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GUATEMALA

A country which has so much to offer...

This is the third trip which we perform except French borders.

We are accompanied by a couple of Var friends met during our trip to Thailand in 1989, and who wanted to do this circuit in Central America.

Details of circuit

We left with Amerimex turn operator which put on bankrupt 15 days after our return, leaving unfinished dozens tourists.

And we pointed nothing out during our stay which let predict this exit.

Hotel or tourist benefits were of quality, especially thanks to their correspondents.

The guiding link of our circuit had as topic the Mayan which have lived for a long time in this region and more in the south in the Guatemala and in Belize and the monumental ruins of which divided on these three countries denote their big energy and their hold over several centuries.

The visit of the Guatemala was an adventure because the country opened barely in tourism and the conditions of trip were folk, but with always worries to accept us with the best possible reception.

The beginning and the end of the trip being made in Mexico, you will find the page with all details of this party on: Mexico...

Guatemala ciudad - Quetzaltenango

We take the plane then for Guatemala ciutad ( Icone ) city streets and avenues of which are sharpened in the match, in the American style what!!

Few things to be seen or has discover, because tourism is in its stammering there.

Therefore we left the capital of the country direction: Quetzaltenango ( Icone ) big city with some ruins dating the last earthquake.

Chichicastenango - Atitlan lake

Therefore we préferons go off towards Chichicastenango ( Icone ) where is one of the markets Indian most known and the most colouring of Central America..

They can see numerous formalities and rituals in front of the church San Thomas .

It is also the révé place to buy masks makes hand.

Aprés direction the lake Atitlan ( Icone ) which they cross by boat to arrive to one of the last Indian villages where is still maintained certain traditions as the weaving or the pottery.

Antigua

Antigua ( Icone ) is the former capital of the Kingdom of Guatemala.

It is known for its Baroque and Spanish Renaissance style colonial architecture and for its ruins caused by the two earthquakes of 1773.

The city has many remarkable buildings such as: The Palace of Capitaines-Généraux, The San José Cathedral, The Ayuntamiento The Church of La Merced and especially Las Capuchinas (Capuchin Convent), magnificent buildings.

Flores - Tikal

After passing through the capital we reach the city of Flores ( Icone ) to be able to visit the largest Mayan city Tikal ( Icone ) discovered only 50 years ago.

But most of the monuments are still in the jungle and there is a lot of work to be done.

Weather forecast

GUATEMALA C.A WEATHER

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Latest news

INFORMATION1st November 2022
Coronavirus
Regarding the conditions of entry, stay and exit from the national territory, it is advisable to consult the Covid Alert as well as the website of the Ministry of the Interior.
Provisions in force in Guatemala
The authorities have announced the lifting of restrictions on entry into the territory of Guatemala as of August 12, 2022. Travelers are therefore no longer required to present proof of vaccination or the negative result of a screening test upon arrival. to Covid-19.
Wearing a protective mask in all circumstances, although it is no longer mandatory, is however strongly recommended.

Ce qu'il faut savoir

History

The Maya civilization appeared about 1000 years before our era. It has developed in almost all of Guatemala. However, most of the Classic period towns in the Petén region of the northern plains were abandoned around AD 1000.

On the other hand, the states settled in the plateaus of the center of the country continued to prosper until the arrival of the Spaniards. Pedro Alvarado, a Spanish conquistador, brutally destroyed and subjugated these states between 1523-1527. The Spaniards had conquered all of Central America, and most of it was under the control of the Captaincy General of Guatemala.

The Spanish founded the capital of Guatemala first in the site which they call Ciudad Vieja now. But this city was destroyed by inundations and an earthquake in 1542. The survivors founded, in 1543, a new city which carries the name of Antigua now. Antigua became one of the capitals the richest in the continent in XVIIth century.

Antigua was hit again and again by volcanic eruptions, inundations and earthquakes. Two earthquakes destroyed the city in 1773. The ruins of this city are kept and considered to be national monuments. The third capital, which stayed until our days, the city of Guatemala was founded in 1776 after authorities ordered to abondonner Antigua.

The Guatemala became independent on September 15th, 1821. The Guatemala was part of the empire of Mexico during some time and then inserted Provinces - United of Central America. Provinces - United been démantélée at the end of the civil war of 1838-1840. Rafael Carrera was one of the key persons of revolution against the government federal and morcelement of the country.

