Thailand 
January  2011

Letter to the LA Times Travel editor,April 16th, 2011:

Guatemala Tour Proves Rewarding
On January 9, I saw a small article in Tours and Cruises
in the L.A. Times Travel section. As a result, I took [
the] Textile and Jewelry Tour to Guatemala in March.
What a find! The tour was quite affordable, very
professionally run and operated to support women's
and children's charities. This trip was not about 
climbing volcanoes and seeing Mayan ruins, but
to meet and support the female artisans of Guatemala,
to hear stories, to learn about the traditional crafts, 
their culture and lives, and to aid 50 girls at the
Ninas Maya School in a small village on Lake Atitlan.
To meet those girls was an emotional experience that will
stay with me for a long, long time, and I'll have a connection
to Guatemala through those girls for years to come.
Thanks for including these rare travel experiences in your section.
                                       EILEEN RINDE  Camarillo