Locals brought all kinds of produce, handmade crafts and goods and small livestock like these pigs, also chickens, baby chicks and turkeys to sell.
These ladies were standing in line to look at the latest woven goods. Women carry their bundles (some of them very heavy) on top of their heads with such grace it would turn a catwalk model's head! Ha!
The one thing that was hard for me to put my mind around, was Guatemala's affiliation with their "dogs". Many were malnourished, mangy, and many were sick. and there was a prevalent overpopulation and overbreeding of them. They were savvy and knew why and how to stay out of the way of humans. They are just fixtures along the roadside, waiting for food to be thrown from a passing vehicle, or they lie in doorways, with longing looks for love and food - at least that is the way I saw it, a difficult pill to swallow for this animal lover. I thought briefly about making a photo essay of "The Dogs of Guatemala", but as time went on, I couldn't bare it any longer and you really don't want to see any of those pictures,...it ain't pretty. One huge wake-up call for me! Welcome to the third world, Pattie! I had to eventually make myself look away. I came home and had a long talk with my three dogs. They don't know how lucky they are! BTW, I saw 3 cats, the whole trip. In a world of dogs, there would be no cats, I suppose.
