More Trip Updates

On the first visit trip Dave and I stayed at the Westin. As you can imagine, it is like most up scale hotels in the U.S., but the price tag is a little more reasonable. This trip, however, I wanted to do something different and more of a Guatemalan experience so I took the advice of many families and stayed at the La Casa Grande on this trip. Here is a bit of history regarding the hotel:

This house was built 70 years ago, in the same place where it was a little french palace, which was built by José María Reyna Barrios who was the president of Guatemala (1892-1898); The general Reyna Barrios was a man that traveled a lot because of that he did a lot of effort to embellish the country, so he made the stroll de la Reforma and the palace de la Reforma that after the year became a military school and the Militar Hospital.

Many of the statues that remain embellishing the stroll de la Reforma were brought here by him, including the sources, iron doors and two statues that adorn the gardens of the Hotel La Casa Grande. The president Reyna Barrios was killed in one of the streets of the city, so her wife sold the palace and went to France.

With the earthquake of the year the mansion went ruined, and for many years it stayed that way, it got many owners until 1937 when it was bought by the Vlamick family, who donated many of the marble pieces to the church of Guadalupe; Then they build an elegant house, and now it has became the right place for The Hotel La Casa Grande.

My goal was achieved this trip as I really did feel like I was in Guatemala.

The other nice thing about the hotel is the fact that the majority of the time the guests are all adoptive families. I made some new friends and enjoyed meeting their beautiful children.

When Dave and I return for our pick up trip, we will definitely take up residence at the La Casa Grande during our stay.

Mommy and Lili outside the La Casa Grande.

Lili likes looking at books. She's so smart!!!
Lili with her Baby Abuela! This doll sings songs in Spanish and Lili really liked playing with her.