Guatemala — a cultural jewel and “the land of eternal spring”

No matter how well you research or read up about other travellers’ experiences of this country — be prepared to be blown away by the expanse of its natural wonders, people’s friendliness and their smiles, the presence of Maya culture and its rituals in locals’ lives, the Maya ruins, Spanish architecture, the Garifuna community, and the way the country has embraced people from other countries who now call Guatemala their home.

Guatemala has been labelled “the land of the eternal spring” and there is a good reason for it with 19 diverse ecosystems — this country is host to jungles, forests, beaches, mountains, volcanoes, 1000’s of plant species, as well as 100’s types of birds, mammal, reptile and amphibian species. It has 30 national parks and protected areas that cover both cultural and natural reserves — how many countries in the world have cultural reserves…we wonder?

We have to confess…

…before travelling to Guatemala, we had mixed feelings about the country. Some friends had warned us about the safety of the country and fellow travellers who we met in Mexico told us how they found the country boring! However, after spending just 24 hours in Xela (Quetzaltenango) what became quite quickly apparent to us was that we were falling in love with Guatemala, its people, traditions and the green expanse.

Following this realisation, we had an interesting conversation together about how our perception influences our experience — perceptions that are affected by our own cultures, past history and life experiences. So we made a promise that we will try our best not to allow others’ thoughts to affect our perception about any country — a constant reminder that what you read on the internet, see in the news, and hear about others’ views — always form your opinion through your experience!

Read the full Blog at confusionofcultures.com.