Guatemala Travel Guide - Unique & Marvelous Experience
Guatemala Travel Guide - Unique & Marvelous Experience
Guatemala is a small country (the size of Ohio) in the Central America region. It has borders to Mexico in the north/northwest, to Belize in the northeast, to Honduras in the southeast, to El Salvador in the south. It has a Pacific coastline to the southwest, and a tiny piece of Caribbean coastline to the east.
Guatemala has a rich and distinctive culture from the long mix of elements from Spain and the native Maya people. This diverse history and the natural beauty of the land have created a destination rich in interesting and scenic sites. The climate in the Central and Western Highlands is generally mild. It can get cool at night even in the summers.
In its territory there are fascinating Mayan archaeological sites (Tikal in the Peten, Quiriguá in Izabal, Iximche in Tecpan Chimaltenango and Guatemala City). Natural attractions include locations such as Lake Atitlan and Semuc Champey. Historical tourism includes the colonial city of Antigua Guatemala, which is recognized as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site.
There is a strong interest within the international community for archaeological sites like the city of Tikal. To note, Tikal was built and inhabited in a period where the culture had its greatest literary and artistic expression, and was ruled by a dynasty of 16 kings. The Maya of Tikal built many temples, a ball park, altars and stelae in high and low relief.
Guatemala is visited for its archaeological sites, pre-Hispanic cities as well as tourist-religious centers like the Basilica of Esquipulas in the city of Esquipulas, and the beaches on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of Guatemala. Other tourist destinations are the national parks and other protected areas such as the Maya Biosphere Reserve.
Regions & Cities of Guatemala :
Central Highlands
around Guatemala City, stretching north to the border with Petén region.
Western Highlands
Lake Atitlan and many modern Maya villages
Caribbean Coast
hot and steamy, beaches, and boat access to and from Belize
Petén
hot, jungle region in the north with the most impressive ancient Maya ruins
Pacific Highlands
steamy highlands going down to the Pacific beaches
Guatemala City — Capital and largest city with many amenities
Antigua Guatemala — Colonial Spanish capital of Central America, a World Heritage site, and the most popular among tourists
Flores — Island capital of Petén, good starting point to access Mayan ruins of Tikal.
Melchor de Mencos — Border town which is the main crossing point to Belize
Panajachel — Gateway to Lake Atitlán, a beautiful and busy tourist area
Puerto Barrios — Caribbean seaport with speedboats to and from Belize
Puerto San José — Pacific seaport
Quetzaltenango — Second largest city, in the western highlands. Commonly called Xela.
Sayaxché — River gateway in Petén
Coban — Town with a rich culture and a great launching point to travel to Semuc Champay
Lake Atitlán — Beautiful lake region in the mountains surrounded by many picturesque villages and volcanoes
Monterrico — The beach closest to Guatemala City and Antigua, volcanic sand.
Semuc Champey — Stunning natural monument in the heart of the Mayan world, located about 11 km from the town of Lanquín.
Rio Dulce — Known as a ‘one of a kind’ ecological and cultural heritage for humanity, and home of one of the largest bridges in Central America, the area surrounding this emerald Sweet River has many sites to see and things to do.
A lot to see in Guatemala such as :
Tikal
Lake Atitlán
Semuc Champey
Pacaya
Dulce River
Acatenango
Tikal Temple I
Lake Petén Itzá
Volcán San Pedro
Volcán de Fuego
Volcán de Agua
Arco de Santa Catalina
Iximche
Tikal Temple IV
Iglesia de La Merced, Antigua Guatemala
National Palace
Volcán Tajumulco
Castle of San Felipe de Lara
Flores Island (Guatemala)
Volcán Tolimán
Santa María
Volcán Atitlán
Iglesia y Convento de las Capuchinas, Antigua Guatemala
La Aurora Zoo
Xetulul Theme Park
Tikal Temple II
Lachuá Lake
Chicabal Lake
Cathedral of Guatemala City
Kaminaljuyu
Santiaguito
Antigua Guatemala Cathedral
Topoxte
Maya Biosphere Reserve
Biotopo del Quetzal
Takalik Abaj
Lake Amatitlán
Museo Popol Vuh
Mundo Petapa
Central Park
Mundo Perdido, Tikal
Auto Safari Chapin
Museo Nacional de Arqueología y Etnología
Nakum
Yaxhá Lake
Chichicastenango Market
Petexbatún Lake
Grutas de Lanquín
Monasterio de Santo Domingo, Antigua Guatemala
Tikal Temple V Pyramid
Guatemala is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting Guatemala. Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Guatemala
Join us for more :
Guatemala/Lake Atitlán (Beautiful) Part 8
Welcome to my travelchannel.On my channel you can find almost 1000 films of more than 70 countries. See the playlist on my youtube channel.Enjoy!
