Guatemala Rises from the Ashes

August 2008

With its diverse natural wonders, from natural wonders to historic ruins, lakes to volcanos, it is no wonder Guatemala is increasingly becoming a favorite among travelers.
But its history isn’t as beautiful as its scenery. Guatemala has come out of the longest civil war in Latin American history. The 36 year long civil war left 200,000 people dead, many of whom were Mayans. No one has yet faced charges for the crime that took place. These groups still face suppression and injustice today. Thus, it is not surprising that Guatemala, a country still suffering from major problems such as drug trafficking, impunity, genocide of indigenous people, rights abuses and intimidation of human rights workers, was voted as having the worst democracy in Latin America. It was only in April 2008 that Guatemala passed a law against femicide, officially recognizing it as a punishable crime.
As I was waiting for my flight, a Guatemalan American woman striked up a conversation with me. When she found out that I was travelling alone, she got quite worried, and offered me her phone number and told me to call if I was in any trouble. But my heart was set to board that plane to experience this foreign and exotic place (where Mayans make up for nearly half of the population), and to find out just how dangerous Guatemala was.
I arrived in Guatemala City late afternoon. Even to someone who grew up in a big city, it was overwhelming. Not unlike other cities which are desperately trying to catch up with capitalism, the streets are lined with American retailer and restaurant chains. But I didn't come half way round the world to shop for American merchandise or sample fast food. So I decided to leave for Antigua, a well-preserved colonial town an hour away.
The former capital hasn't lost its charm and makes a pleasant escape from the city. It has rebuilt itself as a young and lively town after a series of earthquakes in 1773. One could get too comfortable in this picture-perfect colonial town though. It has the basic amenities a traveller looks for—hostels to hotels, art galleries, coffee shops, western restaurants and language schools. It is surround by three volcanoes and dotted with church ruins; cobbled streets are lined with colourful colonial architecture. At the heart of town, Parque Central, street vendors, students, musicians and tourists gather around the fountain during the day; at night, you'll find mariachi bands playing and lovers courting. Clubs and bars around town are filled with young expats and travellers mingling. This is the place to be to cure your homesickness. But I must carry on with my travels to experience what Guatemala has to offer before I get too comfortable.
Indigenous Mayans still make up nearly half of the Guatemalan population, and many of them reside in the highlands. Where better place to have a glimpse of their lives than Lake Atitlan, a place where Aldous Huxley said it was the most beautiful lake in the world?
Surviving the 36-year long civil war, and mudslides caused by Hurrican Stan 3 years ago, the residing Mayans are joined by many visitors from around the world who fell in love at the sight of this stunningly beautiful lake. On the east side of the lake is Panajachel, where most visitors would arrive at. Nicknamed Gringotenango, meaning the place of foreigners, it is the most densely populated dock. The streets are lined with internet cafes, hotels, souvenir shops, and restaurants owned or frequent by retired war veterans reminiscing the old days. I was disappointed with how developed the town was, and started to wonder if I have made the right decision in coming here. It was until I walked past the tourist-oriented business and down to the shore that my doubts vanished.

The lake, stretching 18 by 12 kilometers, is a crystal blue color surrounded by mountains. The calmness of the water is only interrupted by the few fishing boats rowing across. The surrounding villages are all lined with corn, coffee or avocado plantation. Because Mayans are mostly populated in this part of the country, the genocide was most affected here. During the 1980s, more than 1000 people from Santiago (one of the lakeside villages), were killed or disappeared because of the military campaign to combat alleged subversives, guerrillas and communists. And in December 1990, the people of Lake Atitlan reacted to drunk soldiers’ threat to a local shopkeeper.The locals rang the town bell and 3000 people gathered at 4am. The army opened fire, killing 11 villagers, of whom three were children.

The next day, government officials arrived and was presented with a petition signed by more than 20,000 people, demanding army withdrawal form the area. As of today, Guatemala military is banned from presence in Santiago.

I opted to stay at San Marcos la Laguna on the other side of the lake. There are around 2200 habitants in San Marcos la Laguna. The ‘town’ is basically is a 200m road with a couple of alleys branching off. It consists of three neighbourhoods. It was a place where I imagine what the 60s would be like – friendly hippies with flowers in their hair chanting love and peace. It is where you can find Yoga retreat centres and Natural Clinic, and hear conversations about connecting with spirits. I stayed at the Aaculaax, a hotel constructed mostly with recycled materials, from papier-mache windows to walls insulated with plastic bottles, an initiative to introduce recycling to the local community.

After breakfast at Aaculaax with bees, I then went to San Pedro for a day trip. It is definitely a more developed town than San Marcos, and it may unfortunately become another Panajachel in the near future.

Panajachel has a tourism history of over 40 years, while San Pedro started developing 10 years ago. A town surrounded by maize and coffee plantation, San Pedro now draws its income mainly from tourism, both international and national, who like to spend the weekend by the swimming pool.

Pana was built by retired war veterans over 40 years ago while San Pedro attracted aspiring entrepreneurs who initially came here for holiday but ended up falling in love and making this their home. San Pedro seems to be in a race to catch up with Panajechel, with its constant construction and development. However, the town has more restrictions on roadside businesses than Panajachel. You would not find stalls pouring over the streets or protruding signs. Stalls are concentrated in the market up the hill. These restrictions were introduced by the new mayor in attempt to clean up the streets.
The drug and tourism scene is a question of the egg and chicken. San Pedro has a party scene which unsurprisingly involves the use of drugs. Since word got out, an increase of backpackers looking for ‘fun’ has doubled over the years. It is perhaps for this reason that some locals possess a dislike for foreigners. For a while, the phrase ‘Gringos go home’ was written on one of the walls. But it is still a harmonious place. Unthinkable a decade ago, inter-marriages are now more accepted.
Akux, one of the many travelers who made this lake their home, recalls an incident three years ago when he first opened his restaurant next to a local family. He tossed a leftover bone to the neighbour’s dog, only to find that the kids had took it from the dog and were nibbling on what was left on it. Three years later, because of the growing trourism, the family’s kids are eating at his restaurants and constructing another storey to their 3-storey house.
The political and corporate world is irrelevant here. Life remains unchanged even when the stock market crashed, and major banks collapsed. In a place where the definition of fast food is anything served within an hour, life seems even slower when it rains. For a brief moment, I pictured myself living in this paradise.
I ended my trip in Semuc Champey, a natural limestone bridge with a series of turquoise pools surrounded by lush vegetatio, offsetting my disappointment of Guatemala not being as dangerous as people had warned me about.