Will ensconce, supported by the conservatives, the propiétaires land big and the Church, was dictator of the Guatemala of 1844 up to its death in 1865. The inversion of the dictator Jorge Ubico in 1944 marked the beginning of ten years of democracy. Juan José Arevalo, leader of the party which overturns the dictator is elected president in 1945, he tries to promote capitalist laws, with even labour laws what is more in Europe or in the United States at the beginning of the XIXth century.

United Fruit Company has a power mattering in this country. The shone colonel Jacobo Arbenz succéde in 1951, elected with a broad majoritée of the ways, he advocates a system of independent capitalism. Spear of the program of health, literacy tuition, and an agricultural reform, or the rich landowners have to pay levies.

During the Tenth conference of the Chanceliers de l' Organisation of States Américains (OEA), in Caracas, in March, 1954, John Foster Dulles, state secretary of the president Dwight Eisenhower, main stockholder of the United Fruit Company, influential society in the Guatemala, and brother of Allen Welsh Dulles, manager of the CIA, approves the delegates envoy by Fulgencio Batista, dictator of Cuba, Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, dictator of the Dominican Republic and Anastasio Somoza, dictator of Nicaragua, for whom Arbenz is an agent of Moscow.

The chancellor Guillermo Toriello, refute one in one accusations. In June, 1954, the pervaded lieutenant-colonel Carlos Castillo Armas the country, helped by troops entrainées in Honduras by CIA. Planes sent by the United States pour out 250 kg bombs on the civil population. June 25th, 1954, Arbenz orders to distribute weapon to the people, the army refuses, Arbenz resigns at night from June 27th.

This dictator was slaughtered in 1958 and replaced with the general Ydigoras Fuentes. Some noncommissioned officers rebelled in 1960, but their try failed. Some of them then left hide in the forest and established contacts with Cuba. This group of servicemen formed cores of the guerilla which opposed to the central government up to agreements of 1996.

In 1992, Rigoberta Mench ú, Mayan indigène who participated in the emancipation of his people, accepted the Nobel prize of Peace. They can name 4 big groups of guerillas of extreme left: EGP, ORPA, PGT, FAR. These 4 groups united in 1982 to form URNG (Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca or Union Guatemalan National Revolutionary).

Policy

The Guatemala is a parliamentary Republic. The legislative and presidential elections take place every 4 years at the same time. The president is at the same time the leader of the State and the head of government. The president and the ministers whom he names are at the head of the executive power. The legislative is composed only of the single room relying 113 deputies.

Geography

The Guatemala is a hilly, safe country along coasts where they find lowlands. Climate is tropical, though more tempered in altitude. The most part of the big cities are located in the south of the country. Among the big cities let us name the city of Guatemala, Quetzaltenango and Escuintla.

The big lake of Izabal is located near the coast overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The Guatemala is divided into 22 departments: Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso, Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten, Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa.

More half of the inhabitants goes down from Mayan indigènes. They call in Spanish ladinos indigènes and mestizoes (of European blood and indigène) westernized. The majority of the Guatemalan live in the country zones, even if it is necessary to determine an acceleration of departures for cities. Main religion is Catholicism, but numerous elements of local traditions were introduced there.

About 40 % of the Guatemalan are Protestants and 1 % play Mayan religion. Spanish is the only official language, but all indigènes does not consist of it. However, since the peace agreements of December, 1996, certain official documents are translated in indigènes languages.

Economy

Agriculture represents a quarter of the GDP, two - third of exports. This area also occupies the half of working population. Coffee, sugar and bananas are the main exports of the country. Fabricated property and building represents 20 % of the GDP. The end of civil war removed the biggest obstacle to the foreign investments.

The president Alvaro Arzu led a policy of modernization of economy and liberalization. The hurricane Mitch, which hit the country in 1998, caused damage, nevertheless less serious than in the neighbouring countries

Source : Wikipedia

Additional information

When to leave?

Nice climate all year long, but prefer in November, December, January and February.

Transport

Distance between cities and tourist places is not very big (except to go to Tikal, but they can take the plane). However, if they travel in bus, rely 30 - 40 km / h of average, but They often run as crazy.

Sleep / Eat

If you arrive from Mexico, you will find many common culinary points as twisted them of corn, black beans, soup of chicken or meat of beef, etc In The Guatemala, dishes are not seasoned, the chile is apart served. There is a palette of accommodations to satisfy all needs and all grants. Attention, in the tourist places, hotels are full notably at the time of the holy Week and the weekend.

