July 2011 in Revue Magazine

A pageant like no other commands our attention this month as young indigenous women from across Guatemala trek to Cobán and compete for the title of Rabin Ajau—Daughter of the King.

Featuring some 80 contestants proudly dressed in regal traje, it’s among the most spectacular events of the Mayan world. Thor Janson attended last year’s coronation; his words and emotive photos are this month’s cover feature.

This month’s Revue also recognizes the 20th anniversary of the GOD’S CHILD Project, which is changing lives dramatically in Guatemala and internationally. Congratulations to Patrick Atkinson and your big-hearted staff and volunteers.

From the nation’s capital, Anna-Claire Bevan takes us on a tour of Paseo de La Sexta, where a total makeover has transformed gritty Sexta Avenida into a popular, pedestrian-friendly destination. While visiting Guatemala City, be sure to see the massive Relief Map—an amazingly precise scale model of Guatemala designed in 1905.

Destinations in the Western Highlands are featured this month, including a sprawling theme-park resort and an eco-tourism site founded by ex-guerillas. For a primer on the history and top sites of Quetzaltenango, hop aboard Tranvía de los Altos, a locomotive-like bus that circulates throughout the No. 2 city.

July 25 is a holiday in La Antigua Guatemala and several other cities that embrace Santiago (St. James) as their patron saint. Check out the DateBook for other events and activities on the calendar this month. Amazing to think we’re already halfway through 2011.

—Matt Bokor