The Guatemala Gringo

Travel Deal for June Trips to Guatemala

June 10th, 2009 | Guatemala - Travel Tips | No Comments »

Via Venture, the top sustainable tourism provider and luxury travel firm in Guatemala has teamed up with two boutique hotels to offer a 40% discount on a 6–night, 7 day private itinerary starting in Antigua.

This article comes from The Perrin Post on Conde Nast Traveler via www.concierge.com.

For $1,086 (including all taxes and fees) per person, reduced from $1,810, you can stay for 3 nights at the Palacio de Dona Leonor, a 12-room mansion in the heart of Antigua, and 3 nights at the eco-friendly Laguna Lodge, located in the Tzantizotz Nature Reserve. This luxury package offers a good mix of guided activities–such as private tours of Antigua, San Juan La Laguna,

Mayan Ruins Near Guatemala City

June 7th, 2009 | Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Family Friendly | No Comments »

For those passing through Guatemala, unable to get more than a day trip in from Guatemala City, check out Mixco Viejo. These Mayan ruins aren’t anywhere near the splendor you will find at Tikal or Quirigua, but they are a favored spot for day-trippers from Guatemala City.

The ruins are dated back to the 12–century and they are believed to be remains of a ceremonial site, made up of many temples and palaces. There are also several ball courts that were used to play the Mayan ballgame of pitziil, a game that is a mix of soccer and volleyball. It is found here at the ceremonial grounds because it was believed to be a link between mortals and gods Read more

National Library in Guatemala City

June 4th, 2009 | Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Family Friendly | No Comments »

A cool site to visit in Guatemala City is the ultra-modern Biblioteca Nacional, on the west side of the Parque Central. The building is especially noteworthy, since its modern design starkly contrasts with the colonial architecture of the Palace and the Cathedral on the other side of teh Plaza.

The library is built on the former site of the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales on 5 Avenida 7–26 Zona 1. For more information about the National Library of Guatemala click here.

Exchanging Money In Guatemala, from Dollars to Quetzals

June 3rd, 2009 | Guatemala - Travel Tips | No Comments »

If you are needing to change over money, make sure and do it early in the day.

The exchange rate for the Quetzal is recalculated daily at the Central Bank in Guatemala City. This happens daily at 3 pm. Therefore starting at about that time many banks refuse to change money, since they do not know the “current” exchange rate. It may seem like splitting hairs, but that is the way many banks do it. I have found the best way to avoid it is by making time to go to the bank in the morning to exchange money.

In addition, if you are in a more rural area, or a small town, not all banks handle foreign money. Read more

Opening a Bank Account in Guatemala

June 1st, 2009 | Guatemala - Business, Guatemala - Relocation | 1 Comment »

To obtain a bank account in Guatemala you need to have permanent residency in the country. At least that is the official answer, and the answer you will get if you try and open an account with Banco Quetzal.

However, if you try at Banco Reformador you will be asked to only present your passport and a copy of your utility bill, and possibly letters from two Guatemalans that know you. If you can’t produce two letters, then you may want to try Banco G&T, as all they require for you to open a bank account is a copy of your passport and a utility bill.

Foreigners are often told that they cannot open accounts in Guatemala, and while Read more

Newest, Nicest Mall in Guatemala City – Oakland Mall

May 24th, 2009 | Guatemala - Best Shopping, Guatemala - Family Friendly, Guatemala - Gringo Favorite, Guatemala - Must See or Do, Guatemala - Places to Eat | No Comments »

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 Read more

Renting a Car in Guatemala

May 23rd, 2009 | Guatemala - Travel Tips | No Comments »

If you plan on renting a car in Guatemala and you are flying into the La Aurora International Airport, there are plenty of rental car booths that you can choose from. If you wish to spend a few days in Guatemala City on foot before heading out into the countryside in a private vehicle, then you don’t have to go all the way back to the airport to rent a car.

Within Guatemala City there are several of different places to choose from when renting a car. Two of the main car rental agencies in Guatemala City are Guatemala Renta Autos and Hertz Rent a Car.

Guatemala Renta Autos is known for having the most economical rates of car rental agencies in Read more

Sushi Bar in Zona 10 Guatemala City

May 20th, 2009 | Guatemala - Family Friendly, Guatemala - Places to Eat | 1 Comment »

Having grown up in a very divesre community, I very much enjoy having a varied diet. Guatemala is not full of too great of a variety of international cuisine, unless of course you are in La Antigua Guatemala or Guatemala City.

In Guatemala City, one of the restaurants I like to dine at for a different night out is Sushi Itto, a sushi bar in Zona 10 at 4a Avenida y 14 calle.

Sushi Itto serves a good variety of sushi combos, as well as tempura, sashimi, maki, yakitori, and teppanyaki. The food is good, and uses the best ingredients available for the dishes.

Service is good, food is great – no complaints here. I always get the combo Read more

Authentic Mexican Food at Los Cebollines in Guatemala City

May 12th, 2009 | Guatemala - Business, Guatemala - Family Friendly, Guatemala - Gringo Favorite, Guatemala - Places to Eat | 2 Comments »

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.

Visit the Los Cebollines Web site at www.cebollines.com.

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, Read more

International Day of Museums

May 6th, 2009 | Guatemala - Culture, Guatemala - Family Friendly, Guatemala - Must See or Do, Guatemala - Travel Tips | No Comments »

The International Day of Museums is held all over the globe on May 18th. Guatemala has a rich history, and it is celebrated in the country’s many museums.

This list, taken from Revue Magazine, highlights some of the many museums in Guatemala City:

Artecentro Paiz:7a av. 22-01, z. 1, Plaza Carlos Mérida del Banco de Guatemala, tel: 2429-6000 ext. 5248. www.fundacionpaiz.org.gt

Casa Flavio Herrera:9a calle 8-54, z. 1, tel: 2285-1014.

Museo Numismático de Guatemala:Calle Mariscal 7-46, z. 11, Colonia Mariscal, tel: 2473-0567.

Casa Mima: 8a av. 14-12, z. 1, tel: 2253-4020.www.portalmuseosguatemala.net/m.casa.mima

Mapa en Relieve:Av. Simeón Cañas final, z. 2, Hipódromo del Norte, tel: 2285-0330. www.muniguate.com

Museo Carlos F. Novella:15 av. 18-01, z. 6, Read more

Travel Deal for June Trips to Guatemala

Mayan Ruins Near Guatemala City

National Library in Guatemala City

Exchanging Money In Guatemala, from Dollars to Quetzals

Opening a Bank Account in Guatemala

Newest, Nicest Mall in Guatemala City – Oakland Mall

Renting a Car in Guatemala

Sushi Bar in Zona 10 Guatemala City

Authentic Mexican Food at Los Cebollines in Guatemala City

International Day of Museums

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