bless them!
Salt Lake City (SLC) and the town of Provo in Utah are the global centers of the Church of Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormon Church, now a worldwide religion with an impressive infrastructure as one can see from pictures.
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| Mormon temple-offices grounds downtown Salt Lake City |
When strolling through the center of SLC one can not help to admire the beautiful temples and historical sites of the Mormons. For over 125 years they carefully landscaped their presence in this city and although a minority now, one can still easily pick out the Mormons (well dressed and always helpful).
I was surprised to see in Vernier-Geneva, and in walking distance from the Cornavin railway station a huge and new Mormon Church when I lived there some 15 years ago. Then during our travels this time another Mormon Church in Antigua (Guatemala) built on a large plot caught my eye. Definitely the faithful support the growth of their Church; something the Catholics seem not able to do anymore since World War II.
According to the book of Mormon, Jezus appeared soon after his death in North America; and a tribe from Israel earlier on had migrated to the ‘new world’. In dreams, a simple American farmer, name of Joseph Smith, was instructed by the prophet Moroni to look for ‘plates’ (basically a compilation of a different kind of Testament) in the hills of New York State / we are talking 1823 now!! These plates supposedly described the history of God’s existence and work in North America. Upon analysis of the ‘plates’ and further divine instructions Joseph Smith then developed the rules of this new religion and built the infrastructure of the Mormon Church against many odds. Smith himself was murdered in Illinois by a mob of Mormon haters in 1844.
This story sounds farfetched to many … but the Mormons have worldwide some 20 million faithful with a strong presence in the USA, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Australia, plus practicing Mormons with a missionary presence in well over 150 countries. All the young Mormon men serve for over a year somewhere in the world as missionary and you may see them at the corners of the street, like in Eindhoven: clean shaven and decked out in suit and tie. Possibly the fasted growing church/religion globally. Nice people when you meet them in the street and in their temple. Biya and I attended a beautiful Christmas carol session performed by girls and boys from a Mormon secondary school: amazing grace!
The Mormons take their religion seriously one can say that; church coffers seem full, construction going on all over Provo and Salt Lake City. And the life style of the Mormons is impacted by frugality, family life first, no alcohol nor tobacco and similar restrictive guidelines. Polygamy is not the norm anymore (although still happening in isolated communities) and Afro-Americans can be members as well since many decades.
Book about Mormons….title ‘Under the banner of heaven’. John Krakauer (2004) / non-fiction well researched and documented. A fascinating read!
To stay with religion…it was a déjà vu for me when we saw at Belize international airport some 15 Mennonite families, traditionally dressed, on their way back to Canada where they still have large communities. Mennonites in Belize….. (the Dutchman Menno Simons in the 16th century) / these were reformists / protestants and peace loving. Because of their traditional life style and refusal to serve under arms they had/have problems in many countries. I worked with the Mennonites closely when I served EIRENE in Niger (1979-1982). The Belize government some 40 years ago agreed not to draft Mennonites into its army and gave them large plots for cultivation, knowing their agricultural skills. Really nice to see these Mennonite families with their large families.
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| Mennonites rural life in Belize anno 2023 |
We decided to fly straight into Mexico Ciudad and prioritize the Southeast. I was apprehensive of the security or better the lack of security and the potential flare-up of street violence. To my positive surprise Biya and I perceived those areas we traveled through as very safe and secure. The capital sports frequent walking patrols of armed police and the army. And in the center of town, mobile armed patrols in Ford Ranger pick-ups sitting on flatbeds with machine guns touting, give some kind of security. True to the bone, our trip was far away from the US/Mexican border (more than 1.000 kms!) and we were not close to the ‘Narco-lands’. The closest we came to a place that could be problematic was Acapulco on the Pacific coast. No, tens of thousands of foreigners are traveling on a daily basis through Mexico like we do: bus, taxi, backpack, small hotel, city walking…. And we did not meet/hear/see anything close to the insecurity the media and foreign embassies warn you against.
Of course we remained always on the alert and I still have my professional humanitarian attitude of observing any signs of trouble and then keep away from it: no walks at night; check taxis before getting in, keep your passport and money out of sight and so on. Also in Guatemala we had no issues at all. Clearly we became comfortable traveling around from day one, when we took a safe no-nonsense taxi from Mexico City airport to our hotel in the Cuauntemoc area / Rio Lerma.
