Welcome to Guatemala
I arrived by overnight bus in Guatemala City after a very long trip from Managua, Nicaragua. It was evening and I was met by a representative from my Spanish school. I must have been a little nervous arriving solo because I made the man who picked me up call the Spanish school before I got in his car. It was a solid solo travel strategy and knew I was in good hands right away. We drove to Antigua and I was promptly dropped off at the wrong homestay. Thank goodness this was quickly resolved. From there on, things went very smoothly.
Indeed what happened was that I fell for Guatemala. This Central American country is bursting with volcanoes, ancient Mayan ruins and rainforests. The Mayan culture is still evident today and locals can still be seen wearing their traditional dress. The vestiges of the Spanish conquest are also evident in the stunning architecture seen in the cities. Antigua is full of ageing colonial buildings. Guatemala managed to steal a piece of my heart and is definitely on my “must return to” list.
Posts on Guatemala
- The city of Antigua is surrounded by volcanoes and full of Spanish colonial ruins. I lived there for 10 days with a family while I went to Spanish school. Read about what I found in this post: No Map Required: Antigua Guatemala
- The ancient Mayan civilization of Tikal situated in the Guatemalan jungle holds many mysteries. The towering pyramids are so impressive, especially when a chorus of howler monkeys chimes in. Tikal left me with an appreciation for ancient civilizations and a myriad of questions. Read all about visiting Tikal right here: The Mayan Ruins of Tikal
- Figuring out how to get from Antigua to Tikal can be a bit confusing. Looking for the answers to your questions about travelling to Tikal? Read right here about how to get to Tikal: Getting There: Antigua, Guatemala to Tikal
