Earth Signs

Retalhuleu (ray-tall-oo-lay-oo), loosely translated, means "earth signs" in K’iche’. Called Reu (ray-oo) for short, even bus drivers and signs seldom use its full name.

Who?
The locals are prosperous, open, and friendly people with a very joyful outlook on life. Workers from the nearby cane and coffee fincas come here for entertainment and supplies. The finca owners built many of the large and beautiful houses in town. Tourism seems to be doing well, with mostly national visitors who come for the weekend to have fun at the water park, the not-too-distant beaches, or one of the many establishments that cater to families. Some of the hotels in town have large recreation areas that include various ball courts and fields, swimming pools, playgrounds, ping-pong and pool tables, and such. Foreign tourists often rush through town after visiting the nearby ruins at Abaj Takalik, missing a facet of Guatemalan life not seen in the highlands.

What?
Abaj Takalik
These Mayan ruins, about 20 kilometers outside of Reu, are famous for their many stelae and sculptures, carved in four distinct styles, the Olmec style dating well before Tikal. Abaj Takalik is still used for religious ceremonies.

Parque Xocomil
This water park, located a few kilometers out of town on the road to Xela (Quetzaltenango), is supposedly the largest amusement park in Central America. It has a Guatemalan, heavy on Mayan, theme and is open daily from 9am to 5pm.

The plaza, unusual in design, is full of orange Greek-style columns. Here you will find the San Antonio de Padua church, damaged in various earthquakes over the last two centuries but beautifully restored. For a great view of town, go to the top of the bell tower. Vendors set up in front of the church, selling knick-knacks and delicious snacks. Across from the church is the neoclassic Palacio de Gobierno, housing government offices, topped with a giant statue of a quetzal. Next door is the Museo de Arqueologia y Etnologia. Unfortunately, it was closed when we visited but is said to have a decent Mayan ceramics display and old photos of town. Around the plaza are a couple of banks with ATMs, the post office, a pharmacy, and various restaurants.

Champerico
Forty-two kilometers south of Reu, Champerico has black-sand beaches with a lethal undertow and restaurants serving delicious fresh seafood.

Quick Tips:

Where?
Reu, capital of the department of Retalhuleu, is on the Pacific coastal slope of Guatemala, a rich agricultural region. It is east of Tecùn Umàn (border with Mexico), south of Quetzaltenango, and west of Antigua.

When?
We were here in early and late December. It was warm and sticky, and the air-conditioner was much appreciated. During the summer, it is hot and sticky. The rainy season is from May to October. Around Christmas and Easter, there are many celebrations.

Why?
This is a great place to come to see a bit of Guatemala, unlike the highlands or the Petèn. It is also a warm place to escape to from the nearby chilly highlands. Reu makes a good stop just before or after crossing the Mexican border.

Money matters
ATMs can be a problem in Guatemala, although I had few problems. In Reu, I found the ATM at Bancafe reliable. It accepted both my cards numerous times. To get there, take the road from the highway that says Centro, turn right at the light, go straight maybe five blocks, and it is on the left.

Links
A good site for information on Guatemala, including Reu, is viajeaguatemala.com.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is the best bet, since town is small and most sights are on the plaza. To visit nearby sites, taxis are reasonably priced. If you want to go by bus, the "Xela" bus will drop you off at the water park and the "Asintal" bus will get you within 4 kilometers of the ruins. There is also a bus to Champerico, which runs throughout the day.

Driving in and around town is no problem. The traffic is mostly light, except for on a few streets, and town is too small to get truly lost. I noticed that few cars were parked on the street overnight. We made a point of staying somewhere with secure parking.

Best Way to Get Here
Reu sits just off CA2, the Pacific Highway, a wide, well-maintained road running the length of Guatemala. We drove here from Tecùn Umàn, an easy and quick trip, and also from Panajachel, a beautiful but slower trip.

There is bus service from many Guatemalan cities, the most frequent being from Tecùn Umàn, on the Mexican border, 1 1/2 hours away, from Quetzaltenango (Xela) also 1 1/2 hours away and from Guatemala City 3 1/2 hours away.

We had planned to stay in downtown Retalhuleu. I missed the turn-off and pulled into the long, tree-shaded driveway of the Hotel Costa Real. The place looked really comfortable. Instead of getting back on the highway, we checked in. The receptionist was very friendly. I paid with a credit card (all major cards are accepted) and was asked to sign for the remote control and towels. When paying cash, a small refundable deposit is required. As I was handed the key, a bus jam-packed with teenagers arrived. We were informed this was a favorite destination for youth groups from inland cities. We cringed a little and followed the man carrying our bags.

