MAYA-HO! _{Guatemala, Easter 2003}

Being a spring journey to Antigua and Lago Atitlán and Panajachel ('Pana' or 'Gringotenango') and Chichicastenango ('Chichi') and Quezaltenango ('Xela') — and other locales in the departments of Guatemala ('Wa-te') and Saqatepéquez and Chimaltenango ('Chimi') and Sololá and Quezaltenango.

(NOTE: TENANGO means 'place'. Quezaltenango is 'the place of the quetzals.' Will we see any quetzals? Well, gringos are more common. And I'm not sure about chichicas, eh?)

Maureen's cousin Beth was once married to one Don Carter (no relation), Years later, their oldest son Chris worked as a surgical assistant on a CommonHope ocular surgery team in rural Central America. There he fell in love. The day before Palm Sunday 2003, Chris and Mayari are to wed in the grand old cathedral in grand old Antigua, Guatemala. We were invited. We are going, along with other family. And we are staying over.

I was at first reluctant about Guatemala (there was a recent vicious civil war); then over-ambitions (gotta see Belize and Yucutan too!); and now, with a bit of study, some research and thought, the plans are jelling. And it looks to be a six week trip.

Well, it seems that the place is beautiful, and cheap, and now that the wretched civil war is over, pretty safe too.

"Guatemala is most people's favorite Central American country. Indeed, many gringos with grand plans to travel as far as Panama or beyond, don't get any further than Guatemala, so seductive is this country. And you can see why: the Indians are the most colourful in all Latin America and have stuck tenaciously to their customs, languages and way of life. The scenery is also beautiful... Guatemala is also very cheap." —Bradt & Rachowiecki

How beautiful? Aldous Huxley said it was nearly too much to take. How cheap? Well, language schools, Spanish and/or Quiche Mayan, with full room and board, go from US$100 per week. And a pair of moderate travelers can enjoy clean food and digs for under US$700 per month. Misers can spend much less. Zow.

Anyway, we will likely never have an opportunity quite like this again. So, ¡CARPE DIEM!

Those 6 weeks run from early April to mid-May 2003, and encompass Semana Santa (Holy Week), 13-20 April. As it happens, our last major excursion, to Amalfi, Italy also included Holy Week (just a coincidence?); and we want to observe the festivities and note the similarities and differences. Hooded and robed processionaries (copied by Klansmen) abound in both.

Those 6 weeks also bridge the cusp between Dry and Wet seasons, and are definitely deep within Mosquito season down in the lowlands. Since we'd rather not spend gobs of money on malaria medications, we won't visit the lowland Maya sites or Caribbean beaches this time. Some other year, probably in January-February when the bugs are down, we'll head for such warm moist areas.

The highest of high seasons in Antigua is Holy Week, from Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) to Easter Sunday (Pascua); people come from EVERYWHERE for the gargantuan, fervent holy processions. And just how big a thang is this?

"Antigua, Guatemala hosts the largest celebration of Lent and Holy Week in the Western Hemisphere. In this world, it is second only to Seville, Spain." —Susan Long

As a result, accommodations are VERY difficult to find at short notice. The bride's father knows the management at the Radisson, so all the visiting family members are barracked there until Ash Wednesday, but that's when events really pick up in Antigua. So we did a lot of emailing and secured a booking at a more modest inn, Posada la Merced, for a further week at a very reasonable rate.

During our fortnight in Antigua we'll acclimate and recover, then hike and bike the burg, explore the museums, and take day trips around the vicinity. But then we want to spend some time in other highland towns: to frequent the markets, to see some fiestas, and especially to pass a week or so in indolence around Lago Atitlán, reputedly one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. So now we're starting the research for how best to fit everything in. So many towns, so many decisions...

(At the lake: swimming is best done AWAY from Pana. Sea kayaks can be rented. The lake gets choppy in the afternoon. Some lakeside villages can only be reached by water or afoot. A dive school will get you PADI dive certification in 4 days for US$160. Et cetera.)

Hitting the markets isn't just about acquiring stuff, although we DO intend to come back with some fabrics, ceramics, black jade, music & instruments, all reputedly very inexpensive. (Not counting import duties, of course.) No, the markets are where folks gather, thus are grand stages for people-watching. Yeah, some markets are strictly for tourists, but many others are authentic, or so it is said.

Holy Week (Santa Semana); Lake Atitlán; shrines to Maximón aka Ry Laj Man aka San Simón aka Judas Iscariot, the cigar-smoking rum-swilling "evil saint"); some major museums and historical buildings; Mayan ruins; markets and festivals; accessible volcanos; some hot waters; the Chicken Buses; the wedding. Not necessarily in that order, of course.

Readying for Guatemala will likely be much like preparing for Amalfi, Italy, but with lighter loads. We won't just park our bags at one place for the entire stay, we'll have to schlep them around in shuttle vans (but NOT on the risky Chicken Buses - those are for day trips only!) And we'll have to brush up on our quite rusty Spanish. And get in shape. And read voraciously. And board the cat. And get vaccinations. Oh fun.

The gear to haul is simple, and mostly at hand.

• Travelwear: lightweight synthetic inner- and outer-wear, 2-3 each of shirts, tees, drawers, socks, zip-leg pants; a wide-brim hat. belt, sweater, rainbreaker, collapsable walking-stick, boots, sandals.
• Electronics: a digicam, AM-FM-SW radio, minidisc recorder, mic, CD player, headphones, walkie-talkies, AA batteries & charger, surge suppressor. If we get extra cash in time, a 2-pound computer and better cameras would be nice, too. But no more.
• Paper: A notepad, guides, maps, tissues, etc.
• Luggage: Stuff everything into a daypack and a light duffle, and go.

Actually there's a little more than that. We must transport some dressy clothes for the wedding; but those will be packed and shipped back to California immediately afterwards. Wrapped around some local goodies, maybe?

And of course one must carry food and water on planes and buses and any other conveyances, for one never knows WHERE the next provision stop is. Be prepared.