Guatemala has a rich and distinctive culture from the long mix of elements from Spain and the native Maya people This diverse history and the natural beauty of the land has created a destination rich in interesting and scenic sites
The first evidence of human settlers in Guatemala goes back to at least 12,000 BC Sites dating back to 6500 BC have been found in Quiché in the Central Highlands and Sipacate, Escuintla on the central Pacific coast Archaeologists divide the pre-Columbian history of Mesoamerica into the Pre-Classic period 2000 BC to 250 AD El Mirador was by far the most populated city in pre-Columbian America Both the El Tigre and Monos pyramids encompass a volume greater than 250,000 cubic meters Mirador was the first politically organized state in America
The Classic period of Mesoamerican civilization corresponds to the height of the Maya civilization, and is represented by countless sites throughout Guatemala, although the largest concentration is in Petén This period is characterized by heavy city-building, the development of independent city-states, and contact with other Mesoamerican cultures This lasted until around 900 AD, when the Classic Maya civilization collapsed The Maya abandoned many of the cities of the central lowlands or were killed off by a drought-induced famine The Post-Classic period is represented by regional kingdoms such as the Itzá and Ko'woj in the lakes area in Petén, and the Mam, Ki'ch'es, Kack'chiquel, Tz'utuh'il, Pokom'chí, Kek'chi and Chortí in the Highlands These cities preserved many aspects of Mayan culture, but would never equal the size or power of the Classic cities
After arriving in what was named the New World, the Spanish mounted several expeditions to Guatemala, beginning in 1519 Before long, Spanish contact resulted in an epidemic that devastated native populations During the colonial period, Guatemala was an Audiencia and a Captaincy General of Spain, and a part of New Spain Mexico It extended from the modern Mexican states of Tabasco and Chiapas to Costa Rica This region was not as rich in minerals gold and silver as Mexico and Peru, and was therefore not considered to be as important Its main products were sugarcane, cocoa, blue añil dye, red dye from cochineal insects, and precious woods used in artwork for churches and palaces in Spain
On September 15, 1821, the Captaincy-general of Guatemala formed by Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras officially proclaimed its independence from Spain and its incorporation into the Mexican Empire, which was dissolved two years later The Guatemalan provinces formed the United Provinces of Central America Guatemala's "Liberal Revolution" came in 1871 under the leadership of Justo Rufino Barrios, who worked to modernize the country, improve trade, and introduce new crops and manufacturing During this era coffee became an important crop for Guatemala Barrios had ambitions of reuniting Central America and took the country to war in an unsuccessful attempt to attain this, losing his life on the battlefield in 1885 against forces in El Salvador From 1898 to 1920, Guatemala was ruled by the dictator Manuel Estrada Cabrera, whose access to the presidency was helped by the United Fruit Company
On July 4, 1944, Dictator Jorge Ubico Castañeda was forced to resign his office in response to a wave of protests and a general strike, and from then until the end of a murderous civil war in 1996, Guatemala was subject to a series of coups with massive attendant civil rights abuses State-sponsored murders of students, human rights activists and the ethnic Mayan peoples, gained Guatemala a terrible reputation around the world In 1999, US president Bill Clinton stated that the United States was wrong to have provided support to Guatemalan military forces that took part in the brutal civilian killings
Since the peace accords in 1996, Guatemala has witnessed successive democratic elections, most recently in 2007 when The National Unity of Hope and its president candidate Álvaro Colom won the presidency as well as the majority of the seats in congress
It is difficult to travel in the more remote areas during the rainy season between mid-May and mid-October into mid-November in the north
The months of March and April are very hot especially in the low lying areas such as the Pacific coastal plain
Spanish is the official language of Guatemala, and the most commonly spoken Over twenty indigenous languages are still spoken throughout, but many of the Maya people have at least a working knowledge of basic Spanish as well, except in the more remote areas For the Garifuna people in Livingston, Garifuna and English are the main languages but Spanish is spoken as well
The most familiar form of Spanish spoken among good friends is the "tú" and "vos" form, but varies between regions It is considered rude and very informal if used with someone that you do not know As a tourist, it is safer to stick with the "usted" form However, don't be surprised if some homestay families and some language teachers jump right into using the "tú" or "vos" form If they do, you may respond in kind
Maya ruins are the key attractions in the country and the most notable are El Mirador, perhaps the cradle of Maya civilisation, and Tikal