The hotel is set up motel-style, with various one-story buildings surrounding the grounds and parking at the front door. We were shown our room. It was large, with basic furnishing consisting of two double beds, a nightstand, a desk, and a couple of chairs. There was an air-conditioner that worked reasonably well and a fan that did not. The telephone only worked within the hotel. To place a long-distance call, I had to go to reception. The small TV hung from the wall. There were three local channels to choose from, and although we had heard that Guatemalan programming left a lot to be desired, we found it entertaining. The built-in closet was large, so none of our stuff cluttered the space. The bathroom was basic and clean, but with a slightly funky smell coming from the pipes. The water was lukewarm--we didn’t really need hot--and the pressure was good. We had a good night’s sleep. The beds were old but reasonably comfortable, and we didn’t hear a sound from the nearby highway or the busload of teenagers.

The grounds are large and are set up for family entertainment. Day passes are sold for use of the hotel facilities. The whole area is covered with grass. Swings and hammocks hang from the large trees. There are volleyball courts and a half basketball court. Further along are a few small cages with some sad monkeys and raccoons. There is a large and very clean swimming pool and a kiddie pool. Children seem to love the place because of the various swingsets, slides, and teeter-totters scattered around the grounds. Near the lobby are a ping-pong table and various other games. The restaurant, which is often booked for events, has good food and is open for all meals.

We enjoyed the hotel. The parking seemed fairly secure, with a gate closed at night and an employee keeping an eye on things. We had originally stayed here to visit the nearby ruins of Abaj Takalik. We stayed here again on our way out of Guatemala just because we liked the place. The price was Q225 the first time but went up to Q260 the second time because of a local celebration. The hotel is located on the highway, one kilometer south of downtown entrance.

It was late. I was hungry. We were leaving Guatemala early the next morning. I knew the hotel restaurant was booked for a birthday party so I went to the lobby to get a soda and some chips. The staff took pity on me. The party was over, and the kitchen staff offered to stay on a little while longer to serve me dinner.

The restaurant is just off the lobby, with a view of the pool and grounds. The walls were painted gold and rust and with very little adornment. There were about twenty tables with white tablecloths and a few plants scattered around. Overall, it was a very basic but comfortable place.

I sat at one of the few clean tables. Although the restaurant was still a mess from the party, I could tell it was usually kept clean. A waitress immediately came over, apologized for the state of the room, and gave me a pitcher of ice water.

The menu was a typical hotel restaurant menu with a little bit of everything and nothing too fancy or exotic. The prices were also moderate, as expected. A few items were offered in mini portions for children and light eaters. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served. Because the restaurant remained open for me, I decided quickly, and the waitress was right there to take my order.

I started with the Consomè Costa Real, which was a wonderfully flavorful chicken broth served with rice and some veggies. As the main course, I had what I seemed to eat everywhere on this trip, the Plato Tìpico. It was a small tenderloin steak served with salad, rice, refried beans, and cheese. It was also supposed to come with fried bananas, but they had run out. Although disappointed by the bananas, I have to admit the food was pretty good. Not the best I had on this trip, but definitely recommendable.

By the time I finished dinner, the restaurant was tidy and ready for the next day's service. I asked for the bill, and it was promptly delivered, but when I paid, change couldn’t be made. The cash register had been locked ,and the front desk was short of change. I don’t know where the waitress went, but she reappeared with change about ten minutes later. I left and let them finally close for the night.

The restaurant is open daily from 9:30am to 10pm and accepts major credit cards. The hotel is located on the highway, one kilometer south of the downtown entrance.

Although I don’t recommend coming to the hotel just to eat, I do recommend eating here if you come to use the hotel facilities for the day or are staying here. The staff definitely goes out of their way to please.

sample menu
Cheeseburger: Q21
Club Sandwich: Q28
Shrimp Ceviche: Q45
Mixed Bar-B-Que: Q65
Spaghetti Bolognese: Q29
Peppered Chicken Breast: Q45
Seasonal Fresh Fruit Salad: Q25

Hoping for something exceptional, hoping for something traditional, we wanted our first feast in Guatemala to be something memorable. With no recommendations and no obvious signs, such as lightening striking or fish falling from the heavens, we decided to follow our noses. Soon, the scent of beefy, garlicky goodness had me slamming on the brakes. This is how our first meal in the country came to be Chinese.

