It took a little more than 3 hours to reach the Guatemalan border.  I judiciously spent most of my remaining Mexican pesos to top off my gas tank about an hour from the border – not realizing that I would need cash to get through immigration.  That turned out to be my only glitch getting into Guatemala.  I paid for the mandatory fumigation of the car using the last 30 pesos and $1 US that I still had on me. But then I had to park the car and walk through town to the ATM machine to get cash for the vehicle permit – thankfully the ATM worked!!  I paid about $6 US/$55 GUT for my car permit and off I went.

The Guatemalan border was an experience. There was a several miles long stretch of highway just inside the border packed with street vendors.  (Remember, this where a lot of that trendy Gap, American Apparel, and Aeropostale clothing is produced.) There were stacks and stacks and stacks of clothing, shoes, handbags, backpacks and other items and literally thousands of people milling through the streets.   If I had had any space left in the car it would have been a great time to pick-up a new wardrobe.  They crowd was so diffuse that they blocked the street so you could only inch your way through, carefully nudging them out of the way as you went.

I am fascinated by an increasing sense of contrast as I travel further into the heart of Central America.  The geography is breathtaking and some of the buildings, particularly the Iglesia (churches) are magnificent.  All of the residential properties within the cities, rich or poor, are behind walls.   Even with all the elaborate colors and ornate handiwork the buildings still have a simple, uncomplicated presence.  Colors and patterns are intrinsic to the DNA of Latino Central Americans and particulary so with Mayan decendants- as can be seen not only in their clothing but even in this roadside fruit stand.