Guatemala: A Land Diverse

Climb the temples of Tikal, swim in the crystalline pools of Semuc Champey, climb the many volcanoes, live with a Mayan family through Projecto Eco-Quetzal, do your grocery shopping at the many local markets, learn how to make tortillas, shop the beautiful handmade wares in Panajachel and Chichi, relax, enjoy, reflect. . . there's so much to do and so much to see.

Quick Tips:

Have a flexible itinerary and lots of time -- there's much to be discovered. If you're going to be in Guatemala during Holy Week, Antigua is truly a spectacular place to be, though the town will be overflowing with people. Make your reservations early and try to stay for the whole week. Room prices are usually doubled, but some smaller places do not raise their prices. There will be processions daily during Holy Week (and each Sunday of Lent leading up to Holy Week)with sometimes two or three processions going on at a time. All are a sight in themselves. Stay up all night Thursday night during Holy Week watching the beautiful alfombras being made throughout the strees of Antigua. Be at La Merced cathedral at 3am Friday morning for the departure and return of the Roman guards. Good Friday is reenacted in its entirety.

Most importantly, be aware that what you think is going to happen probably won't and what you don't think is going to happen probably will. . .after all, this IS Guatemala!

Best Way To Get Around:

The bus system in Guatemala is extensive and a variety of classes are offered. Note that major bus lines have their own terminals in Guatemala City, and buses to Antigua generally all leave from one spot. Try the chicken bus for a real Guatemala experience. Most of the buses in Guatemala do NOT have bathrooms, and ones that have them on board are usually locked. During long distance trips, the driver will make a stop for passengers to use the facilities. Chicken bus drivers don't stop for bathroom breaks, so if you really have to go, grab your pack and wait for the next one to come along. Jump in a collectivo to get close with the locals, ask the driver how much it is when you get off. Collectivos may be minivans or pickup trucks where you ride in the back. Try the pickup trucks to get an unobstructed view of Guatemala. When you need a touch of luxury, take a shuttle. Shuttle service can be arranged through your hostel/hotel or travel agency.

The small but quaint rooms are pleasantly arranged around a flower-filled courtyard. Lounge on the roof to take in some sun, watch the stars, or be in awe of the towering volcanoes. Soft and soothing music is played nightly while the courtyard is lit with candles. There are four bathrooms for the hotel, which are kept very clean. The water in the showers is not always hot, and tends to be more lukewarm than cold.

The front desk can arrange for door-to-door shuttle service. The hotel is located in a nice quiet area of Antigua, approximately three blocks from the supermercado, two blocks from the town mercado, and two blocks from an internet cafe. The door to the hotel is always locked; however, there is someone there 24 hours a day to open it.

Casa D'Acuna is THE best budget place to stay in Coban. It is located down a steep hill from the main plaza in Coban, on a quiet street. While rooms may be a bit more pricey than other hostels, the rooms are always clean, the showers have hot water, and a great restaurant is just a few steps away.

The hostel runs a shuttle service to Lanquin/Semuc Champey, Flores, and Guatemala City/Antigua, and shuttle driver Felix will give you great information about the area during the drive. They also have a daily tour to Semuc Champey with experienced guides. Also on-site is a gift shop with many beautiful gifts made in the area, and from local Mayan families.

I literally had to drag myself from this amazing place. Las Marias opened just this year and is already a hit to those who have heard about it. The hostel sits across the road from Rio Cahabon in the woods, just a 15-minute walk from the pools of Semuc Champey. Rooms are either dorm-style or doubles, and the beds are actually quite comfortable. There are hammocks everywhere to lounge in and a grassy space for camping. Take a tube and float downstream back to the hostel FOR FREE!! Go on a 2-hour cave tour in the caves owned by the hostel, you're guaranteed to climb up and down waterfalls, swim in the chilly yet invigorating water, and have a blast while you're at it.

At night the place really comes alive as everyone eats dinner together and the music is turned up for a night of dancing and drinking. The staff is amazing and goes out of their way to get to know you. You run a tab while you're there an pay for everything when you leave. While there is no electricity during the day, and the showers are always cold, at night the lights kick on and by bedtime, enjoy a candlelit stroll to your room. Come alone and meet other great travelers.

