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Mayan Jungle Ruins in Guatemala Could Become Major Tourist Attraction

Mayan Jungle Ruins in Guatemala Could Become Major Tourist Attraction

Deep within the lush, tropical Guatemalan forest lies the ancient Mayan city of El Mirador, a site over 2,000 years old. However, it’s not just an archaeological treasure; it’s at the center of a heated debate over its future and that of the surrounding jungle – a UNESCO-designated forest called the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR). The question looms: who should dictate the destiny of this precious heritage: local communities, or foreign scientists? Dr. Richard Hansen, an American archaeologist, has dedicated much of his life to El Mirador. Over the past two decades, he’s been striving to establish a privately-managed park in the area. His vision is to protect not only the ruins but also the jungle, believing it can be done more effectively than what the Guatemalan state can provide.

This proposal has ignited a fierce battle, pitting conservation against local livelihoods. Hansen’s plan would require reclassifying El Mirador from a national park to a wilderness area, potentially disrupting existing forestry concessions that sustain local communities. As the debate rages on, the future of El Mirador and its surrounding jungle hangs in the balance, highlighting the delicate equilibrium between preservation and progress, as well as the complex web of interests and values at stake.

Guatemala: Heavy rainfall causes flooding and landslides near Fuego Volcano as of early Aug. 29

Heavy rainfall causes flooding and landslides near Fuego Volcano, Guatemala, as of early Aug. 29. Communities isolated.

Event

Heavy rainfall since late Aug. 27 has resulted in localized flooding and landslides near Fuego Volcano as of early Aug. 29. The landslides have isolated the communities of San Pedro Yepocapa and Escuintla. Further heavy rainfall could lead to additional flooding and landslides as well as hamper recovery efforts.

Transport
Flooding could block regional rail lines; freight and passenger train delays and cancellations are possible in areas that see heavy rainfall and potential track inundation.

Floodwaters and debris flows may render bridges, rail networks, or roadways impassable, resulting in overland travel disruptions in and around affected areas. Ponding on road surfaces could cause hazardous driving conditions on regional highways. Authorities could temporarily close some low-lying routes that become inundated by floodwaters. Severe weather could also trigger flight delays and cancellations at airports across the affected region.

Localized business disruptions are likely in low-lying areas; some businesses might not operate at full capacity because of flood damage to facilities, possible evacuations, and employees’ inability to reach work sites. Disruptions to electricity and telecommunications services are also possible where significant flooding impacts utility networks. Residual disruptions are likely once flooding has subsided as authorities work to clear debris and any flood damage.

Advice

Monitor local media for weather updates and related advisories. Confirm all transport reservations and business appointments before travel. Allow extra time for travel in the affected area and plan alternative routes if necessary. Do not drive on flooded roads.

Resources

National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology of Guatemala

How a Family Cares for Llamas in Guatemala — and Teaches Climate Action

How a Family Cares for Llamas in Guatemala — and Teaches Climate Action

The highest mountain range in Guatemala is known for its uniquely cold and humid temperatures. La Sierra de los Cuchumatanes is unlike the rest of the country — a difficult region to farm. But it’s also one of the most biodiverse spots in the country, and where llamas, who thrive in a cold climate, can be found.

More than two decades ago, the residents of Todo Santos, a small town in Chiabal, Huehuetenango, came up with the idea of importing llamas from Chile. The cool temperatures of their village were closer to the Andean Mountain Range in South America rather than the rest of Guatemala. In Latin America, llamas are found in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Chile — they need low temperatures to survive.

The residents brought 32 llamas from Chile to use as a means of transportation, to produce wool and sell their meat. The animals were distributed among different families of Todo Santos; to use however they saw fit. Marcos Cruz, 46, and his family received four of the llamas. A long-time animal lover, Cruz could not bear the thought of using the animals for any of these purposes — each struck him as exploitation. As a practitioner of the Mayan culture, Mam, “protecting and caring for animals is a priority for me and my family,” he explains in Spanish.

Cruz learned how to care for the llamas instead, and since he had experience with other animals, like sheep and horses, he realized what kind of maintenance they required to survive. “It was a challenge at first because coming from another country, for example, the grass they ate was not the same we have here, and we did not know when they were sick and how to react to their illnesses,” says Cruz.

Along with his family, he came up with an innovative idea: show tourists who visited Huehuetenango that llamas can live safely and unharmed in this area of Guatemala. It took several years for Cruz to transform his ranch into a tourist site where visitors can observe and learn about the animals. “Now, we show both locals and foreigners how we care for them, what they eat, how they are treated daily and most importantly, we let them interact with them. After all, they are animals only found in this part of the country, making their visit unique,” he says.

