Hola, amigos and legume-os, and welcome once again to Guatemala! Today the beans are starting their adventures here in Guatemala City, which is coincidentally both the capital of Guatemala and the largest city in all of Central America. Lying in the shadow of the Agua Volcano, Guatemala City is a combination of old and new, with everything from small markets to huge modern condos.

As for our beans, they decided that the best way to check it out was from high above, so that's why they're up here, looking down on all there is to see. That way if anyone asks if they've seen all of Guatemala City, they can honestly answer "yes". Not such a bad idea after all, now was it?

Next up, the beans make their way to the town of Antigua, where they drop by the Casa Santo Domingo, a cool hotel that used to be a monastery. (The beans have promised to honor a temporary vow of silence, just in case.) Founded in 1543, Santiago de Guatemala (now known as La Antigua Guatemala - a.k.a. Antigua) was the capital of Spain's Central American confederacy ,and in the 1500s was the 3rd most important city in the Americas (after Mexico City and Lima, Peru). It was wiped out by an earthquake in 1773, and subsequent earthquakes persuaded the government to relocate the capital to its present-day location in Guatemala City. Gee, imagine that.

Fortunately for the beans they didn't experience any earthquakes while in Antigua, but there was some impolite thunder nearby...

While still in Antigua, the beans also decided to ask for forgiveness for their occasional impure thoughts (and for that earlier thunder joke) by visiting La Merced Church. Many of the churches, convents, and mansions in and around Antigua were built in the 16th - 18th centuries, which considering the number of tremors the area has experienced, are remarkably still intact.

The La Merced here was built in 1767, and is the starting and ending point for the famous Good Friday procession of Antigua. The 8 hour long procession involves thousands of Guatemalans, who pass through Antigua's streets celebrating Easter. It's apparently quite the sight to see.

Anyway, the beans were polite while in church, and hope that they were blessed with exoneration for their mortal vegetable sins. But does that mean that they've repented and forsaken their evil ways from here on out? We'll just have to see about that...

Next up, the beans get to hang out with their new friend Christina in the Chichicastenango market. Better known to the locals as "Chichi", it's here in the Chichicastenango marketplace where every Thursday and Sunday they host a massively well-known and popular sell-a-thon that attracts thousands of Amerindians and huge crowds of tourists, all eager to spend their allowances on local handicrafts such as pottery, weavings and wooden masks.

As you might expect, the beans had a great time bartering with the Chichi locals, and came away with some great buys. But when someone offered to trade Christina two hand carved Star Wars figurines for our favorite canned vegetable, they were sure to high-tail it out of there before they increased their offer to three.

A couple of years ago the beans visited the ancient Guatemalan city of Tikal, and they enjoyed it so much, they're back for more. So here the beans hit up the Gran Plaza at Tikal, where they enjoy the view from the top of Temple 2 with a new local buddy, a can of Gallo Beer, the suds of choice in Guatemala. Hey, don't ever let it be said that foreign exchange programs don't promote international harmony...

Now, if you're anything like me and the beans, and you spend far too much time on the sofa watching the Travel Channel, you might recognize this guy -- meet Bryan Herb. Bryan is with Zoom Vacations, and is appearing this month on the Travel Channel's new series 'Vacation Challenge'. Be sure to tune in and say that you remember Bryan back before he was a world famous TV celebrity.

Of course, the beans were glad to hang out with Bryan, and we thank him for taking the time out of his temple visit to hang with our beloved can. Just make sure to remember us when they pass out tickets to the Emmy awards...

Finally, the beans wrap up their visit to Tikal with...oh, no. Here we go again.

Yes, believe it or not, the beans have "somehow" found their way into the arms of yet another Central American strangling tree. What exactly is it about these things that attracts the beans so? As BATW Ambassador Rebecca so eloquently put it, "I don't know why, but the Beans love strangling trees. Love kills, eh?" So true, so true...

Anyway, your favorite veggie had another great time in Guatemala, and thank everyone for hauling them around to the cities, the ruins, the markets, and the churches. It was the best of all worlds in only one. Now, we'll leave these two lovebirds be...