A small procession on our way to Huehuetenango.
This is the entrance to the Sipacapa area west of Huehuetenango. Guard gates control who goes in and out of an area and are used all over Guatemala. Don't know how much good they do since there was no one manning the gate!
The Cuchumatanes mountain range. The area we are going to ranges from 2000 to 9000 feet in elevation.
The river valley is ver fertil and the area is not densely populated so there is a lot of pine forest around.
Notice the corn husks stored in the rafters. Corn is life to the Mayan people. All parts are used.
These women are making tamalitos (small tamales wrapped in green corn husks) for the pastors attending the training session we visited.
The women in this area no longer wear the traditional costumes.
Inside the "modern" kitchen. That's a chicken ready to be plucked in the red bowl.
Plucking the chicken.
Jack and Carol (older couple in back) are from the mission headquarters. They are in Guatemala to visit all of the missionaries in the country that are sent out through their agency. Paul and Ann and their kids, Peter, Diane, and Leonerd. Paul is translating the Bible and writing a dictionery of the Sipacapa language.
Doors in the area are typically painted in bright patterns.
The house is made of adobe.
Even the shutters on the windows are painted.
And yes, that is the only window on at least two sides of the house. Yes, that's a house, not a barn.
For all you covered bridge enthusiasts, a Guatemalan covered bridge!
Just hanging out.
This adobe house is of a lighter mud. It's much higher in altitude.
Adobe bricks drying in the sun.
These brick are laying flat. We saw several people making bricks that day.
All it takes is mud an straw, both plentiful and free.
A freshly built adobe house. Surprisingly square and even. Dirt floors, though.
Adobe bricks are finished drying and are stacked, waiting to be used.
The adobe is plaster to make it more weather proof. Notice the painted door and shutters.
More bricks stacked and ready to use (before the rainy season starts next month).
The old, low bridge over the river. If you can still see the bumps on the edges of the bridge during the rainy season, it's safe to cross.
Beehive oven made of adobe.
This oven was sitting out in front of the house.