Quetzaltenango is Guatemala’s second city. One theory (mine) is that the city grew quicker and larger than anyone expected and by the time they realised the mistake they’d made in picking such a complicated name for a major place it was too late. So the name of Quetzaltenango had to stay. Thankfully, most folks now call it Xela.

We had scheduled two nights in Xela, the second of which would be New Year’s Eve. Having read that this was the no.1 centre for language schools in Guatemala, we were confident that the student population would ensure a lively New Year celebration.

We spent the day of the 31st exploring the city’s streets. Apart from two huge markets there is little to see in Xela outside of the main square, although it has a pleasant, relaxed air that belies its status as a major state capital. The city is apparently also home to the apparently excellent Natural History Museum, although as the 31st was a public holiday we could only wonder what was inside.

Xela is a cool contrast to Antigua – it’s high altitude ensures that the warm December days are quickly replaced by very chilly nights. We needed every layer we’d brought with us for our evenings out.

New Year in Xela

Heading into the square at around 7pm we sat and watched as families played with their boxes of fireworks and ate food from the nearby market stalls. The cathedral nearby was filled to capacity for the 8pm mass, with TV screens relaying the action from the altar to those who couldn’t get a seat or who were too far back to see properly.

We left the building crowds in the square at around 8.30 to have our meal in a south Indian restaurant (of course); it was surprisingly good, although having to talk to Indian waiters in Spanish took a more conscious mental adjustment that it should have done.

Returning to the square around 10pm we were encouraged by the sound of the crowds getting ever more lively, with an increasing number of firecrackers going off in every direction. The adjacent market was doing brisk trade and we ambled through, freshly baked churros in our cold hands as we browsed the home-made Latino pop CDs and hot punch for sale.

Staying out for two hours in the cold was not on, so we left the crowd of cheerful revellers behind and ordered a couple of drinks at a nearby bar. Soon a ten-piece band struck up and filled the spacious room with the sound of salsa. While they would probably never make it big even in Quetzaltenango, they provided us with entertainment until 11.40, when we decided it was time to join the massed ranks in the square and ring in the New Year in style.

Where’s the party?

We stepped out and got a big shock – the square was deserted! The street party that had been brewing nicely when we left had finished, and the area now had the uneasy atmosphere for which many large Latin American cities are notorious. What was worse, I had just spent my final quetzales on a round of drinks, meaning that a cab was no longer an option.

We walked briskly back to our guest house, arriving back two minutes before midnight. And then, at the stroke of twelve, it became suddenly clear where everyone had gone – from every neighbourhood, and seemingly from every single home, the incessant sound of fireworks boomed out across the night, while colourful rockets flew up from every direction. It was nearly an hour before the noise calmed down and the people of Xela continued their celebrations in relative calm.

So if you’re ever in this part of the world and plan to celebrate the New Year in style, don’t make our mistake and expect a celebration in the public square. In this family-oriented culture the party is where perhaps it should rightly be: in the family home.

Quetzaltenango and the New Year that didn’t go to plan is a post from: 501 Places

Before we even landed on the American continent, the visit to the active slopes of Volcan Pacaya was at the top of our list of anticipated experiences. Having stood on Kilauea in Hawaii 10 years ago and gasped in wonder as molten lava flowed past our feet we were excited at the prospect of a repeat experience. This time it was going to be better – we were going at night and pictures we’d seen had whet our appetite for was sure to be a spectacular sight.

Antigua travel agencies

A gentle five minute stroll through the centre of Antigua will pass at least half a dozen tour companies, each selling Pacaya tours as their headline product. The typical tour will last for around six hours, including the 1.5 hour drive to and from the national park. The cost is around $10, with some agencies offering the trip for as little as $8. We didn’t shop around for the cheapest – in fact on the back of a trusted recommendation we intended to shun the cheap tours and opt for a private option, with our own driver to the park and a dedicated guide to climb the volcano. This costs around $45 – still a very reasonable cost for a day trip for two.

We couldn’t however find anyone offering this private tour and rather than waste a precious day going in and out of agencies we ended up booking the standard $10 package.

The two big questions

I asked two questions to the agent:

1. Will we see lava? We were assured that we certainly would.

2. Do we need to bring a torch? We were told it was not required as kids from the village would be selling them for a few cents at the start of the hike.