Cruz and his family currently have 13 adult llamas and three newborns. “We are proud to know how to reproduce and not misuse them. The other families that received the llamas abused and mistreated them, and this was miserable to witness,” Cruz says.

Huehuetenango is a region that, due to its cultural richness and Mayan legacy, is seen as significant by the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism, especially the way residents protect the environment, including the animals who live in its ecosystem. “Within our framework, our number one project is to promote sustainable tourism in Huehuetenango,” and this has everything to do with climate change, says Edy Chicas, Delegate of Huehuetenango for the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism.

Chicas works with the villagers, a very close-knit community, on a wide range of environmental issues, including dealing with waste, climate change and sustainable tourism. So far this year, the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism has given around fifteen talks to each village. “Our goal is to make sure that this tourist culture, composed of both the visitor and the person who receives the tourist, interacts with one another in the best possible way. By this, I mean that both parties are aware of the importance of keeping the tourist sites impeccable, so that their beauty is shown and its environment is maintained in excellent condition,” says Chicas.

There are programs aimed at forest governance, for instance. Some villagers have been reportedly cutting off the tree bark, which can be damaging not only to the tree, but the entire ecosystem. Through the training, villagers learn how essential it is to prevent this kind of damage, as well as other types of illegal logging, with sustainable forest management strategies. “This is a way to reduce climate change through the preservation of forests,” says Chicas.

Another example is a project used by the Cruz family to keep the village free from garbage. The characteristics that make plastic a durable material for humans also make it a danger to animals when left uncollected. “In some cases, we see farm animals try to eat the plastic,” says Cruz. “We visit the sites and do cleanup days where we bring rakes, brooms and garbage bags to clean the areas and teach villagers the importance of keeping these places intact,” says Chicas.

The villagers in turn teach tourists how to do their part to minimize their environmental impact. Community members make signs that say, “No littering, please. Leave it with your belongings.” During these campaigns, villagers collect large amounts of solid waste, separate and transport the waste to a treatment plant for final disposal. According to residents, the quantity of abandoned garbage has since decreased.

Maintaining the farm is of paramount importance to Cruz and his family, and Chicas sees this as a powerful form of . “Because tourists find it wonderful and desire to come back, we want to replicate this in all the tourist communities of Huehuetenango.” Chicas adds that for him, sustainable tourism creates what he refers to as responsible tourism, where a link is established between the visitor and the receiver, and where both are conscious of protecting the environment.

Cruz and his son have also learned to use different social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok to launch the Llamas de los Cuchumatanes Project, which shows how they give care to the llamas, and how they work to protect their surrounding environment.

“We like to show how this is a community initiative and a family project. We also want our audience to know that the llamas are well-maintained and that we keep the farm clean,” Cruz says. He explains that he wishes to encourage other families in his community who own llamas to care for them similarly, and avoid misusing them.

“The llamas are one of the main attractions of the La Sierra de los Cuchumatanes,” says Chicas. The Cruz family has been able to make the most of hosting the animals while treating them well. “The goal is to replicate their tourism strategy with other families from the village.”

“We are humble people with scarce resources who come from a tough socio-economic background. However, this does not stop us from protecting our land, animals and culture,” says Cruz. “We are family people and we like to interact as a community. For us it’s like having a child, a family member.”

This piece has been updated.

Lake Atitlán in Guatemala- The land of eternal spring

Lake Atitlán in Guatemala: The land of eternal spring

One of Guatemala’s most frequently visited sites is Lake Atitlán.

To the naked eye, it is stunning. Its teal-colored freshwater sits just over 5,000 feet above the ocean in the highlands of Guatemala. It is surrounded by culturally rich Maya towns and three volcanos – San Pedro, Tolimán and Atitlán. Below the water, things get even more interesting. There are volcanic formations, hot springs and even a flooded Maya city.

About 84,000 years ago, this lake used to be the super volcano Los Chocoyos. After it erupted for the final time, the volcano’s chamber collapsed inward and formed a caldera. It was then filled with water from nearby rivers.

Today, these attractions bring in a large amount of ecotourism for the region–about 80%.

The 12 towns surrounding the lake each have something to offer. In Santiago Atitlán, you can visit the Maya deity Maximón. You can hike a volcano in San Pedro La Laguna. Consider visiting a hot spring in Santa Catarina Palopó. Or go scuba diving near Santa Cruz la Laguna. And in San Juan la Laguna, you can visit a honey or Maya textile co-op.