Traveling through Mexico can be very pleasant and the way we did it was comfortable: mostly by Pulman bus and 4 times overnight for long distances. Yes, as everywhere in the world drivers get sleepy and a few times we nearly veered off the road during the early morning hours. I am so scared then as I always watch the driver’s alertness while other passengers are sleeping or punching their smartphones. But generally yes: busing around is tops. But I do recall the trip from Guatemala City to Flores overnight in a double-decker where we had a seat upfront top floor with the windscreen already pretty much cracked. A bit scary and prayers are in order before departure!
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| The patio in the IDEAL Spanish school in Cuernavaca |
Lodging facilities are also better than expected. And cheap as well. We stayed away from the colonial type hotels (that always have dark and small rooms) and filtered on the aspects of size, accessibility, proximity to center, windows/light, and ‘dinero’! Biya did most of this and she scored a good 80% plus on this internet task. Well done honey; appreciated. I do not have the patience to scrutinize the internet for it anymore. We nicely decided to stay at least three nights in the accommodation we booked. Otherwise the turn-over is too frequent and in the end you cannot even remember where you have been!
Then the lodging concept has changed in the past five years toward something I personally take issue with. Increasingly a hotel is not a place where you can eat or drink, but just only sleep. Increasingly so called hotels or bed & breakfast places, apartments or whatever the lodging is called: there is no reception or no one to open the door when you arrive. Instead you find a notice to call a number then you have to identify yourself and you get a code to unlock the doors. Really all of this I find unpleasant though young people apparently prefer it. We think that the younger generation is not interested in talking to or seeing real people managing the premises. No towels in the bathroom…ha-ha please send a WhatsApp message and just pray that someone reads it and does something about it! This appears to be the global trend. Grrrr. So I try to go for the classic hotels with a breakfast room, a little bar and as a minimum someone fielding the reception desk.
So where did we go then? Mexico City, Cuernavaca, Oaxaca, Huatulco, San Cristobal de las Casas / then into Guatemala staying in Panajachiel and San Pedro La Laguna, both at Lake Atitlan; then Antigua, Flores, Tikal. Finally crossing into Belize with one night in Belize City before flying to Dallas and Los Angeles.
The above is a fairly standard touring scheme. We managed to see the hotspots at leisure and certainly I personally regretted that I had not visited Mexico before!
Mexico City not to miss: National Anthropological museum, Church compound of Maria de Guadeloupe, patron of the Catholic Church in the Americas, central Plaza / Zocalo with its historic buildings, the Teotihuacan complex of pre-Hispanic civilization; walking the streets and eating in small restaurants where mama does the cooking.
Cuernavaca to do: listen to live Mariachi bands in the central Plaza, enjoy lingering in the Borda garden and a visit to the Cathedral grounds; good food all over and less noise than Mexico city; also Amerindian temples close by. Possibly the best climate in the world.
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| Christmas Mass in Cuernavaca in Iglesia Maria de Guadeloupe |
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| Feast of La Candalaria open air mass in Antigua, GT |
Oaxaca is the place to be with its Spanish colonial styled buildings, colors, parks, food stalls and a beautiful Cathedral in central Plaza. I could easily live and study here for months on end. Situated in a valley it is surrounded by pretty villages and temples all around.
Huatulco is a spot to relax with its many small bays. Pacific coast! Weather always good so we enjoyed sun, sand, walks, food and a great hotel for a full week. Lots of US citizens and Canadians live a retired life here.
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| Chahue beach : clean, quiet, but sea can be dangerous with undercurrents |
San Cristobal de las Casas is another colorful colonial styled town with a cool climate at 2.200 meters altitude; lingering and many activities for the international youth scene seem to be the preferred pastime. A lot of young travelers / mainly from the USA/Europe; many single and doing a Central America tour; marihuana available as well.
Lake Atitlan…a lot of noise everywhere we went. We selected the wrong towns I am afraid. Scenery is lovely but man, the music in all those lakefront bars is horrific (simply unpleasant). For the young and furious mainly.
