adin

Monday, August 25, 2014

         Today’s excursion was our last with this group of missionaries.  A van was hired and the driver took us to an agricultural university that was an hour’s drive from where we live.  It is the biggest agricultural school in Central America and was helped in its launch and early years with funding from the United States.  Most students attend with the help of grants, many of which are from Guatemala. 

         The tattered van has seen better days for sure, but it chugged up the hills and just kept going.  With the windows open there was a comfortable breeze that kept us from roasting.  The scenery was beautiful and the mountainsides were covered in a canopy of trees so thick it was nearly solid.  At home, we often see space between the trees!  

         The school was huge and spread over several acres.  Most of our tour was done from the van for which we were grateful.  It included a dairy section where they raise cattle and make all the familiar milk products from cottage cheese and chocolate milk to yogurt and ice cream.  However, there were no samples for the visitors.  L

         They grow fruits, organic foods, a few grains but not wheat, chickens, cattle, fish, and some vegetables.  There is an area marked off where each student is given a plot of ground where he is to prepare the soil, plan, plant, care for, and harvest his produce. 

After we returned to our apartments, we met in the cafeteria where tables had been set up for our lunch.  Before we ate, each of us was given an opportunity to express our feelings to the two couples who are leaving the soonest, about our experience working in the temple together.  Sister Ocampo had even composed a song and sang it all by herself for us.  It was very touching.

Then we were treated to delicious pizza, fresh fruit, yogurt, and drinks.  It is very sad to see these people leave and hard for me to know that they will be replaced by Latin Americans, which means I will have less contact with the English language than ever.  Oh, well.  I am accustomed and will thrive in spite of that fact. J

There are pictures below that show and describe a few of the things we saw today.

 This is the dairy building where the milk products are made.
The picture was taken through a viewing window

These are old milk cans like both of our dads used when Glade and I were growing up.  I have one
at home that I want to paint and use for a plant stand.  This photo is to help remember to do it!!

Upon our arrival we did a short walking tour.  The umbrellas are to keep the sun at bay--not the rain!

My handsome sweetie!

Not sure what this building is used for, but I liked it and wanted a picture.
The roof and style are typical of other buildings we saw.

There were lots of big and beautiful trees!  If they had fall here,
these would create a beautiful and stunning display of color!

This is one of several recycling stations around the huge campus.

This is our van and driver.  

The water in the upper third part of the photo is part of a tilapia farm.

This is another part of the tilapia farm.

Sorry, this is not a good photo but was taken from our moving vehicle.
 It is just a group of cattle standing in the shade of these trees--a very familiar scene to us.

This is a fruit tree, but I don't know what kind.  Can you tell I love trees!

This was taken through a tinted van window of a garden that included huge sun flowers.

These are hops

 This is one of the storage granaries.
They produce lots of corn that is fed to the cattle, beans, but no wheat.

Avocados are handing in this tree!!

More unique trees that I liked :)

The last of the trees--the big one in the center was covered in round orange fruit,
but again I don't know what kind.

Here's our group getting ready to leave.  The driver took the picture for us.  

Heading to the van to start the journey back to Tegucigalpa.

Oops!  I was wrong.  Here are more cool trees--
pines growing with branches and needles pointing up!

Glade in front of the convenience store which was actually our last stop on the way out.  We bought apples, a tomato, two boxed juice drinks and a few Ritz crackers--oh, and Peanut M&M's for Glade!

Entrance to the market.