Visit to Coban and the North Mission

On our way to Coban we stopped at the Biotopo del Quetzal Nature Reserve for an hour hike in the cloud forest. Look at the lush green. It was raining a very light mist, called chipy-chipy and muggy, but cool enough not to be miserable.

Below is our hotel Mansion Dto Domingo de Guzman. The gardens were lovely, though the rooms sparse. Hna Torres and the guide book assured us it is the best in the area with one of the few hot showers. So we were happy.

The gardens here are always beautiful.

With the Torres at the House of Orchids restaurant. They think of everything to serve you...note the terry cloth bibs to keep our clothes clean.

This is one of the orchids which only blooms one night a year...and we were there on that special night . Beautiful smell too.

Dinner at La Posada the next night with Hna Torres, while President was in meetings. This decor was typical of Coban...the straw tree and decorations.

These decorations were bowls or half shells. beautiful.

See the straw Nativity behind Dad.

Our purpose for the trip and favorite part was visiting a Zone Conference in Coban. We knew most of the missionaries who had come through the CCM and some of our first group were giving their final testimonies. It was very sweet for us to see the finished product after two years in the mission. We were so happy. Hna Torres had them sing from the different countries of origin for the Christmas program. We joined the North Americans.

Dad and the Torres participating with the Mexicans.

All our cute hermanas...some brand new and others the trainers.

The missionaries used bells for some of the music. See them concentrating.

I loved these typical outfits, worn only for this special occasion.

Dad doing a little shopping on the way home.

All the way home I wanted to take pictures of the beautiful landscape...you know how hard that is with Dad. He really has a hard time stopping his horses once we are the way...but we got this shot of a pretty white church. We stopped to find some cardamon gum. This area ships cardamon all over the world...but no one had it.

It was a wonderful experience...being in a beautiful part of Guatemala...out of the big city, among the missionaries in the field, viewing Pres & Hna Torres teach their missionaries. We loved being with them.