Antigua is another pretty snazzy place with much history; one feels good here. A place to return to and climb the volcanos! Lots of tourists but somehow one does not mind. The atmosphere and sights are unbeatable.
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| Volcano 'Fuego' close to Antigua |
Flores is prettily situated at a large lake and has a tropical ‘feel’. The town lakeside, is lovely to wander around and plenty of eateries right at the lake itself.
Tikal is the jungle spot in Guatemala that should not be missed: national park with the largest ever discovered Maya complex. Definitely impressive. Take 5 to 6 hours just walking around, and climbing up the temples.
Belize City reminded me / déjà vu! Again / of Banjul in the Gambia; the port area is busy and filthy; then we stayed uptown seaside just like I lived in Bakau close to the sea in the Gambia. Nice to hear and feel the sea breeze once again. Belize used to be British Honduras until 1973 though it was formally recognized by Guatemala as independent only in 1978 after a long border dispute. The British influence is clearly to be seen in the buildings, foods, and the composition of the population with a large proportion of African origin, a.o.
Overall we only met helpful people. No stress either. Clearly, work is important but in Mexico shops, banks etc. generally do not open for business before 9am if not 10am…..and I found the towns quiet after 8 or 9 pm. Same in Guatemala. And Mexico must by now have a significant part of its population that is well off. Guatemala is much poorer. Interestingly Mexico is much cheaper than Guatemala (except for the Spanish lessons!).
Then we took all in all 29 lessons to improve our Spanish in Cuernavaca, Oaxaca, San Cristobal de las Casas and in Antigua. Boy, we were fortunate to find good teachers (Alysha, Julissa, Estephany and Sorayda). The IDEAL school, run by the Brito family in Cuernavaca proved a hit and from then on it was easy to just play it by ear. In the towns we searched for teachers we just looked at the posters at lampposts! Nevertheless we have to continue brushing up every year to remain at the intermediate level where we are now! Biya is more serious than I am studying but then I know a lot of palabras and do not mind the mistakes I make.
Mexico has quite a lot of famous men and women and the Mexicans identify with their country more than the Dutch do with theirs. People are proud of Emiliano Zapata and other evolutionairies that left their mark on the country's history. The Americans we met in Mexico love the place (I guess more than 2,5 million US citizens live there more or less permanently, including digital nomads).
A pity that plenty 'bad' foodies have permanently entered the food habits of young people. I was surprised to see so many obese youngsters lurking on coca cola cans and munching on chips and crisps of all kinds. Caramba, no es bueno!
Finally I was particulalry interested in the period when Mexico suffered under the Spanish occupation. Two books I can recommend: 1. Salvador de Madariaga, Hernan Cortes the conquest of Mexico (biography) 2. Ana Lanyon, the new world of Martin Cortes (son of Hernan Cortes). For those who love history you will not be disappointed.
And listen also to Neil Young and the Crazy Horse Band with the song 'Cortez the Killer'(1975). In the end the Spanish conquistadores killed or annihilated a significant portion of the Amerindians all over Latin America. In just over 100 years from Patagonia to Northern Mexico.
Last blurps: I tasted the pulque, tequila and mezcal....not a fan (but when offered with lime and salt I do enjoy the tequila). The beer is good: Modelo, Pacifico lagers, and yes, Corona in Mexico tastes better than in the NL.
Food is yummy......tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, tortillas, guacamole, other moles, soups/caldos, black beans....and maize. Really I have begun to like maize because in the NL we hardly eat it (but feed it to the cows).
Here is the recipe for guacamole a la Mexicana. I prepared it already a few times and all my friends like it a lot.
For 4 to 5 persons: 4 ripe avocados, 2 red onions (cut up), 3 tomatoes (cut-up), 2 limes (juiced), 2 jalapeno peppers (cut up), 2 spoonfuls of good olive oil, a bit of oregano (if available), fresh coriander or similar (cut up), sal con gusto. 10 Seconds in the blender and you are all set.
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| Street food cooking in Cuernavaca-Zocalo plaza |
Money is easy to handle...ATM and change cash. Interestingly in both Mexico and Guatemala the euro seems an unwanted currency. Greenbacks preferred! But the banks all take a juicy commission of at least 6% and there can be long queues. Then, life is cheap there so let a small trivial thing like that not bother you.