Guatemala/Lake Atitlán :
Lake Atitlán (Lago de Atitlán) is a large endorheic lake (one that does not flow to the sea) in the Guatemalan Highlands. Atitlan is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America with maximum depth about 340 meters. The lake is shaped by deep escarpments which surround it and by three volcanoes on its southern flank. Lake Atitlan is further characterized by towns and villages of the Maya people. Lake Atitlán is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west-northwest of Antigua. Lake Atitlán should not be confused with Lake Amatitlán. Lake Amatitlán is located about 65 kilometres (40 mi) southeast of Lake Atitlán and 16 kilometres (10 mi) southeast of Antigua. Lake Atitlán is much larger than Lake Amatitlán.
At the water is the meaning of Atitlan. It is a fusion of simple Nahuatl words that belies the complexity of the entity it identifies. German explorer Alexander von Humbolt is the earliest prominent foreigner generally quoted as calling it the most beautiful lake in the world.
The lake is volcanic in origin, filling an enormous caldera formed in an eruption 84,000 years ago. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and Aldous Huxley famously wrote of it: Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing.The lake basin supports extensive coffee growth and a variety of farm crops, most notably corn. Other significant agricultural products include onions, beans, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, chile verde, strawberries, avocados and pitahaya fruit. The lake itself is rich in animal life which provides a significant food source for the largely indigenous population.
Culture
The lake is surrounded by many villages, in which Maya culture is still prevalent and traditional dress is worn. The Maya people of Atitlán are predominantly Tz'utujil and Kaqchikel. During the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the Kaqchikel initially allied themselves with the invaders to defeat their historic enemies the Tz'utujil and Quiché Maya, but were themselves conquered and subdued when they refused to pay tribute to the Spanish.
Santiago Atitlán is the largest of the lakeside communities, and is noted for its worship of Maximón, an idol formed by the fusion of traditional Mayan deities, Catholic saints and conquistador legends. The institutionalized effigy of Maximón is under the control of a local religious brotherhood and resides in various houses of its membership during the course of a year, being most ceremonially moved in a grand procession during Semana Santa. Several towns in Guatemala have similar cults, most notably the cult of San Simón in Zunil.
While Maya culture is predominant in most lakeside communities, the largest town on the shores, Panajachel, has been overwhelmed over the years by tourists. It attracted many hippies in the 1960s, and although the war caused many foreigners to leave, the end of hostilities in 1996 saw visitor numbers boom again, and the town's economy is almost entirely reliant on tourism today.
Several Mayan archaeological sites have been found at the lake. Sambaj, located approximately 55 feet below the current lake level, appears to be from at least the pre-classic period.
There are remains of multiple groups of buildings, including one particular group of large buildings that are believed to be the city center.
A second site, Chiutinamit, where the remains of a city were found, was discovered by local fishermen who noticed what appeared to be a city underwater.During consequent investigations, pottery shards were recovered from the site by divers, which enabled the dating of the site to the late pre-classic period (600 B.C. - 250 A.D.).
A project titled Underwater archeology in the Lake Atitlán. Sambaj 2003 Guatemala was recently approved by the Government of Guatemala in cooperation with Fundación Albenga and the Lake Museum in Atitlán. Because of the concerns of a private organization as is the Lake Museum in Atitlán the need to start the exploration of the inland waters in Guatemala was analyzed.
There is no road that circles the lake. Communities are reached by boat or roads from the mountains that may have brief extensions along the shore. Santa Cruz La Laguna and Jaibalito can only be reached by boat. Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó are linked to Panajachel. Main places otherwise are Santa Clara La Laguna and San Pedro La Laguna in the West, Santiago Atitlán in the South, and San Lucas Tolimán in the East.Wikipedia
What it's like to live on Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
What it's Like to Live on Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
So many people have asked us what it's like living on Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. This video is the first of several we will be uploading to show just that! Lake Atitlan is an incredible place, and to live there is an amazing experience.
Lake Atitlan has been called the most beautiful lake in the world. Surrounded by steep mountain walls and framed by 3 ancient volcanoes, it has a reputation for being a mystical place. It draws visitors from all over the world.
