Buenos dias - Welcome to Guatemala!
Central America has a character of its own, an amalgamation of North and South continents ...
totally
fascinating
**Guatemala voted one of the TOP 10 BEST DESTINATIONS in
BBC survey!**
Guatemala is known as the Centre of the Mayan World. It is
called The Land of Eternal Spring. Not only
one of the most beautiful and culturally rich countries in Central America, it
is also one of the largest. With oceans on two sides and bordered by Mexico,
Belize, Honduras and El Salvador, there is a lot to explore!
Imagine
volcanoes, thick tropical forests and
outstanding Mayan ruins that stretch out and above the surrounding forest
canopy - you'll find it all here in this extraordinary
country.
Our projects all take
place in and around the city of Antigua. Antigua is
generally known to be more beautiful than Guatemala City and is a very
popular destination with tourists who want to 'experience' Guatemala.
ABOUT ANTIGUA by Volunteer Rebecca Tilley:
"Antigua is absolutely
STUNNING. I cannot stress how stunning it really
is. I wish I could zap you all here just so you can see it for yourselves.
The cobbled streets contain brightly coloured
low houses and the most amazing cathedrals or ruins are everywhere.
Most of the house roof tops are covered with
flowers and plants. In the
center is a gorgeous park which is fascinating to sit in as this is where
those stunning colourful ladies and girls come to sell their
beautiful coloured fabrics, headbands and bags,
etc., etc.
The town
is very modern even though the locals are rather poor. They earn US 70 a
month!!!!!!!! There are many internet cafes,
restaurants, bars, shops, galleries, travel
agents, bookshops, etc. In
fact, have never seen so many internet
cafes, salsa bars and
travel agents in a small town.
Finally,
the most important and greatest asset of Antigua is
that it is surrounded by volcanoes and mountains -
every angle is a photo!!!! I have taken 3 rolls
of film already and I have been here 1 week out
of 6. All the buildings have stunning green courtyards inside,
even the banks.
I am always
seeing something different here. There is always
some form of music playing in the streets too. I'd
imagine Cuba being similar.
The food is sensational and
changes every day so that we try a lot of the local food.
On the weekend I had the most
amazing journey with two friends to the Tikal jungle!!!!!!!!!!! The
bus ride was 8 hrs long and there was no window where we were sitting -
COLD and unbelievable.
Tikal was absolutely amazing
the jungle was stunning and the noises of the animals in the morning was
sooooo cool. All my memories of Africa came flooding back. The beauty
about this jungle is that it contains hundreds of ancient ruins, from the
fascinating and very violent Mayan tribes.
Tikal was one of the reasons
why I wanted to travel to Guatemala, so I can tick that one off of my
list! It was soooooooo good but long distances to travel - I got back at
6.00 a.m. this morning."
Rebecca Tilley
.
PROJECTS YOU CAN DO IN GUATEMALA:
Teaching:
In
Guatemala you can teach conversational English, Music, Drama, Maths, and more, to children and adults.
The schools are very colourful and often classes take place outdoors. Spanish Language Courses:
Embrace the Spanish language by living, eating and
breathing it while you study. There are many other people studying
Spanish in the town so you'll have lots of similar-minded people to mix
with. Care Projects:
Gain experience in care, or simply to challenge yourself in a friendly
environment where your assistance is really needed.
Antiguan bus - and that famous volcano!
ABOUT GUATEMALA
Guatemala is a country bursting with beautifully
striking features, biodiversity and an indigenous culture with a powerful
and vibrant identity. It boasts of volcanoes, thick tropical forests,
outstanding Mayan ruins that stretch out and above the surrounding forest
canopy, beautiful lakes, and is bursting with exotic fauna, flora and
wildlife.
One of the most
beautiful and culturally rich countries in Central America it is also one
of the largest, covering an area of over 108,000 sq Km (slightly smaller
than England). Guatemala shares its main border with Mexico to the north,
the east by the Caribbean Sea and Belize, on the west by the Pacific
Ocean, and on the south by both Honduras and El Salvador.
Guatemala also has a fascinating environment, with over
8000 species of plants in 19 different ecosystems. It overflows with an
abundance of animals; 250 species of mammals, 600 species of bird and 200
species of reptiles and amphibians. Guatemala is also home to the
resplendent quetzal, the national bird, which is often used to
symbolise Central America.
The
landscape is awe inspiring, from mountainous
forest highlands, to jungle plains, and volcanic beaches.
There are 30 volcanoes spread through out the
highlands in the Cuchumatanes range, they reach
over 4,000m. The Cuchumatanes range includes the
volcano Tajumulco, the tallest peak in Mesoamerica, standing at
4,220m.
There
are 30 protected areas of national parks
and biological reserves and north of Guatemala
city the highlands of Alta Verapaz slowly descends
into the low lands of Petén. Petén; part of Central America’s
largest tract of virgin rainforest, the Mayan Biosphere Reserve (MBR),
encompasses the Guatemala-Mexico border. The low plains of the Petén form
part of the tierra caliente, they are hot and humid through out the year.
Climate: Guatemala City
and many other parts of the country have a stable and pleasant
climate. Rainfall here is moderate with a distinct dry season from
November to April.The
Pacific slope is rich in coffee, cacao, fruit, and sugar
plantations.
