Visit Guatemala: A Cultural Expedition
I started the first leg of my trip in the city of Antigua. Antigua is a colonial town about 30 minutes from the capital of Guatemala City that is saturated with 16th and 17th century Spanish-style churches and cobblestone streets. Historically, it was founded as a result of Catholic monks that came to the area during the time of the crusades to help spread the Gospel and offer disaster relief to the earthquake stricken region. The church ruins are impressive here, and many of the church doors remain open performing masses throughout the day. Around almost every corner you will find a colonial church, making it easy to find God in a valley town that has an active volcano looming in its backdrop. Volcano Agua, as it is called, is truly a spectacular sight on a clear day.
Street vendors are particularly active in the center square of Antigua. Merchants selling handwoven blankets, textiles, jewelry, and just about all things Mayan can be found here. I found that children are very active merchants and bargaining with them is rather easy, as they are quick to sell. Another interesting cultural sight found in Antigua is the Guatemalan public transportation system, known as “chicken buses”. These buses are colorfully painted school buses that serve from city to city throughout the country, stopping at any random stop requested along the way.
The next stop of our trip was a visit to the Lago de Atitlan, or Lake Atitlan, located in the village of Panajachel. Lake Atitlan is actually a sunken volcano naturally filled with fresh water that serves as a recreational area and naturalist tourist attraction. Again, volcanoes serve as a backdrop to this lake, and the views are amazing. There is a small beach and boating area on the lake. Panajachel is home to many indigenous species of flowers, vegetables, and birds making it a renowned naturalists’ retreat. You’ll find many backpackers and nature lovers in this area, as well as Mayan merchants actively promoting their textiles.
Our final stop was the southern Pacific coast of Guatemala on the beach of Montericco. The beaches in Guatemala are quite different than any resort beaches that I had visited before. Montericco beaches are covered in black volcanic sand (I imagine similar to Hawaii, although I’ve never been) and the surf is the highest I’ve ever seen. It was suggested that we not swim in the ocean unless we were very strong swimmers, and I heeded the advice. Surfing is a big sport in this region. The beach consists of bungalows that were somewhat shanty, but this only added to the aboriginal lifestyle, as the area is protected due to its natural habitat of native birds and sea turtles. Any commercialism here would have taken away from the area’s natural beauty. Additionally, there are protected mangroves surrounding the beach, so car access is limited, and it is necessary to cross a channel by “car ferry” (consisting of wooden planks tied together) in order to reach the beach. This somewhat strange and frightening transport was worth the experience. During certain times of the year, we were told, the area is a natural breeding ground for sea turtles that make there way to the shore to deposit their eggs.
We unfortunately did not get to reach the Mayan ruins of Tikal, which apparently are a must see in Guatemala. However, we were so consumed with all of our experiences that it was hard to fit another excursion in without becoming too overstimulated. There was so much to see in this incredibly breathtaking country, and to fit it all in one trip was a challenge.
For more information on travel to Guatemala, visit http://enjoyguatemala.com.
