Guatemala’s Magically Vibrant ColorsBy Martha HollisWe unpacked our recuerdoes or souvenirs from Guatemala arranging them as a massive Christmas display. The colors infused our earth tone home with a new vibrancy and a sense of new friends. Even a rainbow and a paint-store would be paled by these colors of Guatemala.
During a visit to Museo Ixchel, named after the Mayan goddess of fertility and the weave, we were enthralled by the variety and artistry of this art. In the villages ladies create their huipils, blouses showing their talents. Many of the village peoples dress in their traditional weaves. Here also is Carmen Pettersen’s collection of 61 watercolors detailing these tribal costumes. Over a sumptuous breakfast with a vanilla cream-filled empañada and roast pork in a fresh mango and peach sauce at the Melía Hotel, Luis Antonio Ponce, a native of Guatemala said “Guatemalans will take their families out of their home if you will stay there.” They still honor the century-old tradition of hospitality. Belize, the hot-spot for divers, and Costa Rica, the gem for eco-tourist, now have another competitor in their Central American neighbor, particular for those seeking high value for their vacation dollar. In fact, Guatemala is the second most popular destination in Central America boasting natural beauty, living cultures, colonial and modern cities, and outdoor adventures. “Democracy has been instituted and is now a way of life. While the road has been long and arduous, the New Guatemala is full of hope for tomorrow,” said Magdo Arceo speaking for INGUAT, the tourist association actively welcoming new visitors to Guatemala. Now that the thirty-six year civil war has ended, tourists are returning in droves, taking advantage of this country’s hospitality, color, and eternal spring weather. Fortunately, both the guerillas and the military respected the value of Guatemala’s tourist attractions—they remain intact. Driving Trips from the City: Antigua Guatemala and Panajachel on Lake Atitlán
We slipped out for dinner at El Asador de Don Martín, an outdoor garden with large grills issuing forth steaks and chicken as well as other well prepared, albeit simple fare. Their bar was a climb above giving a glorious view of the old city at night. Strolling the streets I found an Internet shop where an e-mail check was only 5 quetzals, about $.74, then met friends for cappuccinos made from the Antiguan beans and the local Gallo beer at a charming café across from the main square. The next day, we traveled about three hours by road to Chichicastenango for the country’s largest outdoor market. Held Thursday and Sundays, merchants sell their colorful weavings and handicrafts. Adjacent is the Santo Tomás Church, a colonial church dating back to 1540 where Mayan shamans were performing smoke rituals on the steps outside. When totally shopped-out we found a restorative haven in the Hotel and Restaurant Santo Tomás with its interior cool gardens, live marimba players, clean restrooms, and simple buffet lunch. Back on the road we traveled through the pastoral countryside marveling at the agriculture—cabbage, snow peas, coffee—mostly accomplished without the aid of farm machinery. The hoe heads, snow-shovel sized, sped up the work on the terraced plots climbing up the hillsides in the shadows of ancient and not so ancient volcanoes. Our destination was the lakeside Hotel Atitlán with its butterfly sanctuary and gardens. Nearby was one of the landowner organic coffee plantations. This is the home of one of Guatemala’s famous beans, the Atitlán, claimed by some to be the strongest grown in the country, but not as readily available in the United States as the beans from Antigua. Fresh lake fish and incredible fresh produce were the highlights of the dinner served al fresco at Restaurant La Terraza. A Tale of Two TikalsSo much of Guatemala is very, very old. Spectacular is the Mayan civilization but just as awesome is the modern, sophisticated city of Guatemala, with grand skyscrapers, wide boulevards, trendy restaurants and nightlife. As is Paris, the city is divided in sections called zonas. After the 30 minute flight on Groupo Taca to Santa élena, Petén. to break up the hour ride to the Tikal National Park, we stopped to purchase wooden items (I scored rosewood serving implements) carved to the tune of hip music by a solar powered radio.
