Lin and I just got back from a cruise through the Panama Canal and one of our ports was Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. From there we drove through the country side for ninety minutes to Antigua, the old capitol of Guatemala. On the drive, we saw a volcano erupt and I got great photos of it.

At one of our stops along the way at a coffee plantation,  I bought a journal with a Guatemalan textile cover. Guatemalan textiles use all the colors I love!

Antigua’s charm comes from her age; she dates back to 1524. We walked ancient cobblestone streets, and I had a blast bartering with the vendors. I speak a little Spanish so I was able to visit with them and enjoy them in a different way from the non-Spanish speaking tourist.

I collect journals and use them regularly for writing. I’ve gone through phases when I’ve bought big ones — 9 x 11 and toted them around everywhere I went to smaller, more convenient ones. I have a collection of full journals in my book shelf besides my computer, and the other day I started going through them, looking for a specific story. I didn’t find the story, but what joy I had to see all my writing over the years.

Right now, I have a small notebook in my purse and I wrote in it regularly on the cruise ship by the pool.

I have set my new gorgeous Guatemalan journal on a stand besides my computer and every time I walk by it, it calls to me to open it up and write. I will!