Lake Atitlan should be amongst the wonders of the modern world. The pristine volcanic lake is the deepest in Central America and renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Surrounded by Atitlan, San Pedro and Toliman volcanoes, this lake is a truly unique site. Toliman and Atitlan are still active, although its been several hundred years since either has erupted.
The lake is also surrounded by many Mayan populations, most of them isolated. Reachable only by boat. Most Mayan inhabitants in the area belong to either the Tz’utujil and Kaqchikel peoples. These are ancient civilizations that have kept their language and culture alive throughout the past centuries. Though remote and secluded the natural and cultural Read more
Contemplating how to get all your belongings to Guatemala? The answer might be driving them there. No, it is not the easiest, nor the safest thing to do, but it could work for you. Especially if you speak Spanish and live a little bit closer than say… Maine.
To get a car packed full of stuff into Mexico, you’ll want to take a trip to Transmigrantes Mireya, a company who arranges all the paperwork for bringing a car, loaded down with personal belongings into Mexico. This is a crazy experience in itself, as you can read from the personal travels shared by our fellow blogger at this link. You actually have to give away your title and have Read more
Outside of Guatemala but looking to buy some Guatemala coffee that hasn’t been processed by The Man (Starbucks)? Check out the new online shop from La Azotea.
La Azotea uses the Arabica variety of coffee, and actually reserves some of the good stuff for local and internet sales, unlike most companies which send the good stuff to their major suppliers and leave the not so tasty coffee for the local crowd. Azotea is an environmentally friendly plantation that uses an organic pest control system, if you are worried about pesticides.
La Azotea is hosting their coffee selling online endeavors through www.AroundAntigua.net. You can currently purchase ground Guatemala coffee as well as whole bean coffee. In addition, they also Read more
So, the Happy Planet Index in Guatemala has ranked us number 4 as far as the happiest places to live go. Costa Rica is ranked number 1, but I think they paid off the surveyors, and the Dominican Republic and Jamaica at spots number 2 and 3, respectively.
The HPI, or Happy Planet Index, ranking of each country is determined by the life expectancy, life satisfaction, and ecological footprint left on the country.
Life expectancy in Guatemala is where we rank lowest, with the estimate being between 60–75 years. This falls in the middling range, and is what brings our score below Costa Rica’s. (The life expectancy in Costa Rica is above 75 years.)
Tourism may be down around the world, and although some businesses in Guatemala are suffering, the outlook isn’t as dim here as it is in other Central and South American countries. Why? Well, Guatemala is seen as a cheaper option for vacation than the ever popular Costa Rica and Panama. And to be honest, Guatemala is less expensive.
Nowadays, flights to Central American countries from the United States all hover at about the same price, so picking your destination, if guided by your budget, may mean choosing a country that has cheaper accomodations and activities. (For a search of international flights, try www.kayak.com.)
Guatemala not only offers high quality tourism, it does so at better prices. There are the Read more
You may scoff at the idea of eating at McDonald’s, but in Guatemala it is considered a somewhat fancy place to grab a bite to eat. And, while the double cheeseburger doesn’t taste quite like it does back home, you’ll still get exactly what you are expecting when you unwrap the sandwich.
Of all the McDonald’s I’ve seen, the one in La Antigua Guatemala is one of the fanciest. It started out as a smaller McCafé, but has been transformed into a fancy, comfortable, almost coffee house style restaurant where you can eat dessert, drink coffee, and of course, scarf down a burger and fries.
From your chair lounging beside the impressive garden you can see the Volcan de Agua, and Read more
If you are in need of a North American shopping trip then head to the newest shopping mall in Guatemala City, Oakland Mall, located at 11 Avenida Diagonal 6, Zona 10.
The Oakland Mall has all the shops you would expect to see in a North American mall: North Face, Claire’s, Pizza Hut, the I Shop and more. The mall is three stories tall, has an indoor Merry-Go-Round for the kiddies, and enough kiosk stands that you will find everything you need, and everything you don’t within the Oakland Mall’s interior.
One of the nicest parts about the newest addition to the slew of malls in Guatemala City is that the bookstores at Oakland Mall contain a number of books Read more
Los Cebollines is part of a small chain of Mexican eateries with a number of locations in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Honduras.
The place is clean and serves up good, authentic Mexican food. It is a real simple restaurant and the service is slower than we expect as North Americans, but it was pretty average speed for Central America.
The price is about average for a specialty sit-down place, with a full meal being about $11–20 per person.
The Zona 1 location is on 6th Avenue 9–75. No reservations are needed, but the phone number is +502 2232 7750. Los Cebollines also has wireless internet.
Los Cebollines also does catering, delivery and franchising.
For a night out in Guatemala City you should definitely try Jean Francois, a delightful French restaurant in Zona 10.
Jean Francois restaurant is nicely decorated, and serves delicious food. The strangest thing about it is trying to find it! It is located at the end of an unmarked corridor, in an unmarked, small shopping center. You will find it at Diagonal 6, 13–63 in Zona 10. If you absolutely can’t find it you can call 333–4785 and ask how to get there!
Many people agree that Jean Francois is one of the best restaurants in Guatemala. The steaks come highly recommended, in any of the sauces, and the desserts, the Mousses in particular, are held in high regard Read more
Far from being your traditional classroom setting, the Antigua Cooking School, hosted by Militza de León, a graduate of the Intecap Guatemalan culinary school, and Vilma McComsey, proprietor of The Antigua Cooking School, is set in the walled garden of a colonial home in La Antigua, under a 130-year-old avocado tree.
Miltza and Vilma, who take turns instructing the daily classes, are far from being teachers only; they are also hostesses. They chat mindlessly with the students, who feel a bit more like guests who have been invited into the kitchen. There is no room in the kitchen, however, for idle hands, so the students pick up the dough and get to work.
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