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The contenders on the fall “Survivor” series, the popular reality show, found it rough in Guatemala, but going there as a tourist was an enjoyable experience. If you are considering a warm winter vacation there are many activities and destinations to choose from in this Central American country. You can enjoy Guatemala in several ways. From October through May many cruise ships stop in the port cities of Puerto Quetzel on the Pacific coast and Puerto Barrious on the Caribbean coast and day trips are offered to Antigua,Atitlan and the Maya ruins at Tikal. Or, you can hire a guide and driver, as we did, to experience the richness of the country. We started our trip in Guatemala City, a modern metropolis divided into 22 zones, each with it own personality and attractions. Zone 1 has the flavor of a Spanish colonial town with the majestic National Palace of the Culture and the Metropolitan Cathedral. In zone 10 you will find a wide range of hotels in all price ranges. This is also the location of several important museums. Guatemala is a country of 39 volcanos and set among three of these, Agua, Fuego and Acatenango is Antigua, one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in Central America. We loved visiting its sturdy colonial buildings that have weathered 16 earthquakes, numerous floods and fires. In 1979 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A major industry in Antigua is the manufacturing of Jade products from the raw stones mined in the eastern part of the country. At the Casa de Jade we saw the stones polished and turned into beautiful pieces of jewelry, sculpture and masks. Jade in Guatemala comes in 10 different colors from cream to dark green. Coffee is the number one produce export in Guatemala and a visit to a coffee plantation is a must. Coffee plantation tours can be arranged by your hotel or by travel agencies. Guatemala began cultivating coffee in 1850 and started exporting the product to Europe in 1853. Heading northwest from Antigua our next destination was Chichicastenango famous for its Thursday and Saturday markets. Guatemala is a shopper’s dream and it is difficult to resist the hand embroidered textiles , carved wooden Mayan masks, leather goods of all kinds, colorful jewelry and ceramics. The locals love to bargain and whether in English or Spanish you should be prepared. Our visit to the area concluded with a cruise on Lake Atitlan, three hours west of Guatemala City. The lake occupies an extinct crater and is surrounded by three 10,000 foot high volcanoes. The lake’s elevation of 5100 feet gives it a moderate year ‘round climate. A trip to Guatemala is not complete without a visit to the famous Mayan ruins in the country’s lowlands. We returned to Guatemala City and boarded a Tikal Jet for the 35 minute ride north to Flores, which costs $120.00 round trip. A tour of the archeological sites of either Yaxha or Tikal, costs $40 including airport transportation, guide and lunch. Most visitors sign up for a day trip but wanting to see both sites we stayed overnight at the modern Camino Real Tikal Hotel, in the jungle. Preparing for our jungle adventure, we made sure we wore long pants, long sleeve shirts and covered ourselves with mosquito repellent. For protection from the sun, we used sun screen and wore caps and sun glasses. Although our outings were during the day and there have been no recent cases of Malaria, (the mosquitos carrying malaria come out at night) we took Chloroquine tablets prior and during the trip as a health precaution. We were anxious to visit Yaxha, which means Green Lagoon, as this is one of the sites where “Survivor” was shot this summer. Excavation started at Yaxha in 1970 and the site was open to the public in 1992. It became a national park in 1999 and in 2003 the World Bank began financing the restoration of the site which was started in the pre-classic period ( 2000BC to 250 AD) and finished in the classical period ( 250 AD to 900 AD). The next day we visited Tikal, a much larger and more restored archeological site in the area. Discovered in 1848, restoration started in 1955, it became a World Heritage site in 1979 and covers 222 square miles. There are three hotels inside Tikal which charge $70 for a double or $30 for a single. There are private baths, but no air conditioning and no electricity at night. It is a real jungle experience. During Mayan times, from 800 BC until 900 AD, 60,000 people lived in Tikal and 30,000 more around the site. After two days of marveling at the
wonders of the Mayan ruins and the skill of the people who
built the great temples and monuments, we returned to Guatemala
City for our flight home. The night before we left, we had
a wonderful dinner at the Kacao Restaurant
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