David Alinán, a tour guide with Contemporáneo Tours & Travel, says that a high dependency on tourism comes with positives and negatives. On one hand, it provides more economic growth and better access to technology and education. However, the rise in tourism has had some substantial impacts on Guatemalan culture.

“The negative part is a loss of identity,” Alinán told Morning Edition. “Perhaps we identify with Maya roots, but many of us born in the 90s lost our native language. Many of us only speak Spanish and perhaps an international language.”

Alinán says this loss is not immediate, rather gradual. He believes this loss of identity may come from adopting new cultural traditions that visitors bring. For example, in San Pedro an influx of Jewish tourists has led to the establishment of kosher restaurants, and you’re likely to hear Hebrew spoken in this town.

For locals like Glenda Rosales, ecotourism supports her family. She’s been a shop owner in Panajachel for over 15 years.

“We all rely on tourism here,” said Rosales. “If there is no tourism here, then our sales are low. It’s our job. So, we benefit from tourism coming to Guatemala, especially to Panajachel.”

If you needed a final reason to add Lake Atitlán on your list of places to visit, Guatemala is known as the “land of eternal spring” due to its advantageous rainy and dry seasons, with average high temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.

It’s no wonder with such good weather and attractions that this lake is a top destination in Guatemala.

The Accidental Innkeeper- How an American Novelist Became a Hotelier in Guatemala

The Accidental Innkeeper: How an American Novelist Became a Hotelier in Guatemala

“These days, my role as an innkeeper occupies me almost as much as fiction,” writes Joyce Maynard, who, during the pandemic, hired locals in a Guatemalan village to turn her writing retreat into a guesthouse.

It’s close to midnight, two weeks into a precious writing residency in New Hampshire where I have come to finish a novel. My telephone rings.

From Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, a few thousand miles away, comes the voice of a woman I’ve never met: “I left the key to my casita on the bed. Can someone let me back in?”

I’ll get right on it, I tell her. A few hours earlier, I had spent an hour on the phone with a plumber discussing the installation of a new Jacuzzi and ordering wood for the sauna. The day before, I had arranged for a guide to take two guests on a hike to see the sun rise above the volcanoes, and the day before that, an airport pickup for a family of five from Indiana, and dinner on the terrace for a couple from Germany celebrating their honeymoon.

With my property manager out sick, the past few days have been busier than usual, but it’s a rare day in which I don’t find myself occupied with at least one guest staying at the modest place I’d bought 23 years ago as a refuge for writing. It now includes two houses, four casitas, two docks, a fleet of kayaks, a sauna, a yoga platform, a waterfall and a pizza oven.

I’ve been a writer all my life. But these days, my role as an innkeeper occupies me almost as much as fiction. I never intended this, but introducing travelers from all over the world — particularly those from the United States, the country of my birth, whose State Department website has posted warnings about travel to Guatemala for years — has become a central concern of my life.

‘It was my private little oasis’
My history in Central America began more than 50 years ago, at age 11, when my mother took my sister and me on a six-week sojourn on buses and a train from the Texas border to San Cristóbal de las Casas in the Mexican state of Chiapas. My experience of Indigenous culture that summer opened up my world.

A decade later, I was invited to join an orchid hunt in the highlands of Guatemala. Never mind that a civil war was going on.

Our slashed tires didn’t keep me from falling in love with the country — most particularly, the 50 square miles of turquoise Lake Atitlán, and the people who made their homes there, who still dressed in traditional Guatemalan clothing made from hand-woven cloth, cultivated maize on the hillsides and followed the Mayan calendar.

I vowed then that I’d return to the lake, though years passed before I did. By then, I’d raised three children and watched them head off for adventures of their own. For $250 a month, I rented a little house on the shores of the lake, signed up for salsa lessons and Spanish school, wrote a novel and experienced a greater sense of well-being than I’d known in years.

I lived alone. I had no phone. There was no internet, so every few weeks I took a boat across the lake to look at my email. At the end of my writing day, I brought my shopping basket to the market to buy vegetables for that night’s dinner. Every morning, I swam a half mile in the lake.

It was on one of my swims that I spotted a sign on the shore: Se Vende. For Sale. The land was wild and steep, covered in brush, with a small adobe house. A dozen species of birds I’d never seen perched in the trees. Across the water stood one of the five volcanoes that encircle the lake.

These were days when a person of limited means could still borrow against her home, which was how I came up with the $85,000 to buy roughly three acres of land on the shores of one of the most beautiful lakes on the planet.

I named the place Casa Paloma. A few times a year, I traveled there to write and swim. It was my private little oasis.