Guatemala has a lot of volcanoes, many of them over 3,000 metres high
Guatemala is rich in natural beauty and travel opportunities, it's a country that offers so much to those willing to step off the beaten track for a little while
Antigua Guatemala is often regarded as the travellers hub, a crumbling, picture-perfect central american town ringed by volcanoes From here you can take a hike up Volcano Pacaya, take a bus to the bustling market of Chichicastenango, or simply sip some coffee in a street-side cafe and watch the world go by
Lake Atitlan or Lago de Atitlán is another frequent stop on any visitors itinerary A volcano-rimmed lake with plenty of backpacker hostels and Mayan villages that dot the shores
Flores in Guatemala's wild north is a tourist friendly island in the middle of Lake Petén Itzá From here you can take a bus ride to one of best preserved Mayan ruins in the world, Tikal Howler monkeys and dense jungle make walking around the ruins an adventure in itself
The local currency is the Quetzal which is named after the national bird, which has ancient and mythic connotations even today One US dollar is equivalent to 81 Quetzales US dollars are widely accepted and can be exchanged in most small towns ATMs can be found in the major towns but do not expect to find them in every tourist spot It is fairly easy to find your self in a town without an ATM or a place to change money
Do not expect to be able to easily exchange travelers checks to Guatemala You might find a few places willing to accept checks issued by American Express but all other types are universally turned down Amazingly even major banks in Guatemala City do not accept VISA travelers checks
The national currency is Quetzales The rate of change is approximately 834 Quetzales for 1 US Dollar and 1178 for 1 €uro January 2010 It is common to use dollars in tourist areas You will most likely have difficulties in changing other currencies than US Dollars, but euros are becoming increasingly common
It is common to bargain for most purchases in the open air market Though you may be able to bargain in other places, be aware that chain-owned shops have fixed prices you are no more likely to bargain in a Guatemalan Radio Shack than an American one
These are some characteristically Guatemalan things you might consider buying here:
Typical food:
A typical breakfast is Frijoles, eggs and bread with coffee of course
The type of food really depends on how much you want to spend and what type of place you want to spend it at You can get almost any type of food at the main tourist locations In the aldeas small towns your choices are mostly limited to those items listed above Guatemalan food differs from Mexican food in that it is a lot less spicy, and chillies are generally served in a separate dish from the main course to be added as desired, rather than included in the food
Popular Guatemalan beers are Gallo lager, by far the most popular with Guatemalans, Victoria, Brahva a light pilsner style, Moza dark bock, Cabro, Monte Carlo premium, and Dorada Don't be surprised if you get salt and lemon with your beer It's a custom to put some salt on the toes of the bottle, and screw out the lemon in the beer Sometimes it is mixed with V8 vegetable juice, and the concoction is called michelada
Guatemala produces a number of rums, including the superb Ron Zacapa Centenario which is aged up to 30 years
Tequila is a very popular drink in Guatemala
Guatemalans usually dress down when they go out
If you order a bottled drink, you will normally get a tissue to clean the bottle Coca-Cola and Pepsi-type products are available, plus many from local soft drink manufacturers
You will likely find cheap hotels in every town or village in Guatemala In the main tourist areas, there are also many high quality hotels
There are various volunteering opportunities
| Meal in inexpensive restaurant | 28.79 GTQ |
| 3-course meal in restaurant (for 2) | 195.43 GTQ |
| McDonalds meal | 42.07 GTQ |
| Local beer (0.5 draft) | 20.96 GTQ |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 16.65 GTQ |
| Cappuccino | 17.58 GTQ |
| Pepsi/Coke (0.33 bottle) | 7.63 GTQ |
| Water (0.33 bottle) | 6.19 GTQ |
| Milk (1l) | 10.17 GTQ |
| Fresh bread (500g) | 17.06 GTQ |
| White Rice (1kg) | 11.64 GTQ |
| Eggs (12) | 16.11 GTQ |
| Local Cheese (1kg) | 46.59 GTQ |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 39.71 GTQ |
| Apples (1kg) | 25.94 GTQ |
| Oranges (1kg) | 20.23 GTQ |
| Tomato (1kg) | 7.52 GTQ |
| Potato (1kg) | 8.44 GTQ |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 4.56 GTQ |
| Water (1.5l) | 7.2 GTQ |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 77.56 GTQ |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 bottle) | 11.79 GTQ |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 12.87 GTQ |
| Cigarettes | 19.4 GTQ |
| One way local bus ticket | 2.22 GTQ |
| Monthly pass for bus | 89.1 GTQ |
| Taxi start | 22.06 GTQ |
| Taxi 1km | 5.53 GTQ |
| Taxi 1hour waiting | 27.3 GTQ |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 7.54 GTQ |
| Utilities for a "normal" apartment | 652.89 GTQ |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 60.67 GTQ |
