File:La Democracia, Escuintla Guatemala, 27 Mayo 1979 - Parque.jpg

Guatemala, 27 May 1979. I take a day trip to the town of La Democracia, known for the 2500 year old colossal stone heads found in the area. The temperature rises as a take a series of buses out of the highlands into Guatemala's hot Pacific coastal plain. I find the stone heads on display in the town plaza. A building on the plaza houses a small museum, with many stone metates (corn grinding platforms) and pottery from pre-classic to classic Maya. There's no charge to see the museum, but using the restrooms costs 5 cents. The 2 restrooms are gendered with images torn from a magazine tacked to the doors - showing Admiral Zumwalt and the Morton Salt Girl respectively. Having seen the sights, I get a cold drink and walk back to wait for the bus to head home. A man asks if I wanted a taxi. No thanks. "Bus?" Yes. He explained that his taxi to Siquinala (town at junction with highway) costs the same as the bus, 25 cents. I said fine! He said we just have to wait for a couple more people, then "You'll ride like a king!". In not long he had his riders, and we piled into his 1960 Chevy (red with tail-fins), 3 in the front seat and 5 in the back seat. A kingly ride indeed.