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Published: August 4th 2008
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Leaving Guat City
Grand view of one of Guatemala's Camionetas, the Chicken bus Right then, I'm off on my travels, and stop number 1 is theWestern Highland Hub of Quetzaltenango, or Xela as it's called locally. After arriving from a 7 hour bus ride from Antigua via the capital, and the bus breaking down twice (Argh!!), you can imagine I wasn't in the best frame of mind. Like most buses to Xela, mine arrived no-where near the centre of town, but instead at the Minerva bus terminal. To get to the centre, you need to walk through a heaving market place for about 5 minutes or so, to get to where a number of microbuses are constantly ferrying people to and from the Parque Centro America, in the city centre. I almost took the slack option of getting a taxi, except when I was told the price was Q30, and so carried on. Luckily, the buses were only a bit further on and to get to the parque cost about Q1.25. Bargain!
After arriving, I headed for Adrenalina Tours, a group recommend by my guide book - which has almost become my bible by now - to get a map and some info on places to stay. Did I mention that I did about
Around Xela
Through the Pasaje Enriquez as much planning for this as a class at an improvising school?
Anyway, found a hostel called Hostel de Don Diego and I have a private room for Q50 per night - though if you want the cheaper option, you can geta bed in a shared dorm for Q40. Breakfast, being 3 pieces of toast, is also included so it's better than nothing.
Spent my first night getting my bearings and finding out info about the place. Found a nice italian resteraunt too, called Callanili's - give or take an "L" - for dinner and had a quick stroll around the park, filled, bizzarly, with Greek columns, before getting a drink in a bar called "Tecún Umán", named after the last king of the K'iche maya, who was killed in hand-to-hand, fighting the Spanish Conquistadors led by Pedro Alvarado.
Next morning, I decided to head to the market in the Park, only held there on the first sunday of the month. I found out there was also a exhibit on Mayan rights going on the centre of the park. Still, after years of indipendence, there is a set hierachy in Guatemala, with those of Mayan descent at the bottom. This
Around Xela
Me in my nice Italian resteraunt, playing such Pavarotti clasics including "You'll never walk alone" exhibit was a chance to see mayan outfits, and I also had a really in depth conversation with the organiser about how some villages still use the Mayan calander - with only 260 days a year. When I asked him if he thought that the situation would improve, he said that it had to; that apart from the colour of the skin, they are the same as anyone, and that they were not against science or technology. I wished him all the best and it is interesting how, as an outsider, you can see that there is a definate socail divide, where many Guatemalans cannot
After walking around a bit, I began to plan a trip to some hot water springs in the hills above a town called Zunil, on the outskirts of Xela, called "Fuentas Georginas". Going on the advice of my hostel owner, I headed back to the bus terminal to catch a Chicken bus headed to Mezetenango, a town towards the coast, which would pass by the road to the hot springs. Trips on the Camionetas are always interesting as you will more often than not bear witness to someone standing up at the front of the
Around Xela
The Italian resteraunt bus trying to sell something through speeches lasting almost half an hour. Great laugh.
I was dropped of at the entrance to the hot springs by the roadside and set off walking, thinking to myself, "Oh this'll be easy". An hour and a half later, I was still walking, though with only about 1km to go. The walk isn't steep, in fact it's quite pleasant and you can see the mountainside covered in clouds that roll up and down. I managed to grab a lift the last part of the way with a nice french couple that were passing in a car, and we arrived at the springs.
The Fuentas Georginas have about 4 pools in total, one being seperated from the others. They vary in temperature, one from being about room temp, to others being hotter than bath water! The waterfalls, that carry the hottest water down are steaming, although that could have been masked by the clouds. There was a bar there too, playing Andean versions (i.e. Pan pipes) of the theme from Titanic, Bryan Adams and the Beatles. To just relax felt so good and it really is like a nice bath.
After spending a fair few
Around Xela
Inside the bar Tecún Umán hours there, I decided to head back to Xela, though this time I caught a bus from the Fuentes, rather than walk it!
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