Recommend July 2013 - (Page 47)
inGuat (2 )
P u tting the Accent o n S p ecial I nterest Trav el
F rom archaeological discoveries to diving, Guatemala offers a feast of special interest vacations.
Diverse and historically rich, Guatemala is not only an especially
interesting destination, but one that offers natural history on a grand
scale and five-star adventure to suit every skill and spirit. Let’s look at
some of the ways Guatemala is just right for travelers seeking more
active, adventurous and involving vacations.
C u ltu ral H ighs
ARCHAEOLOGY—From history buffs to museum and alumni
groups, Guatemala offers a treasury of special interest tours, featuring a grand trove of Maya history and the largest concentration of
ancient cities, some recently uncovered such as El Mirador in El
Peten. Well-planned itineraries include not only the monumental ruins
of major sites, but observation of traditional ceremonies (such as the
Pascual Abaj shrine at Chichicastenango, or the altars on the shores
of Laguna Chicabal outside Quetzaltenango) and village festivals that
combine Maya and Christian beliefs. While Guatemala has the grandest inventory of Maya sites, as well as a population well represented
by Living Maya, touring here is only part of L a Rut a M a y a , which is
easily explored traveling overland to Copan in Honduras and to the
ceremonial centers of Caracol and Xunantunich around San Ignacio
in Belize.
ARTS & CRAFTS—Guatemala is world famous for the artistic
quality and variety of its crafts, drawing everyone from avid folkart
aficionados and international artisans to shopping mavens. Weaving
tops the craft list, with each village producing its unique style, patterns and colors. Among the most fascinating handwoven pieces are
h uip iles , blouses embroidered with flowers, birds or bolts-of-lightning
motifs in a dizzying array of colors. Wood carvings are a major craft,
with ceremonial masks made in Chichicastenango and other highland villages; El Ramate on Lake Peten-Itza is another center. ade
jewelry mined from local quarries is a popular craft, and primitivist
paintings from the villages of San Pedro and Santiago are well-worth
crossing Lake Atitlan to see in galleries and artists’ workshops.
Outside Antigua, visit the painters’ studios in the village of Comalapa,
well-known for its tradition of naïve painting.
13-15 SpeciaIntFF.indd 13
NEBAJ & THE IXIL TRIANGLE—The remote northern Quiche
province was once ground zero in the civil war campaign against
indigenous populations. Today, in the triangle formed by Nebaj,
Cotzal and Chajul, with dozens of outlying villages and hamlets, the
people (with the help of development organizations and NGOs) are
working towards a better future. This is the best area to glimpse into
the country’s timeless rural life and landscapes; observe proud traditions; hear the Ixil language; visit sacred Maya sites still in use; see
the Nebaj women in their beautiful purple, green and yellow pompommed hair braids and embroidered huipiles and r eb oz os (shawls),
or the women of Chajul wearing maroon cor t es (wraparound skirts),
earrings made from silver coins, and bright-blue or purple huipiles.
Special guided treks are available to seven parts of the Ixil region.
CUISINE—A sure recipe for a top culinary experience includes
dining out in elegant to rustic restaurants, visiting the wildly colorful
food markets all over Guatemala, and taking cooking lessons with
accomplished Guatemalan chefs in Guatemala City and Antigua.
Basically everyone learns that the traditional Guatemalan diet
centers around tortillas, t a m a les (cornmeal-wrapped meat pies),
black beans, white rice and p la t a n os (bananas). Meat is essential
to meals, served up as b is t ek (beefsteak), and p a r r illa m ix t a (mixed
grill of chicken, beef, pork and sometimes a German-style sausage).
Guatemala’s most famous regional dish is p ep ia n d e p ollo, chicken
smothered in a greenish sauce made from pumpkin seeds and
spices. C h ich a r r on es (bits of pork crackling) are also hugely popular.
Dishes often come with a side accompaniment of guacamole and
ch ir im ol (a red tomato sauce).
Cuisine-oriented travelers will also want to know of additional
Guatemalan riches, including the country’s superb coffee. A must is a
visit to a coffee plantation to observe the process of coffee production from harvest to roasting. Coffee farms are largely centered in the
Western Highlands. Some properties are on large private reserves
and combine birdwatching, hiking, mountain biking and other outdoor activities with a visit to the coffee farm.
13
6/20/13 12:01 PM
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend July 2013
Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Eleven Experience
Tour Talk: DuVine Cycling + Adventure
Expedition Cruising: Explore the Unexplored
Eleven Experience's Chalet Pelerin
Brazil Travel Planner
Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa
Guatemala Travel Planner
Latin America Specialist Courses
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs
5 Ways to Adventure in North America
Swain Tours Shines in the Land Down Under
Seeing African Wonders Through a Viewfinder
Trinidad & Tobago
Soaring to New Heights in Saint Lucia
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