| Introduction | Ancient Maya | Wildlife | Politics |
For many Americans, Central American vacations mean Costa Rica. Although Costa Rica is very pretty and the people nice, it seemed a bit too much like the U.S. for me. (During the time the CIA was secretly funneling aid to the Contras in Nicarauga through Costa Rica, the U.S. gave more foreign aid per capita to Costa Rica than to any country other than Israel.) In contrast, a step into the Guatemalan highlands and you realize quickly you are no longer in Kansas. Enormous smoking volcanoes, tropical plants and animals, the ever-present and numerous Maya, and unimaginably beautiful crafts everywhere, and awe inspiring pre-Columbian ruins, all make it clear you have arrived someplace different.
Guatemala is not the easiest or most luxurious place to travel. There is significant poverty, and violence (primarily against natives) that shock most of us. On the other hand, the individual Mayans and most other Guatemalans are among the kindest and friendliest people I have ever met. On a scale of 1 to 10 for interest, nature, ancient ruins, remarkably intact indigenous cultures and overall drama, Guatemala scores a clear 10.
Do your homework and learn more about the country and the "challenges" it faces, then visit. With the right expectations, it can be a very positive and memorable experience.
I have not found a great presence of Guatemala information on the Web. There are a few general sites which talk about tourism and current affairs in the country including one simply called Guatemala (photos & lots of information), and, of course, the Guatemala page on the Virtual Tourist 2 site.
There is another range of Web sites that contain lots of information about the ancient Mayan culture. These include:
I have had much
better luck seeing wildlife in Guatemala than in Costa Rica. However, my
wildlife viewing has been largely limited to Tikal. There, because of 60 years
of protection, and largely intact rainforest, tropical animals abound. You are
virtually assured of seeing spider monkeys (they slept above our cabin each
night), and with minimal effort you should see the larger howler monkeys as
well; in any case, you will hear the latter roaring their territorial challenges
each morning. From the top of one of the Mayan temples, listening to troops of
howler monkeys roaring to each other at dawn is a truly memorable experience.
In addition, coatimundis, agoutis, oscellated turkeys, and crested guans are everywhere. Other residents include 3 types of toucans, several parrot species, lots of gray foxes, and a large crocodile. Bring your binoculars for the never-ending show!
The dramatic contrasts between the high volcanos and lowland rainforest of Guatemala are reflected in the contrasts between the exceptional kindness of the Mayans and other Guatemalans we met and the incredible violence that afflicts the country. I don't feel Guatemala should be avoided as a destination because of the violence. In fact, I feel people should visit it, should be very careful when there, and when back in their home countries, should support human rights groups active in Guatemala. I will post more information on the latter soon.