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TOUR ITINERARY
(The "NOTES" are from our summer 2001 trip to confirm that the weather in Guatemala is pleasant, even in the dead of summer.) DAY 1:
This morning we fly to Guatemala City via Continental Airlines where we will be met by our chouffeured bus. We will be taken to our hotel, The Quinta Real. (NOTE: This was the first time we had ever stayed in this hotel because it was finished while we were in Spain. It is UNBELIEVABLE!)
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Quinta Real hotel in Guatemala city, where we stay 4 nights
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DAY 2:
After a wonderful breakfast buffet, we will visit the archeological site of Mixco Viejo, Dr. Richard Hauck's "City of Nephi", located 19 miles from Guatemala City. Then we will travel back to the capitol and visit the ruins of Kaminal Juyu-- Dr. Joseph Allen's City of Nephi. We will be able to compare both sites to the recorded events in the scriptures. We will then visit the tremendous topographical map of the country of Guatemala.
(NOTE: This was a great day. Not too tiring. In Mixco the temperature got up to about 85 but we were only there a couple of hours and there was plenty of shade and a nice breeze. Everyone loved Mixco! Of course Guatemala City was cool, 75, and beautiful. Spent the night in the Beautiful Quinta Real again, after a delicious filet mignon dinner.)
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Day 3:
After a wonderful breakfast buffet, we pass by the Guatemala City Temple on our way out of town. We will meet with the Patzicia branch for sacrament meeting and feel of their wonderful spirit. This is the site of many inspiring Church History stories. After church we will pass by Los Aposentos and follow the proposed trail of Alma as he fled King Noah's army and found refuge at what would be called the waters of Mormon. Tonight we will stay at Lake Atitlan, said by many to be the most beautiful lake in the world. (Note: We enjoyed the breathtaking views as we bused through the rich farmlands and observed the everyday life of the Cakchiquel Indians in their colorful costumes. Lake Atitlan, surrounded by volcanoes, was beautiful as always. The weather was pleasant--75ish--all day.)
Day 4:
This morning we will take a boat ride to the center of beautiful Lake Atitlan where we will reflect upon the single most important event recorded in the Book of Mormon. We will discuss the possibilities of the sunken ruins of the city Chukumuk being the Book of Mormon city of Jerusalem, mentioned in Alma and 3Nephi. Compelling evidence! The rest of the day will be free to enjoy the surroundings and shop. (It was a beautiful sunny day with cool breezes. High of about 78. We had the rest of the day free to shop, lounge around the pool, and explore.)
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A few members in front of the Patzicia Chapel
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Day 5:
We leave Lake Atitlan and it's majestic volcanoes and make a stop in the village of Solola to observe their market day. Then we begin our climb to the 10,000 foot summit. The proposed sites of the valleys of Alma and Amulon are on opposite sides of the highway. We'll talk about the amazing stories in the Book of Mormon that took place in Helam, Alma and Amulon. We will drop down to the Pacific Coastal area where we will visit the active archeological dig of Abaj-Takalik and we will see evidences of the Olmec (Jaredite?) civilization merging with the Maya group. (Note: Most tour participants thought this was a very interesting day. We dropped from the highest part of Guatemala to the lowlands in about an hour, all the while listening to Clate's missionary stories that happened right in the area. We realized how nice it was to have a comfortable air-conditioned bus as we got out to see the ruins of Abaj-Takalik. It was much warmer outside. We were there for about an hour, then back into our cool bus and on to our air-conditioned hotel. This hotel isn't great, but it's the best there is and it is clean and has private baths and a nice pool. Many thought our best meal of the whole trip was served that night at dinner.) |
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