The Rio Dulce

I'm finally getting the chance to post these fun pics of our road trip to the Rio Dulce. I guess I've been kinda busy. So, when Dave arrived in Guatemala he rented this 11 seater, toyota, eurovan thing. It was great!! Each kid got their own row, and the boys took turns sitting next to the baby and entertaining her. It was about a 5 hour drive to the Rio, and the only excitement we encountered on the drive was navigating through Guatemala City. The countryside was beautiful and surprisingly varied. It was so fun to be out on our own for the first time as a family of six. Soli took to traveling really well, and it was fun to give her a little taste of what life is like in our family. We are constantly taking little (or big) road trips here and there in our life here in the States. We spent three nights (including my birthday) at the Tijax Jungle Lodge where Dave had his boat docked when we first met almost 12 years ago. The dock looked just the same, but the grounds had been improved significantly. Where there used to be nothing but jungle there were now two restaurants, a pool, two jacuzzis, and about a dozen darling jungle bungalows. It had grown perfectly to accommodate our new and improved family. At first, being back there was a bit of a head trip for both of us. Dave kept having the impulse to retreat to the privacy and solace of "Morgenstern", while I found myself drawn to the travelers crowd seated at the bar. Then we would both be pulled back to reality by one of four children running around with our names on them. The "twilight zone" only lasted a few hours and then we settled into jungle life: sipping Mojitos poolside while watching our kiddos diving for Quetzales, traversing the swinging jungle bridge, cruising the docks drooling and dreaming, and, of course, "fishing" for turtles off our back deck. It is definitely up there with one of the most memorable and meaningful getaways we've had as a family thus far. Enjoy the pics.

I'm just lovin' this Daddy guy! He's the coolest!

Soli cozying with Mommy after traversing the jungle bridge.

On my birthday we took a drive out into the countryside to the Finca Paraiso. In the middle of the jungle there is an amazingly beautiful, hot waterfall pouring into a cool, fresh water river. We spent the afternoon swimming, soaking and relaxing. It was great day.

You can hardly see them, but Dave and the kids are swimming near the rocks on their way to the hot waterfall.

This is the exact spot where I cut Dave's hair the morning after we met. See the yellow hull of the sailboat in the background? That's where Morgenstern was docked when I first met Dave.
Good times, good times.

Twelve years...

...and four kids later.

I know, girl. I can't get enough of him either.

Looking out over Lago Izabal from El Castillo. Lots of great memories on that lake...

Tijax Jungle Lodge -- I highly recommend it.

We hired a boat for the afternoon one day. He took us on a mini tour of the Rio stopping at El Castillo and the restaurant where Dave and I met. It used to be called Hollimar, but now it's called Pizza Bravo. Not quite the crescendo we had expected but still fun to see it. That is the bridge from Fronteras in the background.

After two months without him, all the kids were really glad to log in some Daddy time.

"Fishing" for turtles with jungle vines and bagels off of our little deck.

And Emerson caught one!! Isn't he cute?

Daddy caught one, too!

Happy birthday, Mommy!

Our little "jungalow".

The inside.

Daddy and Baby, chillin' after breakfast.

A few kids and a few palm trees. What else is there, really?
In front of El Castillo.