Friday, December 21, 2007

Guatemala – A Hidden Gem Worth Visiting!

Last year, my husband announced that he was sick of our typical winter vacations that involved selecting a beautiful all inclusive resort on some Caribbean island.  Instead of lounging around all day, this time he wanted to visit a country that was a little less touristy (but still warm) and would offer us more adventure.

He suggested Guatemala – and while I was hesitant at first, it ended up being one of our best trips! 

Guatemala is the most populated of the Central American republics.  Unbelievably, this country is home to approximately 21 different ethnic groups that speak around 23 languages.

Guatemala shares its borders to the southeast with El Salvador and Honduras, to the northeast with Belize and the Caribbean Sea, to the south with the Pacific Ocean and to the north and west with Mexico.

One of the main reasons my husband wanted to visit this country is because of its spectacular Mayan archaeological sites.  We weren’t disappointed!  The landscape in Guatemala is breathtaking.  I thoroughly enjoyed the mountainous and heavily forested areas.  You are able to see volcanoes rising above the southern highlands along the Pacific Ocean as well.  We learned that three of these volcanoes are still active!

We spent some of our time on the island Antigua, one of the oldest and most beautiful cities of the Americas.  The island is beautiful and filled my dream of a vacation with warm steady winds, gorgeous beaches and coral reef for snorkeling.

We visited the Sea View Farm Village where we got to see Antiguan folk pottery dating back to around the early 18th century.  They still make the traditional pottery from this locale where they collect clay from pits located nearby and they fire the wares in an open fire under layers of green grass in the yards of the potter’s houses.

We also visited Shirley Heights, military buildings that offer one of the most breathtaking views of the islands (looking out over English Harbour).  If you go, be sure to visit on Sunday afternoon, as your visit will then include a barbecue (complete with rum punch) and an amazing steel band to entertain you.

You might also want to time your visit to take in the Carnival festival featuring colorful costumes, beauty pageants, talent shows and amazing music.  Carnival typically takes place during late July/early August.  The highlight of the festival is the music.  Several different music forms are featured including Calypso (Calypso competitions have long been a highlight of Carnival), steel drum music, and soca (a musical form that joins the slower beat of American soul music to the upbeat tempos of calypso).

Guatemala is spectacular and worth visiting.  Of course, given its somewhat violent history, every traveler needs to be on guard and take simple precautions to stay safe!

We found Guatemala to be a beautiful place with friendly people, wonderful music and delicious food.  There is no shortage of things to see and do, and you can even plan to relax on the beaches too!  It’s a wonderful vacation destination and we are already planning our next visit!

Posted by snoopy604 on 12/21 at 11:50 AM
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