There are a variety of rooms to choose from: singles, doubles, or dorm-style. The dorm tends to be quite noisy all night long, yet is the cheapest option. The singles and doubles allow for more privacy, but try to get a room that's not too close to the Quetzaltrekker office as they tend to stay up late and get up really early.

There are kitchen facilities, but you may have to search for a clean dish. It's a good short-term option, but not for someone looking for a bit of privacy and relaxation.

Spacious rooms are arranged around a flower-and-plant-filled courtyard. Each room is decorated with pictures and rugs and nice curtains and linens. Outside each room is a private table and chair. Rooms are available with or without private bathrooms, but beware: the rooms with private showers only have cold water.

There is free purified drinking water and coffee for the much needed pick-me-up after a late night out in Pana. Watch out for falling avocados from the avocado trees that tower over the hotel and provide much shade on the hot days. There is a third floor terrace for lying out in the sun or getting a great view of Panajachel and Lake Atitlan. The community showers are nice and hot and the bathrooms are always clean. This family-run establishment is a great place to stay away just steps away from the hustle and bustle of Pana.

This place is cheap and basic, but with a great central location. Double rooms (double beds or two twins) cost around 15Q for one person, but it’s negotiable if for a longer period of time.

The hostel itself is relatively quiet, and very laid-back. It's located across from El Otro Lado Bar near Munchie's restaurant, along the path to the dock for Santiago Atitlan. There is one shower for the entire complex and two bathrooms. The top level of the second building is not yet complete, however is a great place to hang out at night and watch the stars or play your guitar. There is a small pool there, but it was not filled while we were there. There is a washboard for washing your clothes, or you may have your clothes washed by one of the women that works there.

My room was perfectly clean with a private bathroom with hot water for 50Q. There are around 12 rooms there, some with double beds, some with two twin beds. The hotel is located right on the water and has its own private dock for swimming. While there is no air conditioning in the hotel, each room has an overhead fan and tile floors that tent to keep the rooms cool at night.

Around the hotel are numerous restaurants, shops, and an internet cafe. You can have your laundry done a block away for a very reasonable price. Sit on the terrace or on the balcony and enjoy the sunset and the evening breeze. The front desk staff is very helpful, and there is an English-speaking receptionist. They will book your shuttle to Tikal for you as well as point you in the direction of fantastic restaurants. The location of the hotel is ideal as it is only a few minutes walk from anything you might need. There's a doctor's office across the street in case you need to take care of health issues. The doctor speaks English, but will bring in an interpreter if needed.

Rainbow Cafe is great anytime of the day. Come for a huge earlybird breakfast special. Try the tasty sandwiches and soups for lunch (early soup/sandwich lunch special). There are lots of choices for dinner for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. Stay for an evening of live music and a bonfire while enjoying a cocktail or beer.

Get 15 free minutes at their internet cafe when you eat a meal at Rainbow. Check out bookstore/book exchange for some on the road reading.

This place served the best vegetarian food I had in Guatemala. Try the fresh squeezed fruit drinks, and the large portioned soups, salads, and sandwiches. Enjoy the casual atmosphere, especially in the evenings. It's open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The staff speaks English.

Ask the owner if there's room in his hostel because you'll get a discount on your food if you stay there.

Looking for a great place to hang out with friends and have a good meal? Check out Nick's Place, a popular hangout on the water, just up the stairs from the dock to Panajachel. There's a spacious patio to sit on, and it's big enough for a large group of people.

The thin crust pizzas are tasty and large enough to split. Bring your journal and have a nice leisurely breakfast while watching the lanchas arrive at the dock below.

If you're with a large group of people, beware that dividing up the check has proved to be complicated for the staff at Nick's; it's better to pay for food and drinks as you go, instead of waiting until the end. Don't arrive too late for dinner as it will be hard to get a table.

For the best Italian and other European food, head to El Bistro, which is located adjacent to Casa D'Acuna. Candlelit tables are set around a beautiful courtyard and in thoughtfully decorated rooms. It’s a perfect setting for a private party or just meeting up with friends.

The vegetarian lasagna was splendid, as was the daily variety of homemade bread that came with it. The menu is diverse and well-priced, ranging from hot and cold appetizers, meat and poultry dishes, entree salads and decadent desserts. I highly recommend the chocolate macadamia pie for a real treat.

