Article Archive for Year 2011
Market Day in Chichicastenango
Thursday was market day in Chichicastenango, aka Chichi for travelers and locals alike. For both visitors and sellers, the day started early and it involved a long bus ride uphill in twisty mountain roads.
I love markets. Sure, I usually don’t like to wander around raw meat stalls very early in the morning, and walking in packed alleys can be a tiring exercise. But markets, from Beijing’s Silk Market to France’s quaint Saturday food frenzy, tell a lot about a country’s culture.
Faces of Antigua
The gap of wealth within Guatemala is also fascinating to observe. Antigua attracts wealthier travelers from all around the world more than backpackers, but it also attracts local tourists. On one hand, you have the locals who barely get by—the kids who sell candies in the chicken buses, the Maya girls who sell necklaces etc. And on the other hand, there are groups of Guatemalan tourists who, cameras in hands, have their pictures taken by the “exotic” Mayas.
Antigua, Guatemala
In Guate, each company has its own terminal and they are scattered throughout the city. Además, to make things even more confusing, they don’t really have a name. “How am I supposed to explain the driver which terminal we want?” I asked Feng. “Just tell him we want to take the bus de pollo,” he deadpanned. Unfortunately, “chicken bus” doesn’t translate as easily. I settled for “bus regular”.
Thrillseekers in Guatemala City
Everybody makes mistake. We did a bunch of times. Like the time we got robbed by guys with machetes in Volcán Agua, Guatemala. Or when we got mugged in Panamá City.
We like to think we are wiser now. But sometimes, things are simply out of our control.
Santa Elena and Street Photography
Santa Elena and Flores, the base to explore Tikal, are twin cities but they couldn’t be more different. The main bus station is in Santa Elena. It’s a huge muddy ground from where depart chicken buses, minibuses, taxis and tuk-tuks. It’s pack with touts, tired drivers and helpers busy to retrieve luggage from the roofs of said buses.
That’s what you first see of Santa Elena.
Tikal and the Lost World of the Mayas
Tikal is probably the most famous Mayan archeological site, both because of the number of temples and because of its location. Indeed, the structures are still hidden deep into the rainforest and while a few peak above the canopy, most are buried under moth and trees.
Basically, if you want to feel like Indiana Jones looking for the mundo perdido, here is your chance.
Christmas, Guatemalan Style
Bang! Most kids had gathered in the streets and were playing with firecrackers. It didn’t take long for the entire town to be all smoky and smell of gunpowder. A few people hand-threw actual fireworks, in between power lines. Ahem… But again, most were probably drunk—to hell with safety!
Crossing to Guatemala
This is what you hear when you get to any frontera in Central America. Here, borders invariably feature a lot of police and military, chaotic crowds, more or less zealous passport checks and a lot of walking. Indeed, the actual border—usually a gate in the middle of the road—is often located a few kilometers from the nearest border towns, hence the need to walk or take a taxi.
Xunantunich and Cahal Pech
Riding the chicken bus is never boring. Like this morning, a cow escaped from God knows where and slowed the traffic down. I also love how locals use pickup trucks: the back is really handy to carry entire families.
San Ignacio and a Day of Chicken Buses
The bus was going fast, way too fast for an old school bus turned long distance transportation. I closed my eyes and focused on listening to the reggae music blaring through the loudspeakers. When you travel, you can’t control everything. You just have to let it go and hope for the best.
