Guatemala English language Magazine
Besides its beauty, this enigmatic lake is surrounded by legends and folklore, some go back to the Memorial de Sololáˇ, Anales de los Cakchiqueles, an ancient chronicle about the origins of the Mayas and Cakchiqueles. In this chronicle it is explained how the lake villages were divided and how the Cakchiqueles stayed there and lived among the Tzutujiles. But trouble […]
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Tschiffely’s Epic Equestrian Ride: Over the Andes to Guatemala and On to Washington D.C.(Part of the Yin & Yang of Travel Series) Tschiffely’s Ride tells the story of one of the greatest horse rides of all time. A.F. Tschiffely’s 10,000-mile journey through Latin America over a three-year period from 1925-1928, making him one of the most influential equestrian travel writers […]
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With the close of another school year the first week in October, there is excitement in the air. Soon the rains will abate and the winds will usher in the Kites of November. More about Guatemalan Kites of November: Traditional Kite Making in Santiago SacatepĂ©quez, Guatemala In Guatemala, most everyone looks forward to the coming holidays. On Oct. 31, […]
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Parades, souvenirs fireworks folkloric dances, everything about Indepencence Celebration in Guatemala. On Sept. 14 scholars, students, co-workers, neighbors, family and friends gather together in small and not so small groups to participate in the traditional Ir a traer la antorcha (literal translation, “Go bring the torch”). This tradition involves traveling to another Guatemalan town or city. Popular destinations include La […]
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Traveling in Tandem with a Chapina – Yin & Yang of Travel Series Share our similarities, celebrate our differences. —M. Scott Peck Our Honeymoon Journey Through Mexico You might think that my plans for the honeymoon with my Guatemalan bride, Ligia, would have revolved around staying at one of the elegant hotels located in the colonial capital of La Antigua Guatemala, […]
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Representatives from environmental organizations will meet in La Antigua Guatemala Representatives from environmental organizations and institutions of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean will meet 28-30 May in La Antigua Guatemala, to participate in IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Regional Conservation Forum for Mesoamerica and the Caribbean. Created in 1948, IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse […]
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The work of the women behind those gorgeous Golden Mantillas brought directly from Spain. People admire the beauty and splendor of La Antigua’s Semana Santa processions, but who’s behind working hard making this happen? Certainly we have heard of Hermandades —organizations that prepare all year long organizing all the procession logistics— and yet another question comes up. Are there any […]
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In the afternoon on Christmas Day the procession Virgen de la O departs from Escuela de Cristo Church and winds its way through the streets of La Antigua. The Procession carries the pregnant Virgin Mary eight days before the birth of Jesus. This is the reason she carries a very small image of Baby Jesus on her chest. The name […]
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During the last days of October strong winds start to blow in Guatemala, and that can only mean two things, one, it is the end of the rainy season, and two, it is time to fly kites. Kids are officially out of school, and they run to buy colorful kites from vendors in neighborhood shops, at the markets and town […]
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Guatemalans are proud people, proud of the beautiful country and of the symbols that represent it. Most of these symbols delight the eye, and some are pleasant to hear, taste, smell, or touch. Spot them all to add to your memory bank of the country, whether you live here or are just visiting. The blue-white-blue vertical bands of the national […]
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From the roof of the house where I am staying I can see two volcanoes — Agua and Fuego (side by side with the inert volcano Acatenango). They are the giants that dominate the local landscape, and often seen in picture-perfect postcard images, especially the dormant Agua, located approximately 3 to 6 miles from the city of La Antigua Guatemala. On June […]
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There are no roads to El Mirador intentionally to deter looters from the area. We arrived by helicopter and met other visitors who had walked through the rainforest trails for two days to get there. Flying over one of the few virgin rainforests left on the planet was breathtaking. Off in the distance, La Danta Temple, the oldest and largest […]
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In the beginning, so long ago it no longer can be remembered, all was peaceful. There was abundant space to gather food and hunt, goods were traded fairly, air and water were pure, children could run and shout and explore. But one day signs appeared in the neighboring valley that indicated “No Trespassing.” Soon the fertile hill just beyond had […]
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The usual cool mountain breeze was absent the day I stood atop the mountain ridgeline of Mixco Viejo, but still it felt like a smaller version of Peru’s Machu Picchu. Standing there your eyes drink in every shade of green as peace surrounds you, leaving you wondering if this is how the ancient Maya felt when they stood on the […]
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Communing with Guatemalan Highland Bird Species. I traveled to Santiago Atitlán, a settlement at the feet of the imposing San Pedro and Tolimán volcanoes, and got in touch with the local guide and collaborator of Birding Expeditions Guatemala, Cruz Chikibal. He would help me look for two Highland bird species, the regional endemic wine-throated hummingbird and the endangered horned guan, […]