With the help of two young men from the village, Miguel and Mateo, I built a garden, with retaining walls and stone paths winding up the steep hillside. Over the years, the fruit trees we planted matured, and roses bloomed — also orchids, Thunbergia vines, figs, pomegranates, bananas.

I finished half a dozen novels in that house. Every afternoon, I carried a bowl of popcorn down to my dock for the children who came to swim there, and every morning, I greeted the fisherman who showed up in the little bay in front of my house without fail to harvest crabs just as the sun came up behind the volcano.

Having recognized early on that this was a place offering inspiration and peace, I started a writing workshop, hosting a small group of women for a week every winter. For $35 a night, they stayed at a simple hotel in the village but gathered at Casa Paloma every day to work on their manuscripts.

Much changed over those years. A hurricane hit, causing a landslide. Travelers arrived in greater numbers, along with storefronts advertising healers, yoga teachers and shamans (cranial sacral massage, sound healing, a place known as the Fungi Academy). I added on to my house, planted more flowers, built a temazcal — a Mayan sauna — and a little guesthouse where I set up my writing desk. Back in California, I fell in love with my second husband, Jim, and introduced him to the lake. The fact that we were in our 50s now didn’t stop us from climbing the volcano together.

The year after we married, Jim was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The two of us traveled to the lake together for what turned out to be his last winter. After he died, I returned alone. Many times over the years, I’d found solace in those waters. Now I did again.

The pandemic strikes
I had scheduled my memoir workshop for March 2020, the month the pandemic struck the United States. As always, I’d booked a dozen rooms for my writing students in a small village hotel. Though coronavirus had not been reported in Guatemala, I was uncertain whether anyone would show up, but 16 women traveled there.

Two days later, the president of Guatemala announced that the airport was closing, and eight women flew home. Eight stayed on — making do with meals of rice and beans and guacamole, and plenty of wine.

Twelve days later, the State Department provided a plane to take U.S. citizens home. But I decided to remain, and invited two of the women from the workshop, Jenny and Xiren, to stay with me for a few weeks.

In the end, we stayed for six months — Casa Paloma, we realized, was probably the best place to be. People in the village appeared blessedly free of Covid. But another issue plagued them: With all tourists gone, they had no way of supporting their families.

Some of the expats in town took up a collection to help. I had lived in this place long enough to know what the community needed more: jobs. So I embarked on the project of building a guesthouse.

Every day, a crew of about 20 men made their way down the hillside with their picks and shovels, bags of cement or stones on their backs. Every morning, just as the sun was coming up, they greeted Jenny, Xiren and me as we sat at our laptops.

Sometimes a harpoon fisherman stopped by with a fish he’d caught 10 minutes before. That would be dinner, eaten by candlelight.

In the months that followed, I kept coming up with building projects. Five more casitas, each one different. One featured stone walls with hand-carved stone heads built into them, made by a man in the village. In one we built a high wall using the old methods of adobe construction. I bought a chair made by a local craftsman, carved out of a single massive avocado tree. He carried it on his back the mile or so from his home.

I am not a wealthy woman. In California, I could never have employed a crew for 18 months. As it was, paying the men a good local wage stretched me to my limits. But I knew this: When you gave a person a job in this village, a family of 10 would eat that night.

The men did beautiful work. Sometimes, checking in with them at the end of the day, I’d discover some detail — a spiral of tiny snail shells cemented into a shower wall, a broken ceramic monkey attached to a twisted piece of wood, with bougainvillea spilling from its head and silver paper from a chocolate bar wrapper for eyes. Miguel and Mateo trained plants to grow in the shapes of a giraffe, a llama, a rabbit and a heart. A carpenter named Bartolo built me a table of conacaste wood in the style of one I found on Pinterest that was designed by the woodworker George Nakashima.

Our days and weeks took on a rhythm. Every morning, as I made my way up the hill to my writing desk with my laptop and my coffee, I’d greet the crew of men coming down. As I sat at my desk, I’d hear the steady beat of the men’s hammers, the sound of rocks emptying from buckets.

It came to me that in all my years of writing books — almost half a century — I’d never known such an immediate connection between the stories I made up in my head and the world of physical labor. When the men and I called out our greetings every morning, we knew that each of us had a job to do. The one supported the other.

By the following winter, just over a year from when the world had shut down, with vaccines available at last, we welcomed 12 writing students. This time, they could stay on my property in the five new houses the men had built, sharing meals on the expanded veranda, looking out at the lake, with meals prepared by our local chef, Rosa.

I’m a writer, not a businesswoman. It came to me that if a person empties her bank account to build a property for 16 guests that requires a crew of more than 20 people to maintain it, the place cannot sit empty. And that is how I came to be the host of a hotel and retreat center.