Purchase

In most cases togs, especially in big and leading sizes, footwear also, otherwise to the liking of your visits.

Sopa de pollo

Ingredients
1/2 chicken 1.5 l stock 200 g sweet potatoes 1 onion 30 g butter 2 tbsp. tablespoons oil 30 g ground almonds 40 g bitter cocoa powder 1 pinch of cayenne pepper 2 tbsp. tablespoons chopped coriander salt
Preparation
Cook the chicken in water for 1 hour. Heat the broth in a saucepan. As soon as it boils, add the sweet potatoes cut into cubes. Cook them over low heat for 15 minutes. Chop the onion finely and brown it in a pan with the butter and oil. Bone the chicken carcass, grind the flesh and skin and add them to the onion in the pan, along with the ground almonds. Salt. Mix with a wooden spoon and cook for a few minutes. Then pour this mixture into the broth. In a bowl, dilute the cocoa and cayenne pepper with a little hot broth. Add them to the pan. Leave to cook for 4 or 5 minutes and, before serving, add the chopped coriander

Starters

Empanadas de camarones

Ingredients

250 g prawns 75 g chickpea flour 75 g wheat flour 200 ml olive oil 1 sprig of parsley 1 sprig of chives Salt Water
Preparation
First we mix the two types of flour in a bowl and add a little salt. Then it's time to add water little by little and go to incorporate the mixture. Finally, there should be a thick, smooth consistency. Then wash the prawns well and season them to taste, before incorporating them into our body with the onion and finely chopped parsley. Then form patties from the dough and fry them in a pan in a saucepan with a little oil. Brown it on both sides and let it rest on absorbent paper before serving. Are best served hot and accompanied by a sauce of chillies.

Dishes

Estofado de pescado

Ingredients
500 ml of coconut milk. 1 small onion peeled and thinly sliced. 1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced. 900 g snapper fillets, cut into 5 cm pieces. 450 g large prawns, peeled and deveined . 1 can (142g) baby clams, drained, 100ml reserved liquid. 1 C. peanut oil soup. 1 C. dried oregano coffee. ¼ tsp. coffee ground annatto seeds (not easy to find). ½ tsp. salt coffee. ¼ tsp. black pepper coffee from the mill. 1 medium banana, peeled, in slices 3 cm thick. 1 medium tomato, diced. 3 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander soup.
Preparation
Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then sauté the onion and bell pepper over medium heat until tender (about 4 minutes). Add the coconut milk (and 100ml liquid from the clams), oregano, annatto seeds, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Add the fish and prawns (if prawns already cooked, add them later), and continue cooking until the fish is just cooked through (about 10 minutes). Add the banana and tomato (along with the shrimp and clams), and simmer for 5 minutes or until the banana is cooked. Add cilantro, then serve in warmed bowls.

Pollo indio

Ingredients
2 onions. 4 cloves of garlic. 1 spoonful of olive oil. 2 cups of black rice. 750 g pounds of chicken pieces (breasts, thighs and breast). 40 cl of low calorie yogurt. 2 tbsp. of flour. 1 tsp cumin.. 1/2 tsp. tsp ginger. 1 green pepper. 2 tomatoes. Parsley.
Preparation
Cook the garlic and onion in the hot oil until the onion is colored but not burnt. Then pour in the black rice. Put the rice in a casserole dish and place the chicken pieces on it. In the blender put the yogurt, flour, cumin, ginger and half a spoonful of salt. Mix this with the chile finely cut and put in the sauce. Cook covered for 50 or 60 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Serve with sliced tomatoes. Adorn with parsley

Pollo con piña

Ingredients
1 small pineapple.. 100 g cold rice.. 400 g chicken or turkey cut into strips. 1 stalk of celery. 1/2 bell pepper. 20 cl of diet yogurt. 10 cl of dietary mayonnaise. 2 tbsp. s of skimmed milk. 1 to 2 teaspoons of curry powder.
Preparation
Cut the pineapple into 4 pieces lengthwise. Then remove the inner part to leave a kind of shell 2 cm thick. Remove the core from the fruit. Leave enough pulpit to fill the interior. Cover and freeze leftover fruit for another use. Cover and chill the pineapple "cans" until ready to serve. In a container put half of the pineapple cubes, the cold rice, the chicken or turkey, the celery and mix together. For the sauce, in a small container mix the yogurt, mayonnaise, milk and curry. Pour over chicken mixture and continue until covered. Chill for 1/2 hour before serving.

