I have spent most of the past two weeks in Guatemala. It is a fascinating — and beautiful — country. Mostly I’ve been reporting on the political situation here, but I took this weekend to go to Lake Atitlan. When you travel you meet so many people from all over. I spoke with three sets of four men who had met in college and now travel together every year.
I was on the fence about returning to Guatemala. Last year I was held up at knife point in the capital; the man severed my tendon when he stole my phone. I had to fly back to New York City to have surgery on my dominant hand. I’ve tried to see that episode as a one-off and press on.
And if I hadn’t come back, I wouldn’t have been able to do this hike in Santa Cruz.