With the time and thought I’ve devoted to building Casa Paloma, I probably could have written a few more books. The casitas bear the names of some I have written: “To Die For,” “At Home in the World,” “Count the Ways.” One, Casa Una, is named for my newest granddaughter. Over the last year, my team, made up almost entirely now of local men and women, has hosted more than 300 groups of guests — yoga practitioners, hikers intent on tackling the volcano, couples celebrating a honeymoon, families bringing children they had adopted years ago to the country of their birth for the first time. This past high season, we were booked almost every night.

Looking back
Back in 2020 — that stretch of months when it felt as though the world stood still — I experienced a state of such unprecedented concentration that I was able to finish a novel.

So — with the men still working — I started another novel about a woman from the United States who, in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, lands in a small village on the shores of a lake surrounded by volcanoes, in an unnamed Central American country. She finds herself unexpectedly running a magical hotel surrounded by orchids and birds.

At the time, I believed that what I was writing was a work of pure fiction, almost a fairy tale. It was a full year later that the thought occurred to me: I’d built a hotel, myself. Now I’d better figure out how to run one. And I did.
The pandemic strikes
I had scheduled my memoir workshop for March 2020, the month the pandemic struck the United States. As always, I’d booked a dozen rooms for my writing students in a small village hotel. Though coronavirus had not been reported in Guatemala, I was uncertain whether anyone would show up, but 16 women traveled there.

Two days later, the president of Guatemala announced that the airport was closing, and eight women flew home. Eight stayed on — making do with meals of rice and beans and guacamole, and plenty of wine.

Twelve days later, the State Department provided a plane to take U.S. citizens home. But I decided to remain, and invited two of the women from the workshop, Jenny and Xiren, to stay with me for a few weeks.

In the end, we stayed for six months — Casa Paloma, we realized, was probably the best place to be. People in the village appeared blessedly free of Covid. But another issue plagued them: With all tourists gone, they had no way of supporting their families.

Some of the expats in town took up a collection to help. I had lived in this place long enough to know what the community needed more: jobs. So I embarked on the project of building a guesthouse.

Every day, a crew of about 20 men made their way down the hillside with their picks and shovels, bags of cement or stones on their backs. Every morning, just as the sun was coming up, they greeted Jenny, Xiren and me as we sat at our laptops.

Sometimes a harpoon fisherman stopped by with a fish he’d caught 10 minutes before. That would be dinner, eaten by candlelight.

In the months that followed, I kept coming up with building projects. Five more casitas, each one different. One featured stone walls with hand-carved stone heads built into them, made by a man in the village. In one we built a high wall using the old methods of adobe construction. I bought a chair made by a local craftsman, carved out of a single massive avocado tree. He carried it on his back the mile or so from his home.

I am not a wealthy woman. In California, I could never have employed a crew for 18 months. As it was, paying the men a good local wage stretched me to my limits. But I knew this: When you gave a person a job in this village, a family of 10 would eat that night.

The men did beautiful work. Sometimes, checking in with them at the end of the day, I’d discover some detail — a spiral of tiny snail shells cemented into a shower wall, a broken ceramic monkey attached to a twisted piece of wood, with bougainvillea spilling from its head and silver paper from a chocolate bar wrapper for eyes. Miguel and Mateo trained plants to grow in the shapes of a giraffe, a llama, a rabbit and a heart. A carpenter named Bartolo built me a table of conacaste wood in the style of one I found on Pinterest that was designed by the woodworker George Nakashima.

Our days and weeks took on a rhythm. Every morning, as I made my way up the hill to my writing desk with my laptop and my coffee, I’d greet the crew of men coming down. As I sat at my desk, I’d hear the steady beat of the men’s hammers, the sound of rocks emptying from buckets.

It came to me that in all my years of writing books — almost half a century — I’d never known such an immediate connection between the stories I made up in my head and the world of physical labor. When the men and I called out our greetings every morning, we knew that each of us had a job to do. The one supported the other.

By the following winter, just over a year from when the world had shut down, with vaccines available at last, we welcomed 12 writing students. This time, they could stay on my property in the five new houses the men had built, sharing meals on the expanded veranda, looking out at the lake, with meals prepared by our local chef, Rosa.

I’m a writer, not a businesswoman. It came to me that if a person empties her bank account to build a property for 16 guests that requires a crew of more than 20 people to maintain it, the place cannot sit empty. And that is how I came to be the host of a hotel and retreat center.

