Guatemala | Journey to Mayan country

Why visit this Central American country bordering Mexico? For the Mayan culture, its colors, its crafts and its traditions, in addition to the beauty of the landscapes, thanks to the countless volcanoes that stand there.

Descendants of the Mayan people make up half of the Guatemalan population. They still speak around twenty different languages, such as Q’eqchi’, Cakchiquel, Mam (Maya), Tzutujil or Pokoman.

The different ethnic groups can be recognized, in addition to their language, by their crafts and their traditional clothing, especially that of the women: they wear the huipil, a sort of chasuble embroidered with colorful patterns, as well as a woven wrap skirt. Their outfits brighten up the city streets and markets.

Here are four places to discover this wonderful people.

The colonial city

Walking through the stone streets of Antigua, you could imagine yourself in colonial times. The sidewalks run alongside low houses with colorful facades, built around a patio whose existence one would not suspect from the outside.

At the bend of a street appears a sumptuous church – unless it is the ruins of a cathedral destroyed during a terrible earthquake in the 1700s. You can even come across a religious procession, with petals of flowers littering the ground, incense that perfumes the air and firecrackers that startle (firecrackers that go off everywhere at all times, in fact).

There, in the ruins of a monastery, you can visit an interesting museum presenting artifacts from the Mayan era as well as religious works from the colonial era.

The city is surrounded by three volcanoes, including the flamboyant Fuego, the most active in the country. Many visitors get a closer look at its eruptions by climbing the quieter neighboring Acatenango volcano – still a demanding hike.

The streets of the old town are lined with hotels, cafes and restaurants, often located in intimate, flower-filled interior courtyards.

The lake

Lake Atitlan is like a jewel set in a setting of volcanoes and mountains. Sacred lake for the Mayans, it is the deepest in Central America.

On its banks are the main city of the region, Panajachel, very touristy, as well as several villages with a large Mayan majority, such as San Pedro, popular with backpackers who like to party, San Marcos, for lovers of yoga and other disciplines. focused on well-being, San Juan, for ecotourism, and Santiago, for local traditions.

To avoid the hordes of tourists, it is better to stay in one of the villages. We chose San Juan, with its many murals and streets covered in colorful hats or umbrellas. While strolling through its peaceful little streets or going up to one of the viewpoints overlooking the village, people greet each other kindly.

The highlight of our stay there was a weaving class, given by a village women’s association.

We learned how cotton is dyed with plants as well as the basic techniques for creating fabrics with simple patterns, an experience which gives us an idea of ​​the time needed to make different pieces sold in the shops.

Another memorable day: a short hike in the hills along the lake, between the villages of Santa Cruz and San Marcos La Laguna, passing Jaibalito and Tzunuma, which allows you to observe the daily life of the inhabitants.

You can easily move between villages thanks to water taxis which go from one pier to another. Another option, between certain villages: three-wheeled tuk-tuks – but beware of the temerity of certain drivers.

The jungle

At the other end of the country, hidden deep in the jungle, is the ancient Mayan city of Tikal, one of the greatest archaeological sites for understanding the history of this civilization. The city reached its peak between the years 200 and 900 and would have had up to 90,000 inhabitants. Its kings dominated a large part of the region, until the site was abandoned at the end of the 10th century.^e century.

Several structures and pyramids can be climbed there, the highest of which, Temple IV, peaks at 65 meters. Temple I, also called the Great Jaguar Pyramid, is an emblem of the country: it appears on bank notes.

You have to walk a lot, in the tropical heat, to explore the entire site, but you feel a bit like Indiana Jones, coming across a few monkeys or coatis, an animal resembling a miniature raccoon.

Several structures are covered in vegetation, swallowed by the jungle. We can see between the trees the tips of certain pyramids which have not yet been brought to light.

Filmmaker George Lucas used Tikal as the setting in the first film in his Star Wars series. The ruins serve as the backdrop for the Yavin rebel base.

The sea

It’s vacation! Why not add a little beach to this stay?

Guatemala is not a destination known for its beaches, but the country has a long coastline overlooking the Pacific Ocean, bordered by a ribbon of very dark volcanic sand, where the waves are generally strong.

We were located in Monterrico, a small peaceful village: a few shops, free-range chickens and little to do, apart from enjoying the sea. You can still visit a small marine conservation center, to observe baby turtles and other animals. other animals.