The Pacific coast is covered by vast sprawling
beaches of glistening black volcanic sand and small palm trees. The coast
is tropical, rainy, hot and humid most of the year. Air temperature often
reaches over 32 degree C º although the black sand of the Pacific coast in
midday heat has been known to reach close to 50 degree C º. There is
thankfully usually a cool breeze circulating to subdue the temperature.
Guatemala
was recently selected by the United Kingdom’s British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC) as one of the ten best travel destinations around the
world in the cultural category! To read the article in full, please
click here
Yaxchilán Tikal
THE MAYANS
800 BC – 900 AD The Mayans -
A civilisation a thousand years ahead of the Incas of Peru.
At its height the Mayan lands were not ruled as an empire but as a
collection of interdependent city-states. The king, the fulcrum of city life,
appeased the gods by shedding his blood - this he did
by piercing his body with a sharp object.
Great Mayan cities with temples
that towered over the forest canopy were constructed around the late Classic
period, such as Tikal, Yaxchilán, Copán, and Quiriguá.
Tikal is the largest excavated site in the American continent and is
Guatemala’s most famous cultural and natural preserve. Tikal possesses a
certain magic and is so irresistible that it's a difficult place to leave!
Tikal remained a mystery for centuries, after being abruptly abandoned by
the Maya over 1000 years ago and overgrown by a relentless jungle. Only a
legend survived among the Indians of a lost city, where their ancestors had
achieved a high cultural development.
The
collapse of the Mayan civilisation was swift. Destructive slash and burn
agriculture, water and food shortages combined with a population explosion
all contributed to the demise.
Guatemala’s indigenous population, the Maya,
still account for up to approximately half of the population, one of the
largest indigenous populations in the Northern hemisphere.
They continue to practice Mayan beliefs. In Modern Guatemala there
are still over 20 Mayan languages in use.
Monterrico beach
Hawaii beach Shopping in Guatemala City Guatemala City
Doorway discussion - Antigua Residences with volcano in the
background
PLACES TO SEE
Guatemala, the "Land of
Eternal Spring", is home to more than 100 distinct ethnic groups. Visitors
can experience luxurious spas in nearby Antigua, climb active volcanoes,
tour the jungles, or explore the still undeveloped and pristine Caribbean
coast.
MONTERRICO:
Monterrico makes for one of the best
locations on the Pacific coast for a weekend break. It is a coastal village
with a few small inexpensive hotels and situated on the beach.
HAWAII:
The small village of Hawaii is home to
the biotopo Monterrico-Hawaii, a 20 Km-long nature reserve. The reserve was
created by ARCAS to protect not only the turtles, but the mangrove forests
and its various inhabitants. Ridley and leatherback turtles can be spotted
crawling up the beach to lay theIr eggs during the
rainy season (June-October). Hawaii is home to a thriving turtle hatchery
operated by ARCAS.
GUATEMALA
CITY: Guatemala City, home to
a quarter of the country's entire population,
is the capital and the country's commerical, financial and cultural centre.
The city has a huge range of restaurants, hotels, and shopping
facilities that can fit any budget.Coffee, the
chief export, is grown on the surrounding hillsides.
The city is clean and modern,
with wide paved streets radiating from Central Park. On the plaza are the
National Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral. In La Aurora Park is the
Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, famous for its collection of Mayan
Indian objects. The National Archives and the National Library are other
noteworthy buildings in the city.
Guatemala City, or Guate
(pronounced Guat-TAY) as it's called by locals, is made up of two separate
areas, each with its own character. The Old City, as might be
expected, has the older buildings and the grit that accompanies them. Though
full of hustle and bustle, sightseeing on foot (or bus) is easily managed.
Whereas the Old City is the real
Guatemala, the New City's modern look and pace are reminiscent of
upscale districts in North American cities. This is especially the case in
the Zona Viva, the posh center of Zona 10, where dozens of smart
restaurants, bars, and clubs stay open long after the rest of the city goes
to bed. During the day, the New City's museums and cultural sites draw an
equally affluent and savvy public.
Other points of interest include
the remarkable concrete relief map of the nation in Minerva Park, a colonial
aqueduct, the central market, and the Olympic City built for the Central
American Games in 1950. Near the city are the villages of Chinautla,
famous for its handmade pottery; Mixco, which supplies the capital
with fruits and vegetables; and the Indian towns of San Pedro and
San Juan Sacatepéquez.
ANTIGUA:
The city of Antigua, initially called
Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala (St. James of the Knights of
Guatemala), after the patron saint of the Spanish conquistadors, was founded
in 1543.
For 200 years it was the capital
of an area that is now Central America and the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Along with Lima and Mexico City, it was one of the three great cities of the
Americas and a major political, religious, intellectual, and economic
center.
However, late in 1773, a series
of devastating earthquakes struck, reducing much of the city's elegance to
rubble. Reluctantly, the government relocated to a safer site in the Ermita
Valley 45 km (28 mi) east, where Guatemala City now stands.
Ironically, it is because the
city, renamed La Antigua (Old) Guatemala, was abandoned that it retains so
much of its colonial character. Only the poorest inhabitants stayed put
after the capital was moved, and because they were of limited means they
could only repair the old structures, not build anew. Recent restoration
projects have transformed this once-rustic hamlet into a hip and trendy --
but still captivating -- destination.
Antigua is
generally known to be more beautiful than Guatemala City and is a very
popular destination with tourists who want to 'experience' Guatemala.
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