Pimienta de pollo

Ingredients
Chicken. The same amount in tomatoes. Miltomates (small green tomatoes): half the weight of tomatoes. Onions. Chile paz (black peppers). Chile mexicano (large red peppers). Pepitorias (pumpkin seeds). Ajonjoli (sesame seeds). Plain flour. Vegetable chicken broth cubes. Coriander. Pepper.
Preparation
All vegetables and seeds are roasted. Cook the chicken in water. When the chicken is almost cooked, mix the vegetables and the seeds and add them to the chicken water to finish cooking. Add the flour after 5 minutes and mix well. Add cilantro. Serve with tortillas and rice with carrots, ejotes (green beans) and onions.

Tamales de Pollo

Ingredients
100g softened butter. 1 clove of garlic. 1 C. coffee powdered cumin. 1 C. salt. 210 g cornstarch. 80 ml of liquid cream. 80 ml chicken stock. 36 corn leaves.
Garnish : 1 ear of corn. 2 tbsp. oil soup. 150 g of chicken breast. 2 garlic cloves (crushed). 1 red pepper (seeded and chopped). 2 tomatoes, peeled (and chopped). 1 C. salt
Preparation
To prepare the dough, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add the garlic, cumin and salt and mix. Add the cornstarch and the cream mixed with the chicken broth alternately. Beat until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. To prepare the filling, place the corn in a pot of boiling water and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the flesh of the corn is tender. Leave to cool and mash the beans. Heat the oil in a pan and brown the chicken. Remove from the heat, let cool and separate the meat. Sauté the garlic, chilli and onion in the pan. Add the bell pepper and corn and stir for 3 min. Add the chicken, tomato and salt and simmer for 15 minutes to reduce the juice. Place the corn husks in a heatproof bowl. Cover them with boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove and drain. Spread a layer of dough on 12 envelopes, leaving a margin at each end, then place each of them in another envelope. Pour some filling and close the envelope. Tie the ends with a piece of string. Steam for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with a fresh tomato sauce.

Paella Marinada

Ingredients
3 tbsp. to s of oil. 1 onion. 10 garlic cloves. 1 red pepper. 1 green pepper. 250 g of Spanish sausages. 500g of rice. Saffron. 450 g of prawns. 250 g of mussels. 250 g of clams. Salt. 250 g of artichoke hearts. 125 g of green olives.
Preparation
Heat the oil. Chop the onions and the garlic. Dice the peppers. Bring it all back. Then add the sausages. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the rice, 750 cL of water and a little saffron. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Peel the prawns. Add them as well as the mussels and clams. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Salt. Add the artichoke hearts and olives at the end of cooking

Desserts

Dulce de piña y camote

Ingredients
1 kg of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes. 1 1/2 tsp. sugar. 1 C. ground cinnamon. 4 slices of fresh pineapple and more for decoration (optional).
Preparation
Place the sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then add the sugar, cinnamon and pineapple. Cook for another 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the fruit and reserve the syrup. Mix the fruits until obtaining a purée Add the syrup and mix again. Taste warm or cold… a little delight.

Torta de choclo y chile

Ingredients
¾ C white flour ¾ C FINE polenta or, failing that, yellow corn flour ½ packet of baking powder 1 pinch of salt (not too much, the cheese is salty) 2 tbsp sugar ¼ C seeded jalapeno peppers and sliced ¼ C spring onions, sliced ¼ C corn kernels ½ C grated cheddar cheese (or queso fresco or possibly mozzarella) 1 egg
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200 C. Prepare your ingredients. Mix the flour, polenta, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. In another container, beat the egg with the yogurt and milk. Add the peppers, onions, cilantro, cheese and corn. Pour this mixture into the previous mixture. Mix well and pour into a buttered rectangular mold and bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Arroz Con Leche

Ingredients
1/2 pound soft grain rice (or broken rice). 2 1/2 cups of milk. 2 cups of water. 1 stick (stick) of cinnamon, plus or minus 4 fingers. sugar to taste. (About 1/2 cup) 1/2 cup raisins (to taste) 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Boil the rice in water and cinnamon. when it has become soft, add the milk, salt, sugar and raisins. Simmer until thicker or thinner, depending on taste.

Drinks

No typical Guatemalan drinks!!!

This page to discover Guatemala