Tuesday
May042010

Rolling Hills

 

We're excited to introduce another one of our newest lines: Rolling Hills.  Check out our 4 different color palettes at www.brejer.com ...doesn't it make you want to hit the countryside a little more!  Make sure to visit us at Surtex next week in booth 457!   

Friday
Feb262010

Hot Lava and Smores!

We didn't really know what to expect on our hike up the Pacaya Volcano.  We had heard that we'd see lava but we couldn't have prepared ourselves for what we saw and felt.  Pictures don't do it justice.  Hot Hot Lava all around us...inches underneath where we were standing.  On our hike up to the volcano the terrain and surroundings became such that we felt like we were on the moon.  It was so interesting...just sharp, jagged black rocks all around and little patches of grass off to the side. 

As we got closer to the top we could feel the heat.  We brought marshmellows for roasting over the lava and marias crackers to make smores. 

We couldn't believe that they actually were letting us be up there.  No one signed their life away, no one was accounted for...you were completely on your own up there.  A bunch of people began hiking around the backside near where the flowing river of lava was.  We didn't venture off that way- our lives were a bit too important to us.  When a bunch of them came back the bottoms of their shoes were melted.  They talked about one guy almost falling in one of the cracks in the rocks.  No thanks!!!  The experience was really incredible though!  The craziest was when it turned pitch black up there.  That's when we noticed the magnitude of the fiery lava river.  The pics really don't do it justice!

Thursday
Feb252010

Tikal

So as for the luxury bus we got on our trip to Tikal, the way there wasn't quite so luxurious to say the least.  After traveling by plane and hopping on an 8 hr overnight bus we were exhausted.  It would have been more luxurious if we hadn't gotten the only seats in the back that didn't recline.  But we couldn't really complain when we looked outside and saw what living conditions people lived in.  Jeremiah, the good husband that he is, let me sleep on the two cushioned seats while he slept below on our backpacks! Let's just say the way back was much more comfortable!! 

 

But the trip was 100xs worth it! Tikal was incredible!  We also lucked out and got the best tour guide and best tour group ever!  We all became instant friends!

  

The Mayans were amazing! They invented a system of writing and a highly sophisticated calendar that is pretty much right on.   The temples were incredible.  We had fun climbing to the top.  Can you imagine building one of these?  Isn't it crazy that these were all covered up and only recently discovered?  There is so much still to be unearthed.  At the rate that the moss is growing on the edifices if nothing is done to uncover these they'll be covered in 200 years.  It is a very timely and very expensive process to unearth and what we saw, which was massive, was only about 20% of Tikal!

Wednesday
Feb242010

Tocache

Tocache was our favorite place we visited with my parents.  My parents have really made great friends with the people out here in this beautiful village overlooking Lake Atitlan. 

The people in the countryside of Tocache are the happiest people I've ever seen.  The kids aren't glued to any video games, aren't busy texting all their friends, aren't watching TV hours on end...they don't have any of that...it was actually quite refreshing to see.  They were so happy just being with each other and inventing their own games.  They were busy playing tag through the cornfields, climbing trees and pretending to be howler monkeys, and playing intense marble games on the dirt all while running around laughing and barefoot. 

These kids really touched our hearts.  As we were leaving the kids wanted to race us up the hills.  Then one little 6 yr old boy came over and gave me some flowers he picked and just smiled.  This was his way of saying goodbye and thank you for visiting.  What a gentleman! These kids definitely know how to make people feel good.  One by one they followed this little boy's lead and ran up to me delivering flowers and weeds.  Jeremiah even followed suit:)  I left Tocache with a huge boquet, a big smile, great memories, and a happy heart!  Look for our new Tocache line soon inspired by this happy village.

Tuesday
Feb232010

Handwoven Huipiles

Here's a sampling of the different huipiles worn from the many different villages.  Need I say more? Guatemala has got color and style!  Take a look at these patterns and imagine how long it would take you to make one of these!  They don't even need to have a reference when making them...it has just been handed down from one generation to another.