El Bistro opens at 7am and stays open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Monoloco is THE place to meet up with other foreigners when you're a bit road weary. Located just a block away from the central park, it's easy to get to and easy to find. It's guaranteed to be packed on Ladies Night, on the weekends, and any other night when they have one of their theme parties going on. Chill downstairs at the bar and watch a baseball game. Head upstairs to mingle with the crowd. If you're hungry for a bite, try one of the many great things on their menu. Make sure you say hi to Jake and the rest of the friendly and fun barstaff -- they're sure to make your visit one you won't forget!

The W.E. Dieseldorff cafe finca in Coban is one of the oldest and most established fincas in all of Guatemala. Our tour guide spoke English and Spanish fluently, and has worked at the finca for many years and was therefore very knowledgeable. It is not necessary to make reservations for the tour, as there is no minimum number of persons required. During the tour, you will learn about the history of the coffee industry in Guatemala, you will get a chance to see the coffee-making process from start to finish, you will learn about the role other vegetation plays in the growing process, and you will be able to ask questions along the way. At the conclusion of the tour, you will be treated to a cup of very fresh coffee, and will have an opportunity to purchase gifts and bags of some of the best coffee I've had. Enjoy!

As I look out the window from an internet cafe overlooking the boat docks here in San Pedro la Laguna, my sense of smell is being assaulted by the drying of coffee beans in the street. The pungent smell carries with the wind and surrounds you wherever you are in this small little lake village.

San Pedro is truly a place of its own, a hippie village in the midst of the Mayan highlands. Many foreigners come here and never leave. As is the case with a man whom many of you have met, or will meet, a tall skinny old hippie with his long white beard, a rasta hat covering his long white hair, and clothes reminiscent of East Asia. He is truly an institution in this town, and wherever you go, he seems to be. He told us he initially came here for a week, and after smoking perhaps a bit too much of the local herbs, he's still here 10 years later, and still going strong.

Days are lazy here in San Pedro. The village doesn't really wake up until 9 or 10am, so for the days when you get up with the sun, you are afforded the opportunity to see the town come alive. Boats arrive early in the morning at the launcha, with Mayan men from other small villages around the lake coming to work in the coffee processing plants, though I would hardly call them processing plants, as they barely occupy the space of a small store.

As I sat on the terrace this morning, enjoying my $2.25 full breakfast, gazing at the mountains and volcanoes that encircle this 11-mile long lake, lanchas from Panajachel arrived with tourists coming to visit the town for they day. An older Mayan women approaches me with a basket full of baked goods, 6 quetzals (US$.75) for a loaf of banana bread, 10Q for two loaves. . . how can I resist. I gladly give her 10Q for a loaf of plain banana bread and a loaf of chocolate banana bread, baked early this morning by the woman, and still warm to the touch. San Pedro. . . truly a place unto its own.

Cluck cluck cluck. . . So I got to ride my first chicken bus, but alas, there were no chickens to be had. . . oh well, maybe next time.

I was leaving San Pedro with two of my friends and we decided to take the cheap route. Now you have to understand that the departure and arrival of buses in a small town like San Pedro is an event, a cause for celebration, as buses are the link to the outside world.

So at 8:30am on a Tuesday morning, there was quite a stir as bags were loaded on top of the bus, people piled in, and the disco music was turned on, all in preparation for "the ride" to Antigua. We each had our own seat for what I consider a second, before filling up even before we reached the edge of town.

Now remember that these buses are old U.S. school buses, the yellow ones, just painted much funkier. So you’d figure that they fit two people to a seat. . . nah, try three to a seat and one in between with one bun on each edge of a seat. It was a sight! Mayan men and women dressed in traditional dress mixed with chic cell-phone toting Guatemalans, and lastly the Gringos. . . that’s us. It doesn’t matter because everyone rides the bus.

Things were going just fine, I was actually beginning to find the ride enjoyable when the girl next to me woke up (or at least I thought) from a sound sleep and pitched forward, losing her breakfast on the wheel bump between us. It took all I had not to lose my own, and instead yelled for toilet paper. I promptly handed it to her, and after a few seconds, she was back to sleep. What??? Oh well, only three hours to go.

