I have been loving it here in the Central Highlands at Panajachel, Guatemala and will have stayed here for about 3 months before moving on -- this is the limits of a forienger's (extranjaero's) length of stay before requiring a "Visa Run" to a neighboring country for 72 hours before being allowed re-entrance. There are other ways of extending one's stay in Guatemala, but none that include a "geographical cure". I am somewhat anxious to get going and will leave when my rent's up at the end of the month, around the New Year, 2010.

Here in Guatemala I have seen vigilantism with a thief robbing the mercdado battered to death and his 3 female (one pregnant) comapanions covered in gasoline for burning ... Police intervened (after watching the man killed by a mob) to extricate the women (Cops actually asked women to kill the 3 women but could only find one to agree to be an executioner) and the "lynch" mob burned several police pickup trucks when the women were not surrendered to the mob for burning by the Cathedral. I take it that the belief is that the devil inhabits the thieves, so they burn them, medieval-style. Effective and understandable to the locals where the Police are seen as corrupt

Happened to 3 thieves that shot up a bus a couple weeks ago in nearby Solola and Huehuetenango and now two attempted burnings here (and one mob killing) in a week. The streets are calm, but paving stones for throwing are still underfoot and I have at times felt uneasy , esp in the evening walking towards the markets and instead returning to downtown to my apartment. Probably nothing will happen, but others I know are planning on leaving soon too. I just am wary of police or military reaction to destruction of police vehicles and police stations frequently. This is a country with a 36 year Civil War against it's ethnic Maya majority and they are the ones burning down police stations and their vehicles. The next day or so, it is like nothing happened - life goes on - until several days or a week goes by and it starts up again. Beautiful here, but I am not Guatemalan and have appreciate the opportunity of getting off the road for awhile before continuing my journeys on. After 3 months, I'd see myself as a "resident" and not a traveler which has been my life-style. Gotta Go someplace!

Which Way?