Simply Travel

Chichicastenango

For anyone thinking of travelling to Guatemala, I must suggest a stop in Chichicastenango. This Mayan “city” is located about 2-3 hours northwest of Guatemala City in the Quiche state, and is rich in its culture, tradition, and history. From the missionaries that my family and I worked with during our visits, we were told that Chichicastenango means “place of breasts,” as chi-chi does translate to “breasts.” However, there are other translations of this word into “place of the poison trees,” with Chichicaste being the name of the plant, and “tenango” indicating “place.” Both are quite fitting, actually. Either way, the fact is that Chichicastenango is one of the richest places to see modern and historical Mayan culture.

Chichi hosts an outdoor market on Thursdays and Sundays and most native Mayans in the local region bring their wares and produce to sell. It is bright and colorful and gives a tourist a real taste of the country without being too chintzy with the souvenirs. The market is situated between two Catholic churches that face each other. The more prominent church is the Church of Santo Thomas, which is over 400 years old. The smaller church that sits directly across the square is called El Calvario, and is more like a chapel than a church. It is interesting to note that there are many Mayans who consider themselves Catholic, but there is an element of shamanism that was introduced to the church in an attempt to entice more people. Sometimes, especially during Semana Santa (Holy week before Easter), shamans can be seen conducting animal (usually chicken) sacrifices on the steps of the Church of Santo Thomas.

Semana Santa is an important week for the Christian Mayan of Chichicastenango, and they celebrate through the entire week leading to Easter. Tedious and time-consuming, shopkeepers and wealthier citizens create elaborate “carpets” of colored sawdust and flowers on the streets of Chichicastenango. On Easter Sunday, a procession with huge floats and clergy and shaman alike is paraded through the streets Chichicastenango, trampling the intricate designs underfoot. This procession is similar to many others that takes place in small towns and cities throughout Guatemala. It is an interesting experience, however, in Chichicastenango, because of the mix of christianity and native mayan rituals that take place.

Panajachel, Lake Atitlan & Antigua

Panajachel & Lake Atitlan:  On a visit once to Guatemala, Aldous Huxley allegedly claimed that Lake Atitlan was one of the most beautiful bodies of water in the world. And with good reason. On a clear day you can barely make out the opposite edge of Lake Atitlan. If it weren’t for the volcanos reaching for the sky, you probably wouldn’t be able to see across at all. There are numerous towns surrounding Lake Atitlan, but Panajachel  is the main lakeside town that caters to tourists. It is rich in history, especially from the period of Spanish conquest. The Spanish set up a church and monastery in Panajachel and used this place as the main local for converting the indigenous Mayans to Catholicism. The facade of the church still remains today and is definitely worth looking at. The town is big enough to wander around the areas near the lake (as they are geared toward tourists) for a couple hours before running out of things to see and do. There are many good restaurants and overlook the lake and have both American food and Guatemalan delicacies.

 Antigua: Considered a tourist trap by some, Antigua is also considered one of the more beautiful places in Guatemala. Many travelers will go to Antigua from the airport in Guatemala City, as it is only a short distance away. It is considered a launching point for travel throughout the rest of Guatemala. Antigua is also a place rich in culture and heritage. It is one of the oldest colonized cities in all Central America. It also was once the capital of Guatemala until earthquakes forced the capital to move to Guatemala City.  Many travelers who plan on either being in Guatemala for a while or another spanish speaking country will attend one of various spanish schools in Antigua, usually for a 6 week immersion course. The schools can also arrange for a home-stay with families in the area to get a taste of Guatemalan life. If you plan to travel in Guatemala for a while, it is definitely a good way to either learn Spanish or improve your skills before really starting your trip!

If you’ve ever travelled anywhere south of the Mexican border, you may have encountered a chicken bus. These buses, as previously mentioned, are old American school buses that once our country retires them, are sold and driven from the Southern United States down to various Central American countries. All these buses are privately owned and are decorated by the owner(s). This is obvious, because most buses are loud in color, and often give the name of the owner current girlfriend. There are also owners who are more religious and have religious phrases on their buses. The decorating in general may be comparable (to a certain degree) to “Pimp My Ride,” which the major difference that these bus owners do the work themselves. The buses are often the pride and joy, not the mention the livelihood, of the men who own them. That being said, it has always amazed me the way that these buses are driven.  For those not familiar with the Pan-American Highway system, it is a roadway that extends from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska down to South America, and it crosses through at least 14 countries. One of those countries is Guatemala, and much of the destinations in Guatemala are reached primarily on this road.  Keep in mind, however, that it is only a two lane road, and that there are, in some places, shear drop offs over 1000 feet deep.  With that in mind, consider how likely you would be to ride an old school bus going 70 or 80 miles and hour at some times, and playing chicken with other buses.

Some people think the name Chicken Bus comes from the fact that chickens sometimes are found atop this buses, as part of livestock going to or coming from the market. However, the main reason that this name is given, is because these bus drivers will attempt to pass vehicles (usually other buses) in front of them at high rates of speed without being able to see what is coming in the opposite direction. Because of the mountainous terrain, the many curves in the road make it close to impossible to determine if the bus driver is headed for a collision with another bus. The speed, terrain, and the game of chicken often culminate with horrific crashes where many people perish.

Aside from the danger, these buses are the cheapest way to get around. For the Guatemalan people (especially the rural Mayan Indians), it is the only way, as many of them do not own their own vehicles. I have travelled on these buses many times in Guatemala, and there have been more than a couple near misses. While at times they can be downright scary to ride, the Chicken Buses are also a part of the culture and transportation of Guatemala. Anyone travelling here would have difficulty getting around otherwise. However, you may decide on a seat away from the window.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYT8DhBL2ec

(A short video I found on You Tube and sums up the risks these bus drivers take on these roads.)

*Note: This is one of a few posts on the topic, as there is too much to cover in just one**

The first time I travelled to Guatemala, I was in 7th Grade. Since then, I have been there 7 times, my last trip being May of 2007. That first time, though, was huge. My parents sat my sister and I down one day and asked if we wanted to go to Guatemala. I said yes; sure, of course!   I had no idea where Guatemala was. The idea of some new exotic place to go to was all that my 13-year-old self was thinking. How envious my friends would be! Needless to say, nobody else my age knew where Guatemala was either. Nor were they impressed. Rather, they thought it a little bit nuts-o. Actually, some of my parents friends thought that as well. The reason being, I suppose, is that it wasn’t as if we were going to Jamaica to sit on the beach and tan, or to Europe to see the Eifel Tower. No, no. Our family was going to a Third World country on a medical mission trip. During Spring Break, no less.

I remember the excitement leading up to departing Philadelphia International. I also remember the nervousness when our group finally made it through customs and walked out into the main lobby of the Guatemala City Airport. There were people milling all around, watching people coming through customs. I felt a million eyes on me, and felt like an outsider. I, along with my family and the rest of the mission group, had just become the minority as soon as we walked off the plane. It was an interesting revelation, to say the least.

 Walking out of the airport was an adventure as well, because there were gates keeping people back, and if you didn’t hold onto the person in front of you, you may very well get sucked into the movement of the crowd.

I also remember a distinct smell that reached my nostrils upon leaving the airport. I cannot put it into words, but I have always associated it with Guatemala. Even here in the states, I periodically smell it, and it always reminds me of Guatemala. The mission leaders, a couple by the name of John and Sharon Harvey, met us at the airport with a school bus. Yes. A brightly painted school bus. Decorated with naked women and religious paintings and phrases. I later learned that these school buses are the leftovers from the United States (from the 1980s, I believe) and most Central American countries have them, all painted differently depending on the country.

Stepping onto that bus and riding through Guatemala city marked my first experience with reality of the rest of the world. It is hard to put to words the effect these experiences had, but I will try my best in the coming posts. For now, I will leave you with a nice view of the volcanic Lake Atitlan from the shore town of Panajachel.

View from Road to Panajachel