We found a spot in the parking lot and headed for what we hoped was the origins of the glorious aroma. We wandered through a dark corridor full of equipment into an abandoned dining area. A little disheartened but still driven by the savory perfumes, we went through one more door and came out into a bright, clean and cheerfully decorated cafeteria-style dining area.

We chose a table by the window and a very cheerful waitress delivered menus and water. Having come in the back way, we hadn’t seen the name of the place, Mandarin Oriental, which explained the cheesy Chinese diner décor. There was also a tiny Christmas tree on the counter. Overall, the place had a very festive feel.

This restaurant, besides obviously serving Chinese food, is a churrascos or churrasqueria, a steakhouse. I opted for the beef and Libby ordered an assortment of appetizers, of which I, of course, stole a good portion.

After a leisurely but not drawn out wait, the starters were served. The taco chino especial (special Chinese taco, Q18) was eggrolls. They were crisp, but not greasy, and the filling was well-seasoned and tasty. The wantan dorado con lomito y salsa agridulce (Q21) were wontons filled with a beef concoction served with sweet-and-sour sauce. These were also crisp, but not greasy, and flavorful.

Shortly after the appetizers were served, my steak came out. It was a beef tenderloin served with salad and fries for Q49. Having just been in southern Mexico where tender juicy beef is hard to come by, I wasn't sure what to expect. It was served on a sizzling hot cast iron plate and much to my delight, was tender and oh so juicy. I later came to realize that Guatemala has consistently good beef.

Half way through the meal I ordered another soda and asked for a straw. The waitresses laughed hysterically and hid in the kitchen. Being very thirsty, I kept voicing my need for liquid. I saw faces peering around corners and heard gut wrenching laughter but no one delivered my drink. Eventually and older lady, her face contorted with the effort of not laughing, brought my drink. She served us the rest of the evening.

We enjoyed this restaurant so much that on our return trip through we ate here again but made a point of not asking for a straw. As a matter of fact, I don’t think I asked for one the rest of the trip.

We left our hotel in Reu in the afternoon, hoping to find the ruins still open. We had come to this part of Guatemala specifically to see these ruins but in reality knew very little about them. From Reu we took the highway (CA2) west, toward Mexico, to the El Asintal turn off, from there we followed the signs for Abaj Takalik. It took less than a half-hour and thankfully the ruins were still open. Their hours are from 7am to 5pm daily. At the little building we paid Q25 apiece. The guard pointed us toward our parking place and told us to wait there. Before we had even gotten out of the car, a young man appeared. He informed us he was to be our guide and that all guests needed one.

We followed him back through the parking lot to a small cleared area with some old foundations. Everything was covered with wildflowers. From here, we followed a path up the hill to see some altars and carved stelea. We followed the winding path while our guide pointed out and explained things to us. He also recited, very thoroughly, the history of the site. After wandering around in the hills, we headed down into a flat area where the main structures are found. There were a few pyramids and a ball court. There were many sculptures surrounding the pyramids. Abaj Takalik is known for the diversity of its sculptures, falling into four categories: Olmec-style, Maya-style, Barrigòn (potbellied)-style, and local-style. On this site, the transition from the Olmec culture to the Mayan culture can be seen. Archaeologists are hoping many important questions will be answered from further investigations at Abaj Takalik.

The grounds are beautiful, with towering trees, on a green and lush lawn, and with flowering bushes scattered around. The guide then took us to see the animals. All the animals are local endangered animals rescued from bad homes or injured in the wild. They look healthy but live in small enclosures. From here we headed back to the car. Our guide was great. I don’t know if all are. They are volunteers and live from their tips.

A Short History
Abaj Takalik was occupied from about 800 BC to 1524 AD. Building started during the Mid Pre-Classic period (800-300 BC). This is when the Olmec heads appeared and ball courts were made. The are signs of extensive trading during this period.

During the Late Pre-Classic period (300BC-250 AD), Mayan-style architecture appeared. The buildings became larger and fancier.

During the Early Classic period (250-600 AD), something happened. Building and sculpting stopped. Trade no longer flourished and there are signs of confrontations with neighboring cities.

During the Late Classic period (600-900), the destroyed monuments were rebuilt, but the city never became important again.

Present Day
Abaj Takalik (standing stones) sits on five privately owned coffee plantations. Josè Luis Ralda Gonzalez donated the land, now open to the public, to the state. The site is still used for religious ceremonies.