Lake Atitlan is located in the Guatemalan highlands about 90 miles from Guatamala City. The lake bed is actually a Caldera from the eruption of an ancient super volcano and reaches depths of over a 1,000 feet (340 meters), making it the deepest lake in Central America. Evidence of the regions volcanic past is all around from ash cliffs, to verdant farming along the mountain sides. Of course it's impossible to ignore the towering volcanoes, San Pedro, Toliman, and Atitlan looking over the lake like sentinels.
Atitlan is surrounded by towns and small cities many of which are only accessible by boat. Some of these rise straight up the sides of the mountains, seeming to defy gravity.
There is a very strong indigenous Mayan influence in the area and well over 20 different indigenous languages are spoken in Guatemala. Several of these can still be heard around Lake Atitlan where cultural identity is still very strong, despite western influences. Locals wear traje tipica, or 'typical clothes' and carry on life in much the same way as their ancestors, though every so often you'll see a smart phone tucked in their waistbands.
The jumping off point for most place around the lake is a town called Panajachel or Pana for short. The reason Pana is the center for the tourist scene at lake atitlan is because it is one of the most accessible towns on the lake. The main highway runs through it. Pana is also built on an area of the lake that is relatively flat, due to the river valley that it's situated in. For these and other reasons most people traveling to Lake Atitlan will pass through Pana at one point or another.
Within Pana itself there are several things to see and do, including visiting the historic church of Saint Francis of Asissi, with its original facade from the 16th century, visiting the Nature Reserve, attending a Spanish school, and of course shopping.
Within Pana people get around mostly via Tuk Tuks, small motor scooter carriages, that zip around town like red ants. You'd think the tuk tuks would slow down with the bumpy roads, and yet they fly at insane speeds to get you there on time! A tuk tuk should cost you 5 Quetzales in town per person, and 10 for longer rides.
most drivers don't charge for kids.
Pana has a fairly large harbor and a large fleet of public and private boats called Launchas. The launchas will take you to any other town on the lake and run from sun up until sun down. Just be aware that the lake is smooth in the morning and choppy in the evening, and when I say choppy, I mean really choppy!...this is almost always the case.
Most of the towns around the lake have a hustle and bustle about them. There is a palpable energy in the air, and nowhere is this more prevalent than each towns local market. In these markets local merchants buy and sell all sorts of goods. You can find pretty much anything you could ever want in the market. From meat, and fresh produce, to clothes and shoes. In the market there are no set prices and haggling is common. If you're a foreigner though be prepared to pay top dollar!
The schools around lake Atitlan may not look like schools elsewhere, but they are excellent. When the kids play...they play hard, and when they work, they work hard. We were very impressed with the schools in Pana and our kids loved them.
If you visit Lake atitlan, go to Calle Santander, even if you don't intend on buying anything. It is such a fun place to walk and observe the people, and take in the smells, sights, and sounds. If you look like a foreigner, just know...you will be approached by many street vendors! Your two favorite words may become No, Gracias!
As far as things to do in Pana and around the lake, most of the regions tourist draw is for sightseeing. There are of course lake activities, such as kayaking and paddle boarding, but most people come to shop for local handiworks, especially the beautiful weaving that the region is known for. Each town along the lake shore is different. San Marcos for example is known as the spiritual or hippie town on the lake, while San Pedro is the backpacker town. Each place is different and worth visiting. You can also hike up several of the peaks around the lake, including the volcanoes.
Living on Lake Atitlan is an incredible experience and one that you will never forget!
#lakeatitlan #lagoatitlan #panajachel
Guatemala City Travel Guide
Guatemala City Travel Guide: Guatemala City is located in the department (territorial division) of Guatemala, and it's the capital of the country. All the main highways start at Kilómetro 0, located inside Palacio Nacional de la Cultura (National Palace), in Centro Histórico (Historic Center).
Guatemala City became the capital after Antigua Guatemala had been destroyed by an earthquake in 1773. With a population of around 3 million people, Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala. It can be interesting to visit Guate, as it is also called by the locals. Guatemala City has attractions and restaurants, often with few tourists. Sunday evenings' gatherings of hundreds of locals at the main plaza is certainly an unforgettable experience.
It's this genuine and profound hospitality combined with the city's outstanding cultural legacy and astonishing natural beauty that makes Guatemala City such a compelling place for travellers.
Enjoy your Guatemala City Travel Guide!
Guatemala-Panajachel (Beautiful Lake Atitlan) Part 9
Welcome to my travelchannel.On my channel you can find almost 1000 films of more than 70 countries.
