If you aren’t going to have time to leave Guatemala City to see the real Mayan ruins in Guatemala, then your best bet is to visit the ruins in Zona 7, known as the Kaminal Juyú archaeological site. I don’t mean to say that these ruins aren’t real, they just aren’t as fascinating or incredible as the major Mayan ruins in Guatemala, such as in Tikal, and therefore may not be worth your time in Guatemala City, if it is limited.

The ancient city located on the western side of modern day Guatemala City stands thrived from 300 b.c.e to 900 c.e. All that is left today are a couple of former pyramids and a large collection of Mayan artifacts, such as ceramics and Read more

Guatemala City often gets passed over by tourists in search of adventure and culture, but the are a number of reasons to spend at least a day or two exploring the capital, and one of its main attractions are the museums.

It is easy to visit the Ixchel Museum and the Museo Popol Vuh in the same day; they are right across the street from one another. Both museums feature pieces of the Mayan culture.

The Ixchel Museum centers around works of Mayan weaving: textiles and traditional clothing, while the Popol Vuh showcases Mayan art and archaeology.

At the Ixchel Museum you will see how Guatemala’s culture has been shaped by the development of these beautiful fabrics. The museum is Read more

I, the Guatemala Gringo, have committed an error common to many gringos such as myself, in calling the city of La Antigua Guatemala, simply La Antigua.

According to Rudy Girón in an interesting article for REVUE, Guatemala’s leading English magazine, this offense is common among English speakers and Spanish speakers alike.

Common mistakes include referring to the city as just Antigua; an internet search for Antigua will most likely land you somewhere in the Caribbean rather than in La Antigua Guatemala. There are others, like this old Gringo, who have always called it La Antigua, and never really given a second thought to it. Thanks Rudy!

Turns out Wikipedia even lists La Antigua Guatemala wrong! (They have it Read more

The Indigenous people of Guatemala produce some of the most beautifully woven and colorful textiles. The problem is, most of them live in remote villages, making their textiles a little harder to access than the ones massed produced for the tourist crowds. The solution is Nim Po’t, a consignment store that serves as a place to purchase and showcase Mayan textiles.

One of the most popular and sought after item available at Nim Po’t are huipiles, the large overblouses traditionally worn by Mayan women. The neat thing about huipiles is that each village has it’s own style, and it evolves over time, so experts can actually tell where a huipil is from and when it was woven just Read more