An hour into the ride, one of the girls I was traveling with HAD to go to the bathroom. We asked the driver’s assistant (the guy responsible for collecting money and filling every inch of space with a human being) to stop for her, but he wouldn’t. When we came to a bus stop the driver told her to get off and go, but as soon as she got off, the assistant told her to get back on. This happened three times, off and then on again, and she was ready to burst. I think we all know that feeling, and it sucks.

After the third time, I finally yelled at him in Spanish that he better stop the bus or there would be a mess in the back, and the driver promptly pulled over on the side of the road where my friend and I and four others got off to use the facilities. . . I guess they weren’t facilities, but when a cornfield is the only thing around, you have to make do.

Cluck cluck cluck. Maybe if there would have been chickens, "the ride" wouldn’t have been so bad.

I thought I was doing really well with my Spanish up until now. While sitting down to dinner tonight in Panajachel, I realized that I have a long way to go. I ordered three-cheese spaghetti at a popular pizza place, expecting it to be somewhat what I’m used to, but whoa was I way off! When my dinner was delivered, the first thing I noticed was that one of the "three cheeses" closely resembled melted Kraft slices. Hmmmm. . . and there was no sauce with it. So I requested "salsa de tomate" -- directly translated as "tomato sauce" -- to try to fix the spaghetti a bit. The waiter returned and quickly dropped off my "salsa de tomate," a bottle of ketchup and not even McDonald’s-style ketchup, but really sweet unsalted stuff. By this point I gave up and attempted to mix my Kraft spaghetti with the sweet ketchup, but realized that the spaghetti and cheese had all melted together forming a mushy mess. But I ate it anyway.

There was, however, a light to this darkness. A little boy approached me selling necklaces, a common occurrence here in this tourist town. If I had bought something from every child that approached me, I’d have been broke long before now. This one, however, was different. He kept saying how he hasn’t been able to sell anything tonight. With the competition he’s up against and the fact that he only had a few things to sell, I could believe he was having a hard time. So instead I engaged the little seven-year-old in conversation and learned about his family, his town, and his school. We debated the "richness" of Americans in his eyes and the state of the Guatemalan economy (no, not really!); the conversation was full of laughter and smiles. As he peeks at me from around the corner with a big grin on his face, I can’t help but smile and think that that was probably the best 5 quetzals I’d ever spent.

"Saasa!" "That’s good." This is one of the few words I actually mastered in the language of K’echi, the language spoken by my host family in the village of San Lucas, in the cloud forest of Alta Verapaz.

For three days and two nights, I experienced a culture very different than that I have been living in for the last four weeks. The hut I lived in was simple, with dirt floors, three beds with a thin foam mattress, no electricity, and everything cooked over an open fire.

My attempt at making tortillas failed miserably, with my family breaking into laughter, as I attempted to keep it from falling to pieces. Good thing they had perfected the art of tortilla making by hand because we would have gone without if it was up to me.

Hiking through the cloud forest was majestic, though the rain never did let up. Up a steep path in mud up to my knees at times, we heard the sounds of the elusive quetzals flying above. In their ever-shrinking habitat, caused by the slashing and burning of the virgin cloud forest by the villagers to plant corn, the quetzals are the king and queen of the forest. Hiking through the thick brush we searched and searched, following the call of the quetzal, wanting to get to where we could see it. After an hour of searching, there it was above in all its glory, a male with its broad red breast and long green tail, staring down at us. Then quickly it spreads its wings and rises into the clouds above.

Lucky you are, they tell me. I think it’s more than that.

Some consider it the 8th Wonder of the World. The limestone pools of Semuc Champey, forming a natural bridge over a rushing river. An oasis of sorts, you might say. Each pool cascades down into the next through a series of waterfalls, each varying in size.

I walk up to the top pool to get a look at the tunnel the river flows into, and timidly get as close to the edge as I deem safe to take pictures. A miniature Niagara Falls. They say people have fallen in before, only to come out in pieces days later. . . no thank you, I'd like to stay intact.

So I laze the days away, swimming in the pools, among the tiny fish and shrimp that make these crystalline pools their home.