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“Three tectonic plates meet in Guatemala and the result is a wild and crazy adventure park with high and beautiful mountains, crater lakes and hundreds of volcanoes to form the spine of the country.” This is one of the best descriptions of Guatemala I have found was recently posted by Vanderbilt University archaeologist Arthur Demarest in “Five Things I Love […]
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Every Guatemalan market is a treat for all five senses. No, that’s not right. Modern chain supermercados from Arkansas or Salvador are splendid for shoppers, but shrink-wrapped, boxed or processed foods in glass cases or on neatly organized shelves don’t give much smell, sight or taste, while the piped-in music and packaged goods miss sound and touch pleasures. The sensual […]
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Guatemala and Cuba have ties that go back to the first arrivals of the Spanish to Guatemala in 1524. The conquerors used Cuba as a stepping stone to access Mexico and a greater part of the New World. Guatemala’s conqueror, Pedro de Alvarado, had been in Mexico with Cortes. After finding very little gold in Guatemala, an export economy was […]
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Across the northern indigenous hinterlands of Guatemala people are up in arms. You may have heard about it. They are up in arms over the companies involved in damming and mining—particularly hydroelectric projects; over their questionable business practices; deficit of environmental concern; and lack of respect for community well-being and consent, putting rivers at risk. Incidents both positive and negative […]
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I never dreamed I would see a manatee, much less swim with one, and then it just happened. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon as we sailed through crystalline blue waters around the picturesque Placencia peninsula in southern Belize. This sparkling gem on the Caribbean Sea offers both adventure and a taste of luxury. The entire peninsula is studded with […]
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This beach getaway is a hidden gem on a remote island on Guatemala’s south coast, Isleta de Gaia is a rustic yet chic resort that attracts curious travelers looking to de-stress and disconnect in a secluded, oceanfront setting. Isleta de Gaia, which opened in 2000 and was completed renovated in 2010, has nine charming, thatch-roof bungalows (six simple dwellings, 3 […]
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There are dozens of reasons to visit Monterrico and the south coast of Guatemala. It is a spectacular, beautiful area, with a variety of recreational and wilderness options. With tongue-in-cheek, Revue Associate Editor Matt Bokor gives us 10 of his favorite reasons to stop by. 1. The sand really is black. 2. You can take a side trip to Hawaii. […]
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Here is a group of lovely photographs taken by Wolfram Hartmann — the theme is water and the place is Guatemala. If you are a photographer and would like to send an entry for our next Photo Contest, here are the details… REVUE Photo Contest for August.
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May is the MONTH OF MUSEUMS. There are many great museums throughout Guatemala. Here is a listing of some that you should definitely have on your “to visit” list. GUATEMALA CITY *Casa Mima – 8a av. 14-12, z. 1, Mon-Sat., 10am-5pm; tels: (office) 2253-6657 & 2232-6902, (museum) 2253-4020; beatrizquevedo@casamima.org, casamima.org Museo Arquidiocesano de Santiago de Guatemala – 7 av. 6-73, […]
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Intent on reaching the famous ruins, day visitors to Tikal might overlook nearby Flores, yet the island city has an allure of its own. The island and environs were the last stronghold of the Itzá-Maya and later served as a Spanish outpost. Both indigenous and colonial influences remain. The surrounding Lake PetĂ©n Itzá offers a blue backdrop for the island’s […]
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Dragonfly watchers are known to insiders as “Oding” enthusiasts. No other insect is as agile and quick as are these miniature helicopters. They can fly in six different directions. One scientist clocked a particular type of dragonfly flying at 90 kilometers per hour, making them the fastest of all insects! And just as is the case with bird watching, you […]
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“The reason why the February eruptions seemed stronger was basically wind direction blowing from west to northeast,” says volcanologist Gustavo Chigna at INSIVUMEH. “Each volcano is an independent machine—nay, each vent and monticule is for the time being engaged in its own peculiar business, cooking as it were its special dish, which in due time is to be separately served.” This […]
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There is a saying among well-traveled foreigners in Guatemala: Todo es posible aquĂ, y nada es seguro (All is possible here, and nothing is for certain). The Maya people, of course, know all about uncertainty. As a novelist, I have recounted of some terrible events that happened throughout the Cuchumatanes Mountains during the 1980s, and often wondered if time would […]
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An extraordinary, world-class event occurs every February in the mountains of Chiquimula, Guatemala, making Esquipulas one of the Earth’s major pilgrimage sites, rivaling Mecca, Vatican City and the Ganges River. I arrived in Esquipulas on Thursday evening, Feb. 7. The little town was quieter than I had ever seen. No bustling crowds, no throngs of pilgrims lining up to file through […]
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For adventurous travelers, climbing a volcano is high on the to-do list. The appeal is both visceral and aesthetic. Depending on which one you choose to ascend, you will experience a palpable sense of risk and/or be rewarded by scenes of otherworldly natural beauty. Perhaps nowhere is this more apparent than in Guatemala, where the highest and most active volcanoes […]
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