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Late November brings us the opportunity to celebrate and observe another round of distinctly Guatemalan festivities, the ferias or town fairs of towns whose patron saints are St. Catherine (Santa Catarina), St. Martin (San Martín) and St. Andrew (San Andrés).

A time for families to gather together and go to the cemeteries where they paint and clean up the graves of family members, honor their ancestors with flowers, candles and prayers, burn incense and bring picnics to share.

The colonial heritage of Oaxaca, Mexico is reflected in grand stone buildings and churches, wide avenues and beautiful plazas. The capital of Oaxaca State, the most highly indigenous state in Mexico, Oaxaca city, with a population of approximately 265,000, is cosmopolitan yet manageable. Many of the grand colonial buildings in its center have been converted into [...]

Remember the year that the Guatemalan government decided to experiment with enforcing daylight savings time?
I well remember the first time I spent a whole year in a place that didn’t observe daylight savings time. That place was Guatemala, and I said to myself, “hallelujah! I finally get to experience the natural progression of day and night, [...]

by Ana Flinder photos: Vicoria Stone
Panajachel’s patron saint, St. Francis of Assisi, is honored in October with a combination of town fair, cultural dances, religous ceremonies, pyrotechnics and parades
Next month brings another great opportunity to experience Guatemalan culture and festivity in a way that is very easy on the visitor, especially with the spectacular [...]

written by Ana Flinder
Semana Santa is undoubtedly the most festive week of the year in Guatemala, celebrated with the most pomp and grandeur in La Antigua, and with deeply traditional ceremonies and indigenous style in Santiago Atitlán. Both of these destinations require advanced bookings for lodging but are not the only places to experience a Guatemalan [...]

written by Ana Flinder
Not long ago, while perusing the endless tables piled high with used North American clothes at the Saturday paca market in La Antigua, I found a little T-shirt that caught my eye. It was about the right size for a 5 year old, and on it read “I want it— You buy [...]

written by Ana Flinder
Those of you who have your place to stay in La Antigua Guatemala for Semana Santa are sure to enjoy what is known as the second-biggest and most spectacular Semana Santa celebration in the world. (Second only to Sevilla, Spain, so they say.) And you know who you are. Because they also [...]

Written by Ana Flinder
Culture shock is a strange phenomenon which most of us have experienced in one way or another. For those of us who travel outside of our own countries infrequently, arrival in a new and foreign culture can be absolutely overwhelming; every moment is filled with so many new sights and sounds, and [...]