“Guatemala – The Heart of Mayan Culture and a Destination Exploration”
Guatemala “El Mundo de Encanto,” a “World of Wonder.” The central country of Central America full of rich history and culture descended from the Mayan civilization divided into many separate small communities and towns with their own history of existence and their extensive line of sustainable preservation. This is the country that has many destinations to explore that will change your perspective and a view of Latin American cultures and community's specifically Mayan culture. The destination exploration of all will empower visitors to feel the deep connection to the history and the future of this beautiful land of wonder and discovery. This Guatemala travel blog will help drive and envision for readers and viewers a dip into that lake of culture, explorations, and wonder.
Mayan History and History of Culture
Guatemala has provided continued influence, as well as the amount of control that traditional/Indigenous communities retain when tourists travel the many parts of their small towns and cities that are filled with rich natural areas that these people have managed and inhabited for many decades. Mayan culture plays a huge role in attracting many to visit its famous parts of the country. The country has locations that exhibit this deep-rooted Mayan history. Antigua, Guatemala a central tourist destination.
Discover the original capital of the country that was destroyed by the great Water Volcano. This extinct Volcano stands as a symbol of the grandeur of the beautiful former capital with a rich city with brick roads and many colorful structures and buildings including the many great cathedrals that are scattered about the inner and outer parts of the city. This is one location where the rich culture follows many traditions and celebrations.
Panajchel, is a city on the edge of the beautiful Lake Atilan. The Lake provides a historical belief in the sacred and religious significance of the lake and its inhabitants. The indigenous residents express the preservation of the lake as one not to be touch by land speed boats and other aquatic recreation equipment as it is a lake that has been preserved for many centuries and provides a beauty captured in movies as a paradise or painter picturizes. Many artists have depicted the lake and the surrounding mountains and smaller volcanoes surrounding the lake. These are 2 locations within an hour's drive of the central city capital.
Destination to Explore with Continued Preservation
Lake Atilan provides a preserved historic wonder to explore. Guatemala hosts several other locations that provides this efficiency and social fairness of current concepts within protected areas (which are central to the continued visitation of guests both international and local. One of the locations is Tikal. This has a long-term conservation of biological and cultural diversity attached to it. Tikal is a Mayan Temple ruin site. Where visitors can explore the temple and enjoy the rich effect of the jungle exploration.
Tikal is registered as a national park. “In the heart of the jungle, surrounded by lush vegetation, lies one of the major sites of Mayan civilization, inhabited from the 6th century B.C. to the 10th century A.D. The ceremonial centre contains superb temples and palaces, and public squares accessed by means of ramps. Remains of dwellings are scattered throughout the surrounding countryside.” It is within the Maya Biosphere Reserve which exceeds 2 million hectares and additional conservation areas. There is a diverse ecosystem and habitats that occupy this wide variety of neotropical animals and vegetation. The animals included are the Jaguar and Puma, also several distinct species of monkeys and anteaters as well as more than 300 species of birds. The forests contain more than 200 tree species and over 2000 higher plants have been monitored across the different habitats.
Exploring Towns, Cities and Communities
After arriving in Guatemala something explore is the diverse and many varying towns, cities, and communities. Beyond the tourist hotspots you can discover rich culture and experiences within the small local towns and communities you travel to on the way to these famous and more popular sites. As a Guatemala travel guide my journey would take me to a small town called Sumpaungo. A small town on the way to Antigua. This town is famous for the colorful kites and windmills they make in celebration of Holy Week. They also have several festivals during the year that provide colorful decorations across their community.
Something to bring more awareness to is the Mayan fabric called Corte. Corte is a Guatemalan textile that comes in many different fabric patterns.
It is mesmerizing to see the differences between the different cities and towns where the indigenous men and women wear these different patterns embroidered with their clothes. From skirts to dresses to shoes and even hats. The Corte textile is something very underrated when Guatemala is advertised and displayed.
While I lived there for 2 years, I was amazed at how the varying patterns changed depending on the region of the people. In the mountains the fabrics and colors were more detailed is waves and cross pattern stitches where the city and would have more muted colors as their touch. In the coastal region they displayed brighter colors and intricate designs. Visiting the small towns along the main highways of the coastal regions and the less traveled roads of the city including the small regional areas of the mountains will allow you to embrace a new and undiscovered culture within the unique Corte and symbolism of each design.
Why Not Guatemala? –
Guatemala is a one culture and country that explores the Mayan history and a Central American appreciation of Latin cultures and communities. Some may argue that Guatemala is one destination to visit and not the only. The opinion I hold is bias in favor of Guatemala based on the sense that I lived in Guatemala for 2 years, yet I spent that time roommates with many individuals and colleagues from different Central American countries including El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama. Yet many were amazed by the beauty this country holds and continues to preserve.
Many can argue that Guatemala is not the only country that has Mayan ruins, active Volcanoes, beautiful black sand beaches, ancient sites that provides evidence of life prior to the discovery of the new world. Yet this argument will also bring attention to the history of violence and crime that has occurred in the country that has created some hesitation to travel but every year hundreds of thousands of tourists including families and many Americans travel to visit this Central American wonder and its many destinations to explore.
Final Thoughts
The destination exploration of all will empower visitors to feel the deep connection to the history and the future of this beautiful land of wonder and discovery. If you find yourself wanting to explore and rediscover a different side of yourself then decide now to visit Guatemala to greater reach your deeper touch with culture, nature, and human connection with the beautiful people.
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