Road Construction

There was some road construction in our neighborhood to pave the road behind our house.  Only the main highway coming and going from Chichicastenango is paved with asphalt.  The other roads are paved with paving bricks.  Still, most roads around the area are dirt, including the road to our house.  They are saying it will be paved next year, so we'll see.

The workers brought in paving bricks on a flatbed
truck, then they piled the bricks (by throwing and catching
them one by one) along the sides of the road.

About 20 workers laid the bricks.  It
took a couple of weeks, working rain or shine. 

However, they blocked off the road for more
than a month, even after finishing it.  They
were awaiting a "road-opening ceremony."

This is a view of the back of our house from
the new section of road, including the empty lot
behind us.

For an interesting video of workers carrying cement up to a third level in downtown Chichi, posted by one of the missionaries here, watch "Cement Work."

You can also watch a good video tour of  "Chichi Streets," traveling from the house in town owned by the ministry of Manos de Jesús to their property outside of town.  This is a very typical example of what our roads look like.

Manos de Jesús also has a video of traveling along the main highway, "9 minutes to Guatemala City," which is quite comical and typical.