See the playlist on my youtube channel.Enjoy!
Guatemala-Panajachel :
Lake Atitlán (Lago de Atitlán) is a large endorheic lake (one that does not flow to the sea) in the Guatemalan Highlands. Atitlan is recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America with maximum depth about 340 meters. The lake is shaped by deep escarpments which surround it and by three volcanoes on its southern flank. Lake Atitlan is further characterized by towns and villages of the Maya people. Lake Atitlán is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) west-northwest of Antigua. Lake Atitlán should not be confused with Lake Amatitlán. Lake Amatitlán is located about 65 kilometres (40 mi) southeast of Lake Atitlán and 16 kilometres (10 mi) southeast of Antigua. Lake Atitlán is much larger than Lake Amatitlán.
At the water is the meaning of Atitlan. It is a fusion of simple Nahuatl words that belies the complexity of the entity it identifies. German explorer Alexander von Humbolt is the earliest prominent foreigner generally quoted as calling it the most beautiful lake in the world.
The lake is volcanic in origin, filling an enormous caldera formed in an eruption 84,000 years ago. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and Aldous Huxley famously wrote of it: Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing.The lake basin supports extensive coffee growth and a variety of farm crops, most notably corn. Other significant agricultural products include onions, beans, squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, chile verde, strawberries, avocados and pitahaya fruit. The lake itself is rich in animal life which provides a significant food source for the largely indigenous population.
Culture
The lake is surrounded by many villages, in which Maya culture is still prevalent and traditional dress is worn. The Maya people of Atitlán are predominantly Tz'utujil and Kaqchikel. During the Spanish conquest of the Americas, the Kaqchikel initially allied themselves with the invaders to defeat their historic enemies the Tz'utujil and Quiché Maya, but were themselves conquered and subdued when they refused to pay tribute to the Spanish.
Santiago Atitlán is the largest of the lakeside communities, and is noted for its worship of Maximón, an idol formed by the fusion of traditional Mayan deities, Catholic saints and conquistador legends. The institutionalized effigy of Maximón is under the control of a local religious brotherhood and resides in various houses of its membership during the course of a year, being most ceremonially moved in a grand procession during Semana Santa. Several towns in Guatemala have similar cults, most notably the cult of San Simón in Zunil.
While Maya culture is predominant in most lakeside communities, the largest town on the shores, Panajachel, has been overwhelmed over the years by tourists. It attracted many hippies in the 1960s, and although the war caused many foreigners to leave, the end of hostilities in 1996 saw visitor numbers boom again, and the town's economy is almost entirely reliant on tourism today.
Several Mayan archaeological sites have been found at the lake. Sambaj, located approximately 55 feet below the current lake level, appears to be from at least the pre-classic period.
There are remains of multiple groups of buildings, including one particular group of large buildings that are believed to be the city center.
A second site, Chiutinamit, where the remains of a city were found, was discovered by local fishermen who noticed what appeared to be a city underwater.During consequent investigations, pottery shards were recovered from the site by divers, which enabled the dating of the site to the late pre-classic period (600 B.C. - 250 A.D.).
A project titled Underwater archeology in the Lake Atitlán. Sambaj 2003 Guatemala was recently approved by the Government of Guatemala in cooperation with Fundación Albenga and the Lake Museum in Atitlán. Because of the concerns of a private organization as is the Lake Museum in Atitlán the need to start the exploration of the inland waters in Guatemala was analyzed.
There is no road that circles the lake. Communities are reached by boat or roads from the mountains that may have brief extensions along the shore. Santa Cruz La Laguna and Jaibalito can only be reached by boat. Santa Catarina Palopó and San Antonio Palopó are linked to Panajachel. Main places otherwise are Santa Clara La Laguna and San Pedro La Laguna in the West, Santiago Atitlán in the South, and San Lucas Tolimán in the East.
Mountains & Light - Part 1: Expeditions 1996 - 2012
This film is a collection of photographs from my expeditions from 1996 -- 2012. The light in the mountains is often extraordinary and I try to capture the essence of shifting moods and landscapes on every expedition. I've been blessed with the opportunity to visit so many remote and beautiful places during my long-term project to climb the Triple 7 Summits -- the 3 highest peaks on every continent. I hope you enjoy the beauty of our high mountains as much as I do; or find some peace or inspiration.