With the time and thought I’ve devoted to building Casa Paloma, I probably could have written a few more books. The casitas bear the names of some I have written: “To Die For,” “At Home in the World,” “Count the Ways.” One, Casa Una, is named for my newest granddaughter. Over the last year, my team, made up almost entirely now of local men and women, has hosted more than 300 groups of guests — yoga practitioners, hikers intent on tackling the volcano, couples celebrating a honeymoon, families bringing children they had adopted years ago to the country of their birth for the first time. This past high season, we were booked almost every night.

Looking back
Back in 2020 — that stretch of months when it felt as though the world stood still — I experienced a state of such unprecedented concentration that I was able to finish a novel.

So — with the men still working — I started another novel about a woman from the United States who, in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, lands in a small village on the shores of a lake surrounded by volcanoes, in an unnamed Central American country. She finds herself unexpectedly running a magical hotel surrounded by orchids and birds.

At the time, I believed that what I was writing was a work of pure fiction, almost a fairy tale. It was a full year later that the thought occurred to me: I’d built a hotel, myself. Now I’d better figure out how to run one. And I did.

Guatemala participates for the first time in the Arabian Travel Market tourism fair

Guatemala participates for the first time in the Arabian Travel Market tourism fair

In order to position Guatemala in a new market of travelers and promote the country as a tourist destination in the United Arab Emirates, a small delegation participates in the Arabian Travel Market from May 1 to 4, which also places itself in front of potential buyers. the tourist offer and services.

The Guatemalan delegation is made up of two businessmen: Mayan Gateway and San Pedro Spanisch School, in addition to INGUAT and the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Guatemalan embassy in the Middle Eastern country.

The Guatemala stand provides the opportunity for international business partners to learn more about the cultural and natural wealth of our country as a tourist destination. In addition, activities will be carried out that include: coffee tasting by Guatemalan Coffees with the presence of barista and world champion Raúl Rodas. Presence of folkloric ballet from INGUAT and intervention by artists Emilie Dubois and Guillermo Cantón.

Arabian Travel Market is the market-leading international travel and tourism event unlocking business potential within the Middle East for inbound and outbound tourism professionals. With the participation of 52 countries, 300 exhibitors and more than 7 thousand professional visitors.

La-Calleja-de-las-Flores

The Alley of Flowers awaits you in Xetulul

The Plaza España has been renovated and now offers new entertainment and traditional cuisine tasting options.

On December 22, the representative area of Spain within the Xetulul park was inaugurated after its renovation. In this new area, the Recreation Institute of Private Enterprise Workers of Guatemala (IRTRA) offers new options to its visitors. The old alley has been renamed La Calleja de las Flores, where the Churrería de las Callejas has been set up, and a modern tapas bar has been designed.

La Churrería de las Callejas will offer the delicious and renowned churros it has always offered in Plaza Chapina, along with chocolate, coffee, tea, and crepes. The tapas bar will offer the traditional Spanish wine glass, called chato, as well as tapas and boards of cheeses and hams, croquettes, and Spanish omelettes. Additionally, for the comfort of visitors, both establishments are air-conditioned.

The Xetulul amusement park offers magic and fun for the whole family with its impressive attractions and thrilling electromechanical games, as well as spectacular roving shows and the fantastic Magic Show of the Grand Theater of France. It also features a wide variety of restaurants.

The design of Xetulul is based on an architectural setting that showcases the origin and history of Guatemala, as well as various European countries that have influenced Guatemalan culture, integrating nine squares: Plaza Chapina, Pueblo Guatemalteco, Plaza Maya, Plaza España, Plaza Italia, Plaza Francia, Plaza Alemania-Suiza, Plaza Pueblo Caribeño, and Plaza Pueblo Fantasía.

“IRTRA has been characterized by the continuous effort it makes to maintain the optimal level of maintenance and operation of its infrastructure, which is why it has carried out various renovations over time, with the aim of offering first-class facilities to all its visitors,” said Ricardo Castillo Sinibaldi, President of the Board of Directors of the Recreation Institute of Private Enterprise Workers of Guatemala – IRTRA.

The construction area of the tapas bar and La Churrería de las Callejas occupies a total of 230.36 m2, distributed over 2 levels. La Churrería de las Callejas is located on the first level, and the tapas bar is on the second level. La Calle de las Flores has 220.05 m2.

The Recreation Institute of Private Enterprise Workers of Guatemala – IRTRA – has been the creator of an unparalleled world of happiness for 60 years, where all Guatemalans can enjoy unique and joy-filled family moments, showing that Guatemala can transform into the prosperous land that all Guatemalans deserve; The Land of Yes We Can.”

