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08/29/2004 Entry: "Guatemala"

I have just returned from a one week business trip in Guatemala - though according to Mexicana, I should have never gone there in the first place! The proud airline with the "most modern fleet in the world" boasts the (...)

Guatemala is one of the poorest countries of Latin America (a call center agent earns US$120 per month and the indigeneous population lives in much more difficult conditions), graced with the nicest and most polite people. In Guate (as the inhabitants call the capital of Guatemala), you will see perfect strangers wishing you "buen provecho" in the restaurants and acquaintances treating you with attention and respect. Quite a refreshing attitude compared to what I'm used to in Mexico City, especially considering the decades of unrest that this country had to bear.

At the same time, Guatemala is the victim of a Mexican business invasion: Telgua is owned by Telmex and several big name Mexican corporations have burst into Guate: Elektra, Farmacias Similares, etc. I can't help seeing a parallel with the Mexico-USA case, where Wal-Mart, Ford, etc. dominate the consumer scene.

I stayed in the hotel Ramada Conquistador in Zona 4. Nice rooms, friendly staff, but a noise from Hell coming from two streets sandwiching the hotel. Oh, and also the worst Caesar Salad I have ever been granted the displeasure of tasting in my entire life. A few blocks from the hotel is a lovely pedestrian zone called Cuatro Grados Norte, full of bars and restaurants. Amongst the latters, I recommend Del Paseo and L'Osteria - yummy!

Guate is amazingly devoid of nightlife during the first part of the week. Even trying to find a restaurant to have dinner on a Thursday night after 11:00PM was a sort of quest for the Graal. Streets are terribly empty compared to the constant buzz of Mexico City. Nevertheless, Guate offers very good dining, starting with Carpaccio next to the hotel Camino Real. Don't miss their starter made of mushrooms only found in Guatemala. The Fratelli in the heart of Zona 10 is a popular Italian restaurant worth a visit. For traditional haute-cuisine from Guatemala, an excellent option is Kacao, a picturesque restaurant hosted in a tiki hut with charming decoration.

Overall, Guate is rather unimpressive and feature only a few monuments worth photographing. The 3D map of the country in Zona 2 is a strange place that affords a good view of Guatemala's geography. High volcanos are located only 1 hour from Guate, while the waves of the Pacific ocean await a mere 2 hours from the capital. Most tourists seem to skip Guate and head straight to Antigua Guatemala.

Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage site, like Cartagena de Indias in Colombia, and the parallels are easy to trace: colourful Spanish colonial houses dating back as far as the 16th century, compelling setting with 3 major volcanos in sight, vibrant cultural life and heaps of tourists. What sets Antigua apart from Cartagena is the amount of destruction the city suffered until the major blow of the 1773 earthquake and the move of the capital to Guate. Most churches are nothing but ruins enclosed by remaining walls - a desolate sight. Only the Merced church still displays what was Antigua's past glorious architecture.

Besides travelling to the time of the Conquistadores, a visit to Antigua is also a good opportunity to shop for the colourful textiles from Guatemala, famous around the world. I recommend stopping at the Casa del Tejido textile shop. In addition to excellent quality original products, the place is run by local Mayan women and part of the proceeds help the indigeneous communities.

I only had the pleasure to enjoy a few hours in Antigua but many friends from Guatemala wholeheartedly recommended the Casa Santo Domingo hotel set in the ruins of the monastery of the same name. Its exteriors did look very attractive and if the concept is anything like the Sofitel Santa Clara in Cartagena de Indias, then you would never forget your stay there!

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