The photographs and short video clips in this film document the following expeditions:
1996 -- Gondoghoro Peak, Karakorum Mountains, Baltistan, Pakistan
2006 -- Khan Tengri, Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan
2007 -- West Highland Way, Scottish Highlands, UK
2008 -- Africa 3 Peaks Expedition: Mt. Stanley, Rwenzoris, Uganda; Mt. Kenya, Kenya; Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
2010 -- Australasia 3 Peaks Expedition: Puncak Trikora, New Guinea Central Highlands, Papua Province, Indonesia
2011 -- Carstensz Pyramid, New Guinea Central Highlands, Papua Province, Indonesia
2011 -- Puncak Rinjani, Lombok, Indonesia
2011 -- The Quiraing, Skye, Scotland
2012 -- Denali, Alaska Range, United States
2012 -- Canadian Rockies, Alberta, Canada
2012 -- Iztaccihuatl & Pico de Orizaba, Puebla, Mexico
Track listing:
1) 00:00 Stirling Brig -- The Corries
2) 00:04 Storms in Africa - Enya
3) 03.56 Linger -- The Cranberries
4) 04:36 Sadeness, Part 1 - Enigma
5) 08:55 Return to innocence - Enigma
6) 11:33 Honor Him, Elysium and Now We Are Free - Gladiator Soundtrack -- Universal Music
7) 14:53 Yeha-Noha (Wishes of Happiness and Prosperity) -- Sacred Spirit
8) 18:42 Honor Him, Elysium and Now We Are Free - Gladiator Soundtrack -- Universal Music
9) 23:36 In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction - Idlewild
My use of the content meets the legal requirements for fair use or fair dealing under applicable copyright laws.
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Believe in yourself. Ignore your doubters. Make it happen.
Mayan Inn and Walk to Cemetery
Mayan Inn and Walk to Cemetery
ChiChi Market - Chichicastenango, Western Highlands, Guatemala
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Chichi Market Chichicastenango
Thursdays and Sundays, this mountain village is transformed into the world's largest handicrafts market, where you'll find pottery, colorful textiles, carved wooden masks, flowers, incense and other Mayan goods for sale.
Read more at:
Travel blogs from ChiChi Market:
- ... This way, I was able to actually use my spanish instead, at the Chichi market ...
- ... I guess that the colourful, bustling, chaotic Chichi market has now become a must-see stop for cruise-shippers and resort-trippers, and I understand why ...
Read these blogs and more at:
Photos from:
- Chichicastenango, Western Highlands, Guatemala
Photos in this video:
- Huilpiles, Chichi market by Marmaladejenn from a blog titled Market Fever
- Chilies, Chichi market by Marmaladejenn from a blog titled Market Fever
- Entering ChiChi Market by Thomasgillam from a blog titled Chichicastenango
- Chichi market staples by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market butcher by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market garlic by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market Cal by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market stall by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market - 5 by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market - 2 by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market - 3 by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market - 4 by Leeinkster from a blog titled Chichicastenango Market
- Chichi market by Damnfunkin from a blog titled Chichi and Chicken Buses
Ethiopia's Extreme Salt Mines - Danakil Depression, Afar Desert
ETHIOPIA’S EXTREME SALT MINES – Danakil Depression, Afar Desert
There are caravans there – countless caravans. Passing through Ahmadila – little village where I’ve suffered from heat for three days! Only for three days!
But there are people in desert bound to the place since their living depends entirely on Ethiopian Gold which is called SALT.
Every single evening long caravans of camels were passing on their way from Salt Mines. Last day of our stay in Danakil Depression we went to see some of these Salt Mines. One have to drive long stretch across damn flat desert to come to salty Lake Assal which momentary changed gloomy atmosphere of empty desert to bright blinding glow. Then you have to go back to desert and drive even father North till Dallol where scattered across vast endless desert are working groups of Salt Miners.
I’ve arrived in Danakil Depression the middle of “winter” so daily temperatures were “only” in mid and high 40 C but in summer temperatures can go more than 10 degrees higher. For me it was beyond my understanding to work in this heat. Apparently in the summer even Salt Miners are working only to noon hours since afternoon is unbearable even for these tough guys. There is no special job requirements for working in Salt Mines beside to be tough, strong and healthy.
Couple of decades back salt was transported by camel caravans all the way to Makale some 200 km away. Now there is the road on the part of the stretch. However first distance of 50 something kilometers has to still be transported by camels so this ancient art of transportation is still used same as century ago – so occasional tourists crazy enough to undertake trip to this hottest place on planet Earth can make some memorable pictures and movies before running back to civilization leaving salt miners in this devilish place where your job security depends only on 3 conditions – you must be young, strong and healthy.
