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KEY TOURIST AREAS OF GUATEMALA

March 10, 2011 By
Lake Atitlan

Lake Atitlan

Western Highlands – with a high concentration of indigenous people, there is much tradition to appreciate and archaeological sites to explore. It is located on the outskirts of Guatemala City and on the border with Mexico. There are 30 Volcanoes which are prone to eruptions.

Lake Atitlan   – the highlands of Guatemala, with volcanoes, it is described as one of the most exotic locations in the world. There are villages around the lakes and it is a popular destination for tourists. Many hotels are advertised for holiday makers to stay here. [Read more...]

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The Languages of Guatemala

March 6, 2011 By
Guatemala

Guatemala

Guatemala culture and history is rich in variety. The origins are pre-Columbian, Meso-american which was the height of the Mayan civilization and Spanish rule. Because of all these influences from Spanish and Mayan culture there are over twenty indigenous languages being used by the 14.2 million natives of the second most populated Central American State.

Recorded there are 55 languages listed for Guatemala, 53 are living languages and 2 have no known speakers. Although Spanish is now the official language, natives have endeavoured to keep the Mayan languages alive. The Mayan languages are a family of languages that go back 5000 years in the pre-Columbian era of Meso-America.. These many languages have their own grammatical and phonetic structure base. Tourist areas also have many that speak English. [Read more...]

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History of Guatemala

March 1, 2011 By
mayan-site-of-copan

mayan-site-of-copan

Archaeology has revealed a great deal about Mayan history in the region of Guatemala and Central Americas. From findings and research it is thought that the first human settlers in Guatemala were around 12,000BC or 18,000BC. When discussing the history of Guatemala we can divide the analysis into three subcategories; Pre-Columbian era, the Mayan Civilization and Spanish Colony and beyond.
1. Pre-Columbian era – archaeologists based much of their knowledge of early Guatemalan settlers on the thousands of Maya Ruins in Peten and throughout Guatemala.
a) Paleo-Indian Period – hunters and Gatherers. Evidence by archaeologists found it was around 6500BC.
b) Pre-classic period- historians have sourced evidence from the coast to explain how natives lived during the post-classic to classic period. [Read more...]

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Guatemalas Geography and Climate

February 25, 2011 By

Guatemala is situated in Central America. The location is South of Mexico with Honduras on its Eastern side. With the Pacific Ocean to the South-west and Caribbean sea on the other side it is within a warm part of the Earth. Guatemala also shares borders with; El Salvador, and Belize. The 155 mile long coastline stretches from the Mexican border with El Salvador on the East. There can be found along the coast, black volcanic sand beaches.  A popular beach destination, Monterrico has many hotels, restaurants for tourists and more coastlines and sites to see. Tourists enjoy water sports and swimming on the coast. Other tourist attractions include rainforests, and archaeological sites. Some places to visit include; Georginas, Guatemala city, La Antigua Guatemala, Lake Attilan. Tourists are attracted to its exotic tropical jungles, history, archaeology and coastlines. [Read more...]

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Food and Coffee Trade in Guatemala

February 20, 2011 By

The consistently warm weather and temperate climes have given Guatemalan the nickname “Land of the eternal spring.” Foods produced on the fertile land include; Coffee, sugar, bananas, cocoa and grain. They are all grown for consumption and export. A great historical journey is based on agriculture and trade and is the reason for much civil war and internal struggle.

The Mayan Empire, Spanish rule and modern Republic all have influences on the Guatemalan cuisine. There is no national dish but many foods have become part if the diet. The variety reflects the multicultural nature of Guatemala. In historic Mayan civilization, ancient natives grew and ate a lot of grain. At the start of the century, more meat was added to the diet. Common meats are chicken and turkey. Typical Spanish dishes today include; enchiladas, guacamole, tamales, tortillas. Antigua Guatemala is also known for candy made from local ingredients; fruits, seeds, nuts, honey. Sweets that have become a tourist treat. Even with this list of food, tastes of each will still vary by region. The key ingredients in Guatemalan cuisine includes a lot of; corn, tomatoes, peppers, beans, plantains, tomatillos. [Read more...]

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TOURISM AND GUATEMALA

February 18, 2011 By

Many advisors and website provide advice about where to go and what to expect when visiting Guatemala. They all described Guatemala as a magical place. There is always a celebration and appreciation of the history of the Maya and the deeply cultural people. The surroundings are also described as untouched nature; mountainous, volcanoes, off track tours. It is easy then to assume that a trip to Guatemala is not a gentle relaxing holiday but something for the adventurer, the thrill seeker, the curious and the historians. If you know much about Guatemala’s history and heritage, Petén may interest you with the archaeological sites. It is thought that at the start of the Spanish rule, such towns were left uninhabited for reasons that are still a mystery. Archaeologists find most of their knowledge from the ruins that are remaining. Towns like Antigua attract many students and those interested in learning Spanish. There are numerous Spanish schools advertised for people to stay and also enjoy the surroundings. Antigua is described as a beautiful town nestled between three volcanoes. [Read more...]

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Music in Guatemala

February 15, 2011 By

Creation of music is a form of self expression. The effect is to reflect the creativity of an individual. It can tell a story or present a feeling. In this way music from Guatemala reflects the diversity of its culture, how throughout history other nations have joined to become one.

Historically the music type that relates most to Guatemala is Marimba. Marimba was chosen by the Guatemala Congress in 1978 to be the National musical instrument of Guatemala. The instrument, from the family of xylophones dates back to what was used in West Africa. It is thought that it may have been introduced into Guatemala by the African slaves in 1550. It is very important part of Guatemalan music culture and represents traditional folk music and is influenced by music of Spain and West Africa. The size of the instrument means that three or four people can play at once. The effect of this can be like dramatic sound, music that tells a story. [Read more...]

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GUATEMALA’S ECONOMY

February 14, 2011 By

The Quetzal is the unit of currency in Guatemala. In 2001, the US Dollar also became an official currency, workers had demanded to be paid in Dollars. This is not meant to replace the Quetzal.

The National stock exchange of Guatemala is Bolsa Nacional de Valores (BNV) it opened in 1989. This is where shares from private companies in the country and other securities are traded. There are two other exchanges in Guatemala called Bolsa Nacional Global and the Bolsa Agrícola which both merged to form the Corporación Bursatil in 1994. Three government bonds are traded on the exchanges, including CENIVACUS, CERTIBONO, and CDP. Following a tough social and political struggle, the Peace Accord of 1996 meant the Guatemala was in a good position for economic growth by foreign investment. There were still crop to trade. The credit crunch from 2007 that affected much of the global economy had a direct affect on Guatemala economy also. The export demand from USA had changed as well as slowdown in foreign investment. [Read more...]

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Where is Guatemala?

January 19, 2011 By

If I said to you where as Guatemala , for most people the response would be ‘I have no idea!’
Here is a little bit of information about where you can find this bio diverse hotspot.
Guatemala – This Central American country is by the north and west bordered by Mexico, the northeast of Guatemala there is Belize, the Pacific Ocean, El Salvador and Honduras can be found to the south and the southeast and then you have the Caribbean to the east of Guatemala. [Read more...]

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