10 Must-Visit Attractions in Guatemala

10 Must-Visit Attractions in Guatemala

Guatemala, known as the country of eternal spring for its privileged climate throughout the year, offers its visitors cities and archeological sites considered cultural heritage of humanity and natural beauties such as Lake Atitlan, one of the most beautiful in the world.

Thanks to its great millennial culture, in Guatemala, 21 languages are spoken that come from Mayan and others of different origins such as Xinca, and Garifuna, in addition to Spanish which is the official language. While Guatemala has several landmarks that are visitors’ favorites, there are lesser-known ones that hold fascinating secrets for those who love adventure and exploration.

Here we present 10 of the most recommended places to visit in this attractive Central American country.

La Antigua
This colonial city, cultural heritage of humanity, was founded in 1541 by the Spanish Crown and has baroque-style buildings that have been magnificently preserved, making it the most visited site in the country by national and foreign tourists. The main tourist attractions of La Antigua are the Palace of the Captains General, The Convent and Arch of Santa Catalina, The Plaza Mayor, The Jade Museum, The Old Cathedral of Guatemala, the museum of the University of San Carlos, the Holy Route of Brother Pedro, among others. Many visitors travel especially to La Antigua to observe the traditional annual Easter celebration that takes place in its streets and that is an impressive expression of religious fervor carried out by the inhabitants of the place.

Tikal National Park
This is the second most visited tourist destination in the country because it has valuable and impressive treasures of the ancient Mayan civilization. It is the most famous natural and cultural reserve in Guatemala and was declared a national park in 1955 and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979. Tikal is the largest excavated site in America and contains some of the most fascinating archeological remains of the ancient Mayan civilization. This important ceremonial center includes temples and palaces that are currently in excellent condition, as well as public squares. Inside the vestiges of the surroundings, there are houses scattered throughout the area.

Lake Atitlan
Considered among the 10 most beautiful lakes in the world, Atitlán is the deepest in Central America and is located in an area inhabited by Mayan populations that adopted the Catholic religion over time, which has made it one of the most attractive regions from the anthropological point of view thanks to the richness of this mixture of cultures. The hills and volcanoes around the lake offer exuberant forests, ideal for hiking. In addition, visitors can observe a great variety of birds, including woodpeckers, up to the Quetzal, the national bird.

Yaxha Nakum Naranjo ParkIts name comes from the archeological sites that make up it and that are located in the Department of Petén. The ruins of the ancient city of Yaxha are located on the northern bank of the lake known by the same name. The area is bordered by Tikal National Park. It has an outstanding set of archeological sites and houses a complex habitat of wetlands, and high and low forests, which give it a unique characteristic.

Chichicastenango
It is one of the emblematic towns of Mayan culture and one of the most important in the country. In the Church of Santo Tomás, located in the center of the town, was found the sacred Mayan book that narrates the origin of humanity. Chichicastenango is located in the Quiché Department, about 90 miles from Guatemala City. On this site was found the Popol Vuh, a Mayan religious book that explains the mythical origin of humanity in the Quiché culture.

Semuc Champey
It is one of the most important natural paradises, located in the north of Guatemala and especially preserved by the tourism authorities of the country. It is a source of water from the Cahabón River that has turquoise, blue and green tones, depending on the seasons. The place is an important tourist attraction for the region. It is located in a valley with steep slopes, bordered by a tropical edge with a great variety of flora. The subtropical forest that surrounds the place collaborates so that there is an great ecological wealth. Among the outstanding species are birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish, as well as a great variety of trees.

Caves of King Marcos
Here visitors can visit caves and swim in hot springs. The caves have been visited since pre-Columbian times. But they were reported as having been discovered in May 1998, a time since which they have been explored by experts in underground cavities. In Mayan culture, caves are considered gates to the underworld. Because of that, places such as the Caves of King Marcos have been settings of rituals, ceremonies and veneration.

Quiriguá Archeological Park
This is one of the three world heritage sites in Guatemala. It has important archeological vestiges, including giant stone-carved monoliths (up to 34 feet high), created by Mayan culture. The importance of Quirigua at a cultural level lies in the fact that despite being a small center, it has one of the largest squares in the Mayan area, as well as the most impressive sculptural ensemble, with the tallest sculpted monument (Estela E) that has been recorded to date in Mesoamerica.

Pacaya Volcano
It is the active volcano most visited by tourists from all over the world because it is very easy to climb, even for the less experienced adventurers. Their ascent is supported by guides who know the climbable paths. It has several scalable peaks that have the following names: Cerro Hoja de Queso, Cerro de Agua, Cerro Chiquito and Cerro Chino. For a person who does between little and no exercise the ascent time is 1 hour with 45 minutes. While the descent is done in about 1 hour.

