K’atepan is a second ruin site in close proximity to San Mateo Ixtata; it is directly across the valey from Wajxaklajunh, and in fact is visible from the top! When we arrived, around mid-day, an elementary school had just let out nearby, and about 100 kids streamed into the small courtyard of the ruin to play! Each kid had a little cup filled with a corn drink; Elias told us the that the mothers of the students take turns preparing it during the week. It was really funny watching these kids run around the ancient site: they were particularly fond of bouncing soccer balls off the stone walls of K’atepan.

Thursdays and Sundays are market days in San Mateo. Hundreds of Guatemalans come to the narrow streets of this small community to buy and sell food, textiles and essentials.

Click through either image to see my new set of images.

My first big set of images is finally up at my Flickr site, click the image above to visit!

I hope to send up a new big set every weekend or so. Since returning from Guatemala, I’ve been inundated with work: I have hit the ground running in my new role as videographer for the exhibition media department. Things in the new role have been great so far, but extremely busy. This week I’m working at the National Museum of the American Indian, on the National Mall (my office is still at the Cultural Resources Center in Maryland, however.) I love being able to step outside into the throngs of visitors and Washingtonians strolling along ‘America’s Back Yard.’

So I have returned safely home from Guatemala, to find myself up to my ears in work. I am trying desperately to find time to sort through my photos, and will have a nice set of images up soon.

In the meantime, here is a nice picture from Tikal, of Temple III taken along the Tozzer Causeway.