I Finca I'm In a Village

Sunday, June 15, 2008
A Finca Village, somewhere out there in Guatemala, just past the volcano...

Occasionally our Spanish Language School (CBA) organizes worthwhile social and cultural excursions... this particular Sunday we spun out on a bus to a small finca village somewhere just beyond the volcano and on the other side of the mountain range. As far as I can tell, a Finca is a small farming community that subsists primarily off of the land, and earns cash from the crops that they sell. Our tour was led by a member of the village who only spoke Spanish. Lucy translated from his Spanish into 'our' Spanish, and I was still left not knowing what was being said!

We trekked through the jungle into their farmland, past the coffee beans, across a stream to the rubber trees slowly dripping their sap, and back up into the village after convincing fresh avacodos to drop from the tree. We were fed pineapple, which was the sweetest and best tasting I have ever had in my life, followed by a feast of meat cooked over coals with potatoes and green onions... and of course, muchas tortillas!



Finca Village, Guatemala. The forest where the villagers lived and worked, and home to the best pineapple I have EVER tried in my life!


Finca Village, Guatemala. Our Spanish tour guide that lives and works in the village. He was a nice guy, but I think he's a bit bananas.


Finca Village, Guatemala. Our tour guide needed Lucy to interpret from Spanish into Spanish, which left me needing one more level of interpretation into English!!


Finca Village, Guatemala. Johanna showing a little leg as she crosses the river.


Finca Village, Guatemala. Our Spanish guide crossing the stream, followed fearlessly by our Spanish class and Spanish teachers.


Finca Village, Guatemala. Some of them needed a little bit of help not to fall in...


Finca Village, Guatemala. Some needed a LOT of help!


Finca Village, Guatemala. For some, the help didnt matter anyhow!


Finca Village, Guatemala. How's the water, Lesly!


Finca Village, Guatemala. Nery wasnt afraid of the water... or scaling the avacodo trees!


Finca Village, Guatemala. This bunch made it across the river... more or less!


Finca Village, Guatemala. Tom and Kyle (Kee Lay) crossing fearlessly.


Finca Village, Guatemala. Rachel, and her Canon camera who both went for a little dip!


Finca Village, Guatemala. Johanna chilling out!


Finca Village, Guatemala. More river crossings...


Finca Village, Guatemala. Lots of steak!!! Onions, potatoes, and of course, tortillas!