Chicabal Lagoon
It is a lake located in the crater of a volcano that has traditionally been one of the most important for the realization of different ceremonies of the Max culture, so it is not allowed to swim in the place. On its banks are different altars used by Mayan priests. Sightseeing is not allowed in early May so as not to disturb the ceremonies and celebrations of the Mam population.

In addition to these sites, in the geography of Guatemala, there are many places for visitors to enjoy unique experiences such as yoga, in Tikal National Park, rafting in the Pacific area, mountaineering mainly in 13 volcanoes, canopy and paragliding in Lake Atitlan, among other activities.

Come and get tangled up in the new adventure that Xejuyup has for you

Come and get tangled up in the new adventure that Xejuyup has for you

The Recreation Institute for Private Enterprise Workers of Guatemala (IRTRA) is known for its constant innovation, providing quality attractions and fun for Guatemalans, and this summer is no exception.

Yesterday, on Sunday, April 10th, Xejuyup opened the doors to its new attraction, the Tangled Castle, where all family members will enjoy an unparalleled ride while always maintaining all necessary safety measures for visitors.

This attraction stands out from the others because it features individual 4-seat cars where spins can be enjoyed by both adults and children, as the minimum height to enter is 1.20 meters.

“The fun never stops at Xejuyup; undoubtedly, seeing the excitement of the little ones being able to ride and enjoy the journey with their parents brings us joy,” commented Ricardo Castillo Sinibaldi, President of IRTRA. “We are starting the summer in the best way; this attraction brings excitement and joy to our visitors. That’s why we invite you to come and enjoy everything that Xejuyup has for this season of fun and warmth,” he added.

The entire ride can be completed in 3 minutes and 20 seconds, and every second is filled with excitement and adrenaline. The Tangled Castle is made of lightweight but high-security materials, making the journey in its carriages completely attractive.

Getting to know Di WAV

Getting to know Di WAV

Daniela Carpio, known as Di WAV, is a Swiss-Guatemalan singer, songwriter, model, and presenter. She is an alternative music artist who blends pop, dance, and retro sounds to create her own unique style.

She is the daughter of lawyer Karen Fischer and Rodrigo Carpio. At the age of 14, she wrote her first song. At 20, she decided to live in Panama, where she pursued a degree in Social Communication Sciences, graduating in 2007, and continued her musical studies. She started singing professionally in 2008.

In 2006, she made her television hosting debut on the Panamanian equestrian program “Solo Caballos,” broadcast on Mall TV, part of the Medcom network. She worked on the show for two seasons.

In 2008, she returned to Guatemala and continued working independently. In the same year, she worked on the electronic single “Tell Me” with DJ Ronxxx and Santiago Niño. She collaborated on four more singles of the same genre with DJ Ronxxx and other DJs.

In 2011, she became the face of Pepsi in Guatemala and hosted the Pepsi Music Challenge TV alongside Nelson Bustamante, broadcast by Albavisión, breaking audience rating records.

Daniela Carpio returned to television in 2014 on Azteca Guatemala as a host on the programs “Ventaneando Acá” and “Academia Kids.”

In 2015, Carpio migrated to the United States in search of new opportunities. She became a producer and presenter on the Spanish Broadcasting System LaMusica digital platform. Currently, she hosts the shows “Alterlatino” and “#TBT.”

Discography
In 2010, she released her first album, “S.U.P.E.R (Sexy, Urban Pop, Electro, Retro),” featuring singles like “Timbaolize,” “Back To Roots,” “Dont Know you/ No te Conozco,” and “¿Dónde Está?” which gained popularity in Guatemala. The track “S.U.P.E.R.” was chosen by MTV Latin America to be part of the soundtrack for the series Popland.

In 2012, she began working on her new album produced by Juan Luis Lopera, Rudy Bethancourt, and Santiago Carvajal (FAINAL). The first single, “Lejos,” reached number 1 on the country’s most important charts and was selected for the original music of the new MTV Latin America series, Niñas Mal 2. In late 2014, she collaborated with the Colombian group ALKILADOS on the song “Corazón Quebrado.” The music video surpassed 400,000 views on platforms like Youtube and Facebook. In May 2015, she released her new single “La Vida No Es La Misma” and presented her second studio album, “EL MUNDO ME HIZO ASÍ,” on June 22, 2015.

In 2018, after three years of absence, Carpio met Latin Grammy-nominated producer/composer Marthin Chan, with whom she produced her third album. She adopted the artistic name Di WAV and announced the release of her first single “Dominos.”

Watch Di Wav’s new music video titled “333” below.