Now we're talking. There's dense matter to dig in. History. Colours. Scents. Trails. Guatemala has been a top favorite, and I recommand a million times to anyone to go discover the country. Everybody has spoken high about it to me, and I pass onto you the message...
The authenticity of the place, the beauty of its people, the million colours, the buzzing cities, the perfect mountain trails...There's to eat for everyone.
I have humbly to share something I hadn't know until I've experienced it. That the mayan culture isn't a marvel for history books, but still a living and vibrating community, contrasting with the westernization of the country. Its dissolution is a worry, indeed, and many are those who contribute to keep the profound culture of the Mayan alive. Here is no place to expend on their values and history, but their philosophy, connection to earth and nature, beliefs, are a marvel to explore.
A first catch for the eyes is the poor condition of garbage infrastructure, if any. Very few nature places aren't sparkled with trash. But this is a surface matter, for the struggle is deeper beneath, from successions of corrupted governments, heavy history of civil wars, and a massive intrusion of the American Banana Republic economy; but there's hope from what we've heard, as youth seems well aware of the dilema, and stands for the protection of their people and history.
As for the Maya religion, it's been widely dissoluted in an impressive presence of the evangelic church around the country, proning family values, and home protection, appealing for the women population, suffering widely spread domestic violence. You often encounter mixed ceremonies, where both mayan rituals and christian iconography coexist.
The country has a million faces, 26 different languages, and travelling around is an everyday surprise. Antigua, colonial heritage city, shines from beautiful architecture. The Lago de Atitlan is home to many mayan communites, along with the backpackers crowd enjoying the site as party land, or esoteric encounters. Up north, Chichicastenango, an entire market city, offering the most beautiful crafts.
From there, a trek in the mountains, from Nebaj to Todos Sentos, discoverting very remote mayans villages, sleeping with the families. Very untapped trails, only few kilometers away from Huehuecastenango and the craziness of big cities.
Semuc Champey, a nature's marvel of successing natural pristine pools and waterfalls...
Rio Dulce and Livingston, and its Garifuna community, heritage from past centuries slavery, a country by itself in the country, with its creole dialect.
Finca Ixobel, a chill paradise, where we've met so many beautiful travelling souls...
And Tikal, one of the most impressive Mayan ruins to be visited, inside a deep jungle...
It's been a month and a half, and could easily have been six.
Thank you so very much to Lars, Lizzie, Pedro, Maiju, George, Roy, Britt, Rowina, Anna and all the others for sharing this adventure.
Here are few snapshots of this chapter:
