Mary Goes Through The Panama Canal (Page Two)

April 10th, We Arrive In Puerto Quezal, Guatemala (Page Two)

Republic of Guatemala is located in the south of the North American Continent, with a population of 13,276,517, making it the 70th largest national population. Its capital and largest city is Guatemala City with a total population of 2,500,000. The country encompasses 108,890 square kilometers making it the 106th largest country in total area. It shares boundaries with Mexico, Belize, Gulf of Honduras, Honduras, El Salvador and the Pacific Ocean.

President Alvaro Colom Caballeros is recognized as the Chief of State and Head of Government and, along with Vice President Rafael Espada, and achieves that status through popular vote and holds that position for four years. Its form of government is a constitutional democratic republic and they celebrate the creation of their constitution on 31st of May 1985.

The languages commonly or officially spoken are Spanish and Amerindian Languages. It counts among its major religions Roman Catholic, Protestant and indigenous Mayan beliefs. As sources of mass communication it has 130 AM, 487 FM, 15 Short Wave and 26 Television stations.

Major geographical features are Volcan Tajumulco, its highest point at 4,221 meters and Pacific Ocean, its lowest point at 0 meters. Its principal waterways are the Usumacinta River, Pasion River and Lake Izabel, which measures about 990 kilometers. Major industries providing for the bulk of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum, metals, rubber and tourism. Its official currency is Guatemalan Quetzal. Here's something you may not know about Guatemala. Guatemala City was home to one of the first Mayan societies dating back to 2,000 BC.

Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala's largest Pacific Ocean port. It is important for both cargo traffic and as a stop-off point for cruise liners.

Time for a bus ride

Time to shop!

The parrots were beautiful

Lots of rocky building materials

Tourist trap

Everything was green

Every color in the rainbow

Did You Know? -Parrots are popular as pets due to their sociable and affectionate nature, intelligence, bright colours, and ability to imitate human voices. The domesticated Budgerigar, a small parrot, is the most popular of all pet bird species. In 1992 the newspaper USA Today published that there were 11 million pet birds in the United States alone, many of them parrots.

Amazing designs and colors

Done with flowers

Purple people

A procession in progress

Time to dine...

Drum lesson in progress

More stuff for the tourists... MAde in China

Guava art

Did You Know? - Guavas are often included among superfruits, being rich in dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, folic acid, and the dietary minerals, potassium, copper and manganese. Having a generally broad, low-calorie profile of essential nutrients, a single common guava (P. guajava) fruit contains about four times the amount of vitamin C as an orange.

Goodbye Guatemala... Now for a day at sea

April 11th... A Day At Sea

So this is a house boat?

What is this I wonder??

Our accomodations were great

A chocolate grandfather clock... It must be time to eat!

April 12th We Arrive At Fuerte Amador, Panama

Did You Know? -Fort Amador and Fort Grant were two former military bases built to protect the U.S. southern entrance to the Panama Canal . Amador estaba ubicado bajo el Puente de las Américas , mientras que Grant consistía en unas tres islas cercanas a la costa, unidas al primero mediante la calzada de igual nombre. Amador was located under the Bridge of the Americas , while Grant was about three islands off the coast, together with the first through the road of the same name. El antiguo fuerte Sherman era la contraparte en la entrada norte del canal, situada hacia el lado atlántico . The former Fort Sherman was the counterpart in the north entrance of the canal, located to the side the Atlantic . Estos fuertes fueron devueltos a Panamá en 1999 y el área es actualmente un popular sitio turístico. These forts were returned to Panama in 1999 and the area is now a popular tourist site.

Oh oh!