By the way, for the record, would I use Gus if in Livingston with my family? Absolutely! But when recommending to friends/acquaintances traveling to Guate for the first time, I'll always recommend they do the high end operators. For my own peace of mind. Guatemala is absolutely one of most beautiful and culturally rich countries in the world, but I'm only too well aware of some of the problems...and I lived in Guate during the civil war! I'd rather people get acquainted with the country first and feel reasonably safe then they can make the judgement call next time.
On the other hand, Terry Breen may also have some great information for you. She actually worked a few years in Santo Tomas de Castilla with INGUAT (our national tourism board). I'd drop her an email!
Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends ~~M. Angelou~~
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