Ring in the New Year with a Party in Antigua

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Ring in the New Year with a Party in Antigua

December 30th, 2008 | Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Must See or Do | No Comments »

Antigua is getting ready. Tomorrow night is New Year’s Eve and this city has certainly built up a reputation for putting on one of the most spectacular displays of fireworks. The show starts about an hour or so before midnight and fireworks can be seen from all over the city. The loud, brightly colored sky captures the imagination of all involved in the celebration, hope for the coming year reflected in the light on their faces.

If you want to enjoy the celebration with close friends or family only, scamper up onto your rooftop. From there you can enjoy the light show above and the dancing and parading around in the streets below.

The fireworks aren’t the city’s gig; people all throughout Antigua set Read more

Christmas is Coming… and so are Tamales Negros!

December 19th, 2008 | Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Places to Eat | 2 Comments »

With Christmas fast approaching excitement for tamales colorados mounts. Tamales are good at any time of year, but the tamal negro is a personal favorite of mine and it seems I can only manage to get a hold of some in the month of December.

Black tamales get their name from their chocolate-based sauce and is commonly accompanied by raisins, nuts, and dried plums. It might seem a little strange at first, but the sweet taste is something that kind of just grows on you, kind of like the habichuelas con dulce served during Semana Santa.

Other tamales served in during the holiday and year-round include the tamal colorado, which is probably the most common and the smaller chuchito which Read more

Mini Videos of Guatemala

December 4th, 2008 | Guatemala - Business, Guatemala - Culture | No Comments »

If you’ve never been in a Mayan marketplace it is hard to understand what it’s like through words or even through pictures. Without taking a trip to one yourself the best way to experience it is probably through video. Thanks to the “A Mayan’s Guide to Guatemala” you can.

The mini-series “A Mayan’s Guide to Guatemala” is posted on www.howstuffworks.com and takes you inside Guatemala. One of the videos is of the Mountain Markets, where many of the Mayans who grow crops or make crafts sell their goods. Other videos take you inside Mayan craft-making, and another focus’ on children’s roles in Mayan culture.

These videos are a good way to take a brief Read more

Piping Hot Chocolate

July 28th, 2008 | Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Places to Eat | 2 Comments »

You might be surprised to learn this, but some of the best chocolate in the world comes from Guatemala, a fact that makes this Gringo love the country even more. Known for its production of chocolate is the city of Mixco. The chocolate made here is commonly used for as drinking chocolate, or hot chocolate, a tradition in Guatemala.

To make the chocolate, first the seeds are taken from the pod and set to dry in the sun on a piece of linen cloth or zinc laminate. Next they are placed in a clay oven where they are toasted until golden. After they cool they are ground up, traditionally with a mortar and passel.

From there Read more

Go Guatemala – You Won't be Disappointed

July 18th, 2008 | Guatemala - Adventure, Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Must See or Do, Guatemala - Travel Tips | 1 Comment »

Guatemala has an appealing mix of landscapes and cultures, attracting visitors of all kinds. The northern lowlands are home to a lush tropical rainforest, where the most amazing Mayan archaeological sites are found, including the famous Tikal. The pine forested highlands are home to traditional Mayan communities that still cling to their indigenous roots.

As far as its major city goes, Guatemala City is the political heart and capital city of the country. However, it is not as attractive as Antigua Guatemala, which is the former capital of the country. Antigua Guatemala is one of the most popular places to visit, with its old colonial buildings being surrounded by awesome volcanoes that are perfect for hiking and climbing. Read more

Marimba Madness

June 28th, 2008 | Guatemala - Culture | No Comments »

The marimba can be heard throughout Central America, but it is the official national instrument of Guatemala. In the major cities marimbas can be extremely large, with four to nine musicians playing on just one of these oversized xylophones. In the country, hand crafted marimbas use different shaped gourds as their sounding boxes.

Marimba bands usually employ a drum kit percussionist as well as a bassist. Some bands have even taken to adding a saxophone, trumpet, or trombone for some added flavor. Marimba bands play in every corner of the country, so make sure you ask around to locate one in the town you’re visiting. Guatemalans will tell you the sound of the marimba causes a sense Read more

These Aren�t Your Everyday School Buses

June 2nd, 2008 | Guatemala - Adventure, Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Must See or Do | No Comments »

Traveling in Guatemala City and the country as a whole can be done in a number of ways. Often the best way to get around the city is by private taxi; they are safest and easiest. If you are heading out of town to another popular vacation destination you may choose to take a private shuttle. While those are all well and good, no trip to Guatemala is complete without experiencing the Chicken Bus!

These vibrantly decorated Bluebird school buses perfectly represent the Guatemalan way of things. Not only are they bright and colorful, they are work-horses who start their long treks on their own terms. (Translation: Schedules are hard to come by. Read more

A way to get your locational bearings in Guatemala City

September 23rd, 2007 | Guatemala - Adventure, Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Travel Tips | 1 Comment »

If you are like the typical Gringo who goes to Guatemala for the first time, you are expecting hot, muggy days and sticky nights. A quick tip – look at www.weather.com before you leave. We are talking 4,000 foot elevations here. 70′s (f) is normal daily temperature with night requiring a light jacket and that is in August in the states.

To complete the cerebral understanding, ask a cab driver to take you to a unique attraction called Mapa en Relieve Guatemala. It is a topographical model of Guatemala and it will make your brain finally understand why the weather is so pleasant and cool most of the time.

It costs about $5 to get in (less Read more