In both cases I received inaccurate/misleading replies. If you heading to Pacaya on the evening hike, please note:

1. You will NOT see lava on a Pacaya day trip (of course the situation will change in the future)

2. Bring a torch/flashlight – there are no kids selling them when you get there!

In fact, there was a major burst of volcanic activity in May 2010 and no lava has been seen since. This was explained to us by our guide as we sat watching the sunset and as members of the group, one by one, asked him where the lava was.

Climbing Pacaya

The kids that greet the minibus at the start of the climb are selling walking sticks, not torches. They are also incessantly offering ‘taxi rides’ up the slope on the half dozen or so horses that were standing idly by the parking lot. We all declined the offer of the ride and the young boys followed us regardless.

I had been sick for the previous 12 hours and had not eaten anything that day. I had underestimated my loss of physical strength as a result and before too long I had to swallow my pride and make use of the taxi service. I suspect I managed to break some sort of equestrian record in dismounting my ride as my nausea rose to an inevitable conclusion; I made the verge just in time, much to everyone’s relief (not least the horse’s).

We reached the top just in time to witness a spectacular sunset. It might have been a magical moment had we not been sharing it with around 50 noisy others. The temperature dropped quickly and as we layered up we were reminded that we only had 10 minutes to enjoy the view and that we needed to start our descent very shortly.

Unnecessary danger

I am not someone to get annoyed easily but the only words I can think of to describe the organisation of this tour are reckless and negligent. As we descended the slippery sharp rocks on our 1.5 hour return walk to the minibus, total darkness soon enveloped us. The ground, at first difficult to see, soon became completely invisible and we were walking as if blind. Two of our group of 14 had weak torches (they had clearly booked with a different agent or had prior advice), but their light didn’t help the rest of us.

Actually, three had a torch. The guide also flashed one a couple of times, but for the most part he galloped ahead while texting people on his phone. He clearly knew these slopes intimately. Yet despite the fact that most of us fell at least once on our way down (and I can attest that those sharp volcanic stones can do some damage to the palm of a hand that instinctively reaches out to protect a fall) he totally disregarded the welfare of his group.

Presumably he’d just arranged a date, as his only contribution was to keep urging us to hurry, despite us telling him constantly to slow down. I was in no.2 position in our human chain that wound tentatively down the rocky slope, yet more often than not he was out of sight, only brought back by our calls for him to wait.

It was a relief when we made it back to our bus in one piece and I can’t say that the guide received many tokens of gratitude as he left us to go wherever it was he was so keen to get to.

How to do Pacaya

Pacaya is a very worthwhile day trip from Antigua and I would not want to dissuade anyone from visiting (although not worth battling through sickness to do). The views from Pacaya are very impressive and a hike in such a barren environments is something that should not be missed.

At this time however the experience on the day tour is little different from the evening one, and I would certainly recommend this as the more pleasant, easier and most importantly the safer option to take.

If you can take the option of a private tour, you may also be free to enjoy a longer stay at the top without having to rush down to meet the whims of a group guide.

Pacaya volcano, Guatemala – how NOT to see it is a post from: 501 Places

Antigua: Arco de Santa Catalina with Volcan Agua in the distance

Step along any of the cobbled streets of Antigua and reminders of its past glory are everywhere to be seen. The weary old buildings that have survived both age and numerous earthquakes bare their scars openly and without shame. The streets themselves obey strictly the grid pattern that is typical of most cities in Central America, although to call them neat and orderly would perhaps be misleading.

The stunning facade of La Merced

It’s not only the many pot holes that you need to watch here while negotiating the city streets – Antigua attracts more tourists than any other city in Central America and having arrived here from El Salvador the contrast was dramatic. Tour groups are everywhere and a walk along any of the main streets leading from the Parque Central will probably mean stepping aside while a group shuffles past in hot pursuit of the umbrella-wielding guide.

Antigua is the perfect tourist destination, with infinite photo opportunities, restaurants and bars to suit every taste. The city boasts more hotels than anywhere else in the country and has built an infrastructure to meet every need for backpacker and luxury traveller alike. Launderettes, jewellery shops, tour operators, gift shops and internet cafes (what more could you ever need?) are in abundance along the historic streets of this ancient capital.

