tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-593970477444543007.post-80730020438346034032009-10-27T20:02:00.001-05:002009-10-27T20:03:20.784-05:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Mom's travelogue continues:</span><br /><blockquote><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Date: July 14, 1972 Friday</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"I went to the laundry while [Dad] + the boys went to the airport - [Dad] is inquiring about flying lessons.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></blockquote><div><blockquote><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We all swam in the pool. In evening [Dad] + I went to meat market, grocery + new house. Delivered the refrigerator today."</span></i></span><br /></blockquote></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Very soon after moving to Guatemala my Dad learned to fly. This was more out of necessity than pleasure but it was obvious to me that he liked to fly.<br /><br />In Guatemala, back in the 70s at least, the capital, Guatemala City, had all the amenities. The agricultural areas were located in the southern half of the country bordering the Pacific Ocean. You could not really live full time on the farm. No electricity except for what you generated yourself. No running water except for what you pumped yourself from wells. No telephone. No schools after the 6th grade. Commuting was difficult as the roads between the city and the farm were not the best. It usually took four hours to drive from the city to the farm. The only other alternative was to fly. When you flew over the farms in southern Guatemala, the grass air strips could be seen everywhere. The flight from the city to the farm was just under 30 minutes. That is why my Dad learned to fly.</span><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/593970477444543007-8073002043834603403?l=homerstravels.com' alt='' /></div>Bruce H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/00180515178920053080noreply@blogger.com2