Purulhá, May 23

On Sunday, May 23rd we arrived at Hotel Ranchitos del Quetzal in Purulhá, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. We were able to see several quetzal birds early the next morning, although I was unable to capture them with my camera. They stay very high in the treetops as they call to one another and dance on the wind. The quetzal bird is the national bird of Guatemala and represents freedom.

The food here was delicious and filling. We had tamales wrapped in banana leaves and drank a hearty broth before the main course of vegetables, tortillas, and carne.

It was cool and wet here, with stunningly diverse plant and animal life all around us.

It was from here that we walked to the Biotopo Mario Dary Rivera, a dense cloud forest reserve filled with steep paths and cascading waterfalls.

Below is a photo of my classmates gazing about the cloud forest in wonder and appreciation for its beautiful diversity.