One of the many old doorways the line the cobbled streets of Antigua

We took a couple of days to explore the city. Sadly we both choose our time in Antigua to suffer our first sickness of the trip, meaning that we had to slow down our usual fast paced exploration of a new city. Antigua is blessed with countless old churches, and a random stroll through the streets reveals many surprising finds: shells of old churches destroyed by earthquakes or human neglect, old convents and peaceful courtyards hidden behind carved wooden doors.

Cerro de la Cruz - a popular place to hang out and gaze down on the city below

From most points in the city the skyline is dominated by three volcanoes, creating one of the most dramatic backdrops to any city. Closer to home is the Cerro de la Cruz – this hill on the edge of the city is topped by a large cross (as the name suggests) and is a brisk 30 minute walk from the centre of town. It is a popular spot for families to come and enjoy the views over the city and also for local teenage lovers to escape the gaze of their parents for a little while (there is a local saying regarding the hill that “two go up and three come down”).

Reflections of past glory - Antigua served as the regional capital for over 200 years

Antigua is the big draw for all visitors to this part of Latin America and it’s easy to see why it attracts so much hype. It is well equipped to accommodate thousands of tourists in good hotels, and it’s perfect to stroll around for a couple of days admiring the old buildings in between visiting the countless eating and drinking places that line the tightly-packed streets.

Beans for sale in the busy market

Will you see a slice of typical Guatemala in Antigua? Unlikely; it would perhaps be naive to expect that from such a popular stop on the tourist trail. But is it worthy of the hype? As someone who loves strolling aimlessly amid grand old architecture, even in a state of decay such as this, I would say it is. Just make sure you read the earthquake advice cards in your hotel – there’s plenty of evidence around you that in Antigua there’s good reason to be prepared.

Ancient courtyards provide cool relief from the midday sun

The smoking Volcan Fuego provides a dramatic skyline at sunset

Fountain in Antigua's Parque Central by night

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Travels in Guatemala – a day on the chicken bus

Antigua, Guatemala: historic marvel or tourist trap? is a post from: 501 Places

The boxes of white pills were passed around by the curious passengers, who read the home-printed labels with varying levels of interest. Meanwhile, the salesman continued with his monologue. Back ache? Abdominal pains? Infertility? Pregnancy? Depression? Arthritis? Cancer? These pills would cure whatever it is that troubled you, and a packet could be yours for only 25 Quetzals ($3). A moment later, he collected the boxes and in a few cases he had a buyer and pocketed the hard earned cash. And then he was off, making way for the next smooth talker to take the stage. Welcome to another day on a Guatemalan chicken bus.

Soon after the pill seller came a young girl who sold us salvation. Her fervour and zeal in preaching the path of righteousness to the passengers on this cross-country bus was very impressive and the notes and coins she collected after her sermon suggested that many were moved by her fiery speech. If only a casting director had seen her perform, there would surely be a career in TV waiting for her.

The religious theme was matched by the slogans and pendants hanging from the front of the bus. “God bless this bus”; “Jesus is my shepherd”; and rather ominously “only God knows if we will arrive”.

By this time I’d finally got a seat, around three hours into our seven hour journey. As if we didn’t stand out enough being the only two foreigners on the bus, my 6ft 2in frame swaying uncomfortably in the aisle caused many a curious smile from the surrounding folks. As people shuffled up to make room for each other on the old American school bus, soon only two of us were left standing. The other guy stood passively with a machete hooked to his trousers; clearly I wasn’t going to fight him for the next available seat.

The bus stopped a couple of times to allow the driver to take a smoking break and to let the passengers attend to the call of nature. Thank goodness our days on the chicken bus did not coincide with our bouts of stomach trouble. I shudder to think of the discomfort we would have suffered.

All the while the rolling Guatemalan landscape flashed by through the big windows; always pleasant, never spectacular. It took a few hours before we were joined by the first livestock: two turkeys, their feet firmly held by two elderly women. It was a week before Christmas; the prospects of them seeing in the New Year were slim at best. Another set of small birds soon added to the menagerie, all disembarking at various small villages as we approached the Honduran border.

By the time the seven hour journey eventually came to an end at the frontier point of El Florido, there were only a few of us remaining on the old bus. We were of course, glad to say farewell to our hard seats and our now very tired driver. The ride had however given us a brief, superficial yet in its own way enlightening snapshot of everyday Guatemala.

Travels in Guatemala: a day on the chicken bus is a post from: 501 Places