"Jump from the waterfall!" he says. What? THAT waterfall? I don't think so my friend, but I will jump from the smaller one. . . one, two, three, and go, flying through the air until I splash into the cold water of the pool below. Oh, it's great to be alive

Brrr, it’s cold.

Xela (Quetzaltenango) is Guatemala´s second largest city and the center of Guatemala´s Mayan culture making up 50% of the population. Located in the western highlands of Guatemala at 2335 meters (over 7000ft.) in elevation, Xela is surrounded by volcanoes and mountains, and it’s no wonder it’s cold at night. While Xela in itself is not a prime destination to visit, the surrounding villages are.

Upon entering the village of Zunil aboard a chicken bus from Xela, we are greeted by a beautiful sight of the town below. Rising above the town is a beautiful white steeple, with lush green farms serving as a backdrop.

I glance over the bridge on our way into town and see that farming is done here the way it has been done for hundreds of years, as a farmer irrigates his fields using a bucket like shovel to scoop water from the irrigation channels and throwing it over his crops.

Just a few steps away, women are harvesting some of the largest onions I’ve ever seen, and while I’ve never been a great fan of onions, it’s the freshness here that I’ve come to appreciate.

While I’m looking forward to leaving Xela tomorrow, it’s not every day that I wake up surrounded by some of the most beautiful and active volcanoes in the world.

Walking along the trail leading out of the magnificent ruins of Tikal, I stopped beside a couple on the path, interested in what they were staring at in the trees. Swinging from the branches above were little monkeys, detected only by the sound of the rustling leaves in the trees from which they were jumping.

I looked down to glance at my watch noting it was exactly noon and I had a half hour to catch the 12:30 shuttle back to Flores. As I turned to continue on my way, I heard a small roar from the area behind me. The roaring became louder and louder, one voice becoming two until there was a chorus of voices, each with its own pitch and tone. The couple turned to me with petrified looks on their faces, questioning if it was unusual for jaguars to come out during the day. As I held back my laughter, I pointed to the trees behind them, and into view came the chorus of voices, howler monkeys sounding the noon whistle for the entire park to hear.

The clouds of incense envelop me as I stand on the street corner surrounded by thousands of Guatemalans and tourists waiting anxiously for “the sight” to appear. I can hear the music, a solemn ballad. . . boom, boom, boom goes the drum. . . the procession is coming. Thousands of men, adorned in black capes and hoods, precede “the sight”, lining each side of the street. Then it appears, a massive creation, adorned with gold painted statues of angels and disciples, surrounded the a glass casket containing a life-sized statue of Christ, carried on the shoulders of one hundred men through the streets of Antigua for nine hours. Today is Good Friday, and the people mourn. . . The streets of Antigua are lined with alfombras, carpets made of flowers, sawdust, and pine needles. Created by hand, sometimes stretching one hundred yards. A labor of love, requiring long hours and little rest. While alfombras have been created ever Sunday during Lent, the crème de la crème is saved for Good Friday. The creation of alfombras for Good Friday begins Thursday evening and goes on throughout the night, and of course I was there to photograph it. It all started after a crazy night out with friends, we returned to our humble abode to change clothes in preparation for the long night ahead. Walking the streets, admiring the alfombras, speaking with the creators, I was in a state of awe. Good Friday is re-created in its entirety in Antigua, and begins with the departure of the Roman soldiers on horseback into the city in search of Christ at 3am. While we somehow missed their departure during our wandering about, we were present for their return to La Merced cathedral, and the reading of the charges against Christ who now accompanies them. The courtyard outside La Merced was full of thousands of people, awaiting the opening of the doors, and the beginning of the La Merced procession. As the clock strikes six in the morning, the doors opened, and the music began. Pontias Pilot was the first to appear, accompanied by his Roman soldiers and Roman aristocracy. Thousands of men, adorned in purple appear, lining the streets, slowly shuffling along. Two men, bearing their crosses, stood before me. And then it appeared, carried by a hundred men, ten steps forward, four steps back, the weight of the creation on their shoulders could be seen in their eyes. Ten steps forward, four steps back, shuffling over the alfombras to be recreated again upon their departure. They are carrying the burden of a life-sized Christ, bearing his own cross.