Costa Rica is a place with pristine beaches, blue water, warm, sunny days, abundant fish life, and welcoming people.  Interestingly, many people are not aware that Costa Rica is also home to 200 plus volcanic formations, dating back 65 million years!  Of these, seven are active, which is related to the fertile soil. 

Over the years, eruptions from these seven volcanoes have left massive destruction.  Irazu is the highest volcano in Costa Rica while Poas is the second widest, which measures almost one mile in diameter, and Arenal is the most active.  In 1963, Irazu erupted, spewing ash over San Jose and other areas for two years.  The amount of ash that fell was so significant rooftops were covered with five inches while people had to walk around with a cloth to their face in order to breathe.  Click here to read more.

Guatemala has a long history of being a thriving fishing and farming community that can be dated back to 2000 BC, even before the Maya civilization dominated Central America.  During the Early Classic period around AD 250, many magnificent temple cities were constructed in the Guatemalan highlands.  However, by the Late Classic period, from AD 600 to 900, the primary power had moved to the lowlands of El Peten.  However, after the mysterious demise of the Mayans, the Itzaes settled in El Peten. 

Interestingly, many of the Mayan ruins were discovered when Pedro de Alvarado came to this country for the King of Spain in 1523.  However, the kingdoms remaining in the highlands were crushed by Alvarado’s armies, lands turned into large estates, and the people exploited by the new property owners.  Then friars of Dominican, Augustinian, and Franciscan arrived but they were unable to stop the exploitation.  Sadly, the religious imperialism they brought with them was the cause of many valuable traces of the Mayan culture to be demolished. Click here to read more.