The magic, mystery and awe could not be eradicated by the rough intrusion of modern society. These pyramids stood for centuries and will continue to do so. Their mysteries will continue to intrigue us. Clarence Massiah shared his Mayan Archaeology insight with us. What a treasure he is, especially since he worked on the excavation for most of the period from the late fifties to the late sixties. When asked how he was picked for the job, he said “some men came to see me in my native land of Belize. They had heard about my museum. I was only 16 years old.” At the time he had assembled his own collection of archeological ruins on his family property. He is quite proud to share the ruins where he has spent his entire adult life. He wishes that the original graffiti could exist without additions from the modern-day scribblers. The defacing of these majestic buildings he considers an “unforgivable sin.” Lunching on the verandah of the Westin Camino Real Tikal in the Cerro Cahui Nature Reserve we were surrounded by 1610 acres of protected tropical forest filled with exotic birds and wildlife overlooking Lake Petén Itza. But what a pleasure were our creature comforts on the return to the Hyatt. On the concierge level were sipped our now favored local beer, Gallo, out of chilled mugs, while dipping corn chips into the superb, creamy guacamole topped with Parmesan cheese. Round plantain chips were equally compatible with the not too spicy bean dip. (Guatemalans eschew the hot spiciness enjoyed by their neighbors to the north.) Our room with king bed and marble bathroom with capacious tub was so perfect after our expedition that we opted to eat in. Lacking a menu in our room, I called room service. From the restaurant arrived a waiter with menu who took the order. He returned with the finest food we ate in the country. We started with a warm seafood salad—sided by two plump mussels in their shells, giant shrimp, and calamari—perfectly prepared in a simple vinaigrette on mesclun greens balanced with the superiority of the Mayan architecture on a giant, crispy Indian poppy seeded with an alley of pesto sauce. Our two entrees—sea bass in a crabmeat crust and rosemary skewers of giant shrimp were both graced with rice and fresh vegetables. Reminding us again of the unusual origins of the Mayans, the bread loaf was flat and rectangular. For a tropical touch fresh fruit slushes in virgin-blush pink accompanied the meal. The Exit: More ShoppingThe Guatemala City airport caught our fancy…the goods were of excellent quality and the prices reasonable. It was the first time we had a remarkable shopping experience in an airport. Graceful pottery angels, the ceramic butterflies, a richly carved leather men’s belt with colorful insets, carved wooden nativity scenes, and more handcrafts became welcomed additions to our carryons. I resisted the fabric shoes, carved masks, jewelry, a hand-painted stool rich with flowers, and fabric and leather trim bags. We could scarcely carry our bounty when we went through the final security checkpoint to the gate.
Contacts: INGUAT, Guatemala Tourist Commission, http://www.guatemala.travel.com.gt or 888-INGUAT1 Grupo TACA flies from North American gateway cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Orlando, Miami, Washington, DC, New York and Toronto to all major Central American cities. Many of these are code-share with American Airlines qualifying for frequent flier miles. Grupo TACA’s Destinos Vacations offer incredibly valued destination packages consisting air, four and five-star hotels in Guatemala with optional tours of Tikal, Antigua, Chicicastenango and Atitlan Lake. 888-337-8501. Hyatt Regency Guatemala, in the Tikal Futura Complex, the new downtown complete with 140 stores in a shopping center, the http://www.hyatt.com, 800 233-1234 Images: copyright 1999 SearchWrite |
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I could not resist hand woven place mats in a blue so rich that is was moving into purple with tiny stripes of yellow, magenta, green, orange, yellow, white with black bold stripes to anchor the work. Later we found an entire mariposa or butterfly battalion in hand-painted ceramic posed on napkin rings. Who could resist? And still more in the deep blue were potholders fashioned as chickens. And then there were the woven shawls (used locally as a universal carry all—from groceries and laundry to babies). Our favorite from the village of San Antonio at Lake Atitlán was almost dayglow red. Oh well, gifts, I thought (but many of these treasures will never leave my doors). They are memories of a beautiful land and her talented, kind peoples.
Less than an hour’s drive to the west is Antigua Guatemala, the former capital, a colonial city with narrow cobblestone streets, perfect for a walking tour. With its stunning 17th century architecture it has been declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our hotel, Casa Santo Domingo, a former convent, was a garden oasis abundant with flowing water and its own museum and ruins. This is one of those special places begging you to release all your worries and commune with the peaceful, natural parts of life.
Then the intrepid travelers hiked from the back of the Temple of the Jaguars, through the Acropolis, up and down the narrow steps, into a dark cave to see the sculptured Chaac, to the top of the Temple of the Masks. In the center of the former ball field under a relief of the lone tree, a group of modern day Mayan worshipers started a ceremonial fire with candles of various colors—representing particular groups. The ceremony consisted of gentle prayer and music.
Later a larger group, mostly school-aged children, came into the park with a boom box almost as big as the pyramids. In the surrounding jungle were tourists trying to follow maps, photograph the wildlife of spider monkeys, cotimundis, keel-billed toucans and the magnificent ruins.
On the other side of security colorful murals of coffee plants and maps of the country greeted us. A very charming lady offered us samples of coffee from six different growing regions. No surprise that we left with several pounds ($6 each) of roasted coffee beans. After all, this was Guatemala and we wanted to share her magic with our friends back home.