Everything is extreme in this part of the world – Weather, Environment, Living condition and mainly People who live there.
But Live in Danakil Depression is tough and I mean REALLY TOUGH! – Something what we in our sterile world have no slightest idea about.
The Western Highlands of Guatemala Greg-adrienne's photos around Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Preview of Greg-adrienne's blog at TravelPod. Read the full blog here:
This blog preview was made by TravelPod using the TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow creator.
Entry from: Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Entry Title: The Western Highlands of Guatemala
Entry:
Before leaving on our trip we had envisioned Mexico and Central America to be full of markets where we could buy exquisite handicrafts at dirt cheap prices. Not so. Or at least not in the places we had been so far. Most of the markets we had visited were stocked with cheap imported goods from Asia. But Guatemala's Western Highlands were different, as they are populated by various Mayan groups that have lived there for over 2000 years and managed to hold on to their ancient languages, dress and traditions. And it was the Mayan presence and their bedazzling markets that made our 9 days here the most interesting leg of the entire trip from a we are experiencing another culture perspective. We had left La Libertad, El Salvador early in the morning on September 29 which allowed us to arrive in Antigua, Guatemala's former capital, by mid afternoon. With cobblestone streets, beautifully restored colonial-era buildings and towering volcanoes flanking it on 3 sides, Antigua was easy to like and we immediately placed it on our top 3 of cities we had been to on the trip. The area around El Arco (The Arch) de Santa Catalina in particular had enough charm to rival Europe's finest neighborhoods, and is no doubt one of the reasons why Antigua was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. The number of tourists in Antigua also rivals that found in Europe's great cities, with the year-round spring climate (we wore sweaters at night-a first in 8 months of travel) and abundance of Spanish schools (Guatemalans are known for speaking Spanish with a particularly clear accent) also adding to its appeal. Although the influx of foreigners has led to the opening of things that cater to them - upscale hotels, restaurants and stores - Antigua is still home to a large Mayan population, as is most evident on market days (Mondays and Thursdays) when the vendors come armed with big baskets full of fruits, vegetables and other goods to sell. The mixing of these two worlds - Mayan and foreign - provided us with some wonderfully incongruent images: like standing in line at a McDonalds behind a Mayan family that was in its traditional dress and speaking an unrecognizable tongue. Although Antigua was largely spared from the horrific violence that rocked Guatemala in recent decades (leaving 100,000 dead and creating, by some estimates, about 1 million refugees), and although the peace agreement that ended Guatemala's civil war was signed over 10 years ago, there was a more vigilant approach to security in western Guatemala than in any of the other countries we had visited. For example, there was a strong military/police presence on the streets, no one left their car on the streets at night, and many businesses, including our hotel, kept their front door locked at all times. Because of this, we followed our guide book's advice and opted for the escorted (2 police officers) 20-minute walk that took us from the centre of town up to Cerro de la Cruz, a small hill with a cross that overlooks the city. After 4 nights in Antigua we made our way northwest to Panajachel, a small but growing town on the north side of Lago Atitlan, Guatemala's largest lake. Panajachel is one of the few towns on the lake that can be accessed by vehicle, albeit by way of a windy and very steep road that hugs the side of a cliff and that ...
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Photos from this trip:
1. . View over Antigua from Cerro de la Cruz
2. . View Of Main Plaza & Church, Antigua
3. . Artist & His Buddy, Antigua
4. . Arco de Santa Catalina, Antigua
5. . Street Scene, Antigua
6. . Street Vendor Enjoying An Ice Cream, Antigua
7. . Market, Antigua
8. . Guatemalan Masks
9. . Mountain Summit, Pacaya
10. . Pacaya Volcano & Recent Lava Flow
11. ...My Shoes Are Melting
12. . Lone Campers At Lago de Atitlan
13. . Night Watchman, Campsite On Lago de Atitlan
14. . I Swear This Wasn't My idea
15. . Celebrations in Panajachel
16. . Bailo de la Conquistadores
17. .Two Men from Solola
18. . Waldo's Not Hiding
19. . Tortilla-Making, Solola Market
20. . Mother with Son, Solola Market
21. . Vendor with his Woven Mats, Solola Market
22. . Our Evening At the Campsite, Lago de Atitlan
23. . Religious Procession Behind Flower Vendors
24. . Offerings to Ancestors, Front Steps of Church
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