Ok, where was I...

Antigua is a really beautiful place and I can fully understand why anyone we have met who has come here, has not wanted to leave! The best way of describing it is as the Edinburgh of Guatemala. We went for a little explore on the 3rd when we arrived and there was people playing marimbas in the street, pony rides round the main square, woman in traditional dress selling traditional artefacts, tuk tuks driving crazily everywhere. It is a city with so much culture, and buzzing with life. All the streets are cobbled and most of the buildings are really old and very beautiful! A lot are in ruins because of a big earthquake in the 1700's, but what is left is still worth a visit.

You won't believe it until you see the photos (having a bit of an issue uploading them!), but I have actually been building a house! Yes I know, I'm not exactly the manual labour type but it's true!! (yes, even Ian has been mucking in a little bit too!).

So far we have been shovelling loads of sand and concrete with piles of chuckies, dug a trench, mixed cement and carried very heavy buckets of it, learnt to lay bricks (and ended up elbow deep in cement...it's my new look and very chic!). This maybe doesn't sound much but it is exhausting work but good fun! We have also met the family whose house it is going to be which makes the experience so much more rewarding.

We have also had little helpers in the form of some very young Guatemalan children who are too cute for words! they really wanted to help and were shifting sand for us (the little girls carried it in buckets on their head). They of course thought it was imnensley funny to be helping a bunch of gringos and were in fits of giggles the whole time. They dissolved into fits of giggles again when Maddy started taking photos of them and showed them the results...they thought this was fantastic. It actually brought a lump to by throat to see these seriously poor children so happy, giggling and playing with us, and knowing they were going to have a new house when we leave! I am going to be a total crying mess when we finally hand over the keys!!