Coffee, Architecture, and Maya Ruins: Guatemala

Panoramic Tikal

We arrived in Guatemala City a little after 8:30 PM after a four and a half hour flight from Los Angeles. While it might have been short in duration, the flight felt long. Let's just say, Avianca isn't making its way up towards my favorite airline list any time soon! When we landed, it was extremely quick and easy to go through immigration and our bags came shortly after we arrived at the baggage claim belt. We made our way towards the exit, only to be confronted with two options: left or right. We were told to go out the "blue" exit, but there was no signage indicating which one was blue. Naturally, we asked and the lady pointed to our left. We went out the left door and didn't see anyone. We walked back to the door, asked another airport worker, and they told us to go to the other door. We went out the right door and didn't see anyone. We walked back to the left door, still not seeing anyone, so we walked back towards the right door yet again to get in touch with our driver but by the time we walked back, he was there holding a sign with my name (he must have been parking the car). When we asked him if the blue exit was marked, he said no and immediately said that the people aren't super helpful with directions... so at least it wasn't just us. We walked across the street to the parking lot and made our way to Antigua, about 90 minutes away. I was shocked that, despite the time, the streets were packed. The traffic might've been as bad as Los Angeles! American fast food joints lined the streets... Domino's, KFC, McDonald's, Panda Express, you name it. Our driver Francisco said it's very common here (though apparently, there is a local version of KFC called Pollo Campero that is way better but KFC somehow still stays in business). 

To get to Antigua, we drove up and over a nearly 6,000 foot mountain road before descending into the city. When we got to the city, we were greeted by road blocks as it was the first day of a festival. Stuck in gridlock traffic, we slowly maneuvered our way to our hotel (located just 5-minutes from the city center). By the time we got to the hotel, it was after 10 PM and we were exhausted and hungry, but both the restaurant and room service had closed and to go out to get anything, we'd have to go out in the traffic again (which the hotel advised against). Instead, we went to sleep by 11 PM to prepare for a full day of sightseeing the next morning.

We woke up refreshed and, after having a typical Guatemalan breakfast of eggs, plantains, beans, and tortillas, we made our way to San Miguel Escobar. San Miguel Escobar is the modern name for the district that contains the ruins of the second colonial capital of the Guatemala region located on the south-west slope of the Volcán de Agua. The Ciudad Vieja municipality is surrounded by the Sacatepéquez municipality (which is where Antigua is located-- it took us only about 15 minutes to drive to San Miguel Escobar from our hotel in Antigua). We waited in the plaza for a few minutes until local coffee farmers arrived on a "motobike" (what we'd call a motorcycle). We greeted them before hopping back in the car as they led the way to their coffee plantation. 

Arriving at the coffee plantation, we proceeded to walk up a hill.

During the course of our tour, Julio (a third generation coffee farmer) explained the family history and how they process coffee. His grandfather started the company by planting coffee beans. When he had success in growing coffee beans on the slopes of the nearby volcano, he was generous and shared with his neighbors so they could also grow coffee. The coffee farmers in San Miguel Escobar sold their ripened coffee cherries to street vendors who purchased the cherries at incredibly low prices. In 2005, a foreigner approached offering an opportunity to sell directly to the customer instead of selling to a middle man to process the beans. All the coffee farmers in the town were invited to a local meeting and all were offered this opportunity. Only seven coffee farmers took the opportunity because they didn't trust the foreign person. The seven coffee farms that took a chance learned how to process coffee and learned what makes a good cup of coffee. Two years later (and after great success with this new business model of eliminating the middle man and selling directly to customers), all coffee farmers had a second chance to get in on the action with De La Gente. Today, the co-op consists of 28 coffee farmers. The coffee farm we visited (La Familia del Café) holds themselves to certain standards, providing men and women equal opportunities (Julio's sister is the CEO, the first coffee farm in the area to have a woman in a powerful position). They support single mothers, widows, and mothers with small children, even allowing the children to come to work. 

The volcano was obscured by the clouds.

After a brief history, Julio proceeded to explain how they process coffee. To plant a bean, they pick coffee cherries from the middle of a branch (not the front or back of the plant). 

One red coffee cherry!

They methodically measure the distance between the planting location by stretching their arms out wide. The distance from middle finger to middle finger with arms outstretched becomes the distance between the plants (the only problem with this is that of course everyone is different!) Once the plant starts growing some leaves and once it's a few inches tall, the plants are removed from the ground and taken inside the house to grow. Otherwise, with the Guatemalan rains they'd get too much water. The plants are hand watered in the house for one year and then replanted into the ground without any use of pesticides. It takes an additional four years before the plant produces any beans-- from planting to production takes a total of five years. 

When the coffee cherries are bright red (indicating they're ready), they're picked by hand and gathered in a small basket. 

While out in the field, we tried to peel the coffee cherries by hand, revealing the bean. The bean was surrounded by a sweet, sticky syrup-- it tasted like a dessert! 

The coffee cherries are then taken to the family's house. We entered the courtyard through the coffee shop, painted bright blue. Below is Julio, the third generation coffee farmer and our guide for the tour.

Julio poses outside the cafe.

In the courtyard, an innovative machine is waiting. A new breed of bicycles is appearing in Guatemala, and it's practically a real life Peloton spin bike... that de-shells coffee. The coffee cherries are poured into the container at the top and while someone cycles, the outer layers are stripped off with the beans pouring into a basket. The coffee cherries fall to the ground, so no separation between the coffee cherries and the beans is needed. 

Julio demonstrated how to use the bicimaquinas.

These bicimaquinas are eco-friendly (built out of recycled bicycle parts and metal) and ease the labor of rural communities in Guatemala. Once the beans are dried (often on the rooftop or in the courtyard for the most sun exposure), it's time to roast. 

The traditional way is to roast the beans with a wooden spatula over a traditional stove with a small firebox that generates radiant heat quickly. 

Once the beans are roasted in the kitchen, we were shown the traditional way of grinding the beans (which is only done for demonstration purposes today, as its quite time consuming and there has since been new technology accessible by the local community). Julio's mom showed us how to grind coffee beans on volcanic rock, and of course we got the opportunity to try it out! 

When the beans were ground, we tasted the coffee grown on the slopes of Volcán de Agua. It was good, but not nearly as good as the coffee I had tasted in Uganda!! 

I loved this hat wall in their courtyard!

After enjoying some coffee, we headed back to Antigua for a very short walking tour of a festival taking place in town. Antigua translates to "city of roses" and in recent years, the city started an annual flower festival. We happened to be there for its final day, and we wanted to see the decorations (along with the 400,000 tourists it attracts). The municipality of Guatemala has officially declared that the month of November is known in Antigua as "Flower Month". Guatemala is a producer of traditional and exotic flowers. Each year, Guatemala exports nearly 42 million pounds of flowers to the United States, parts of Europe, Canada, and other Central American countries. When we were in San Miguel Escobar, we saw many wild poinsettias which are a large export in the flower business. In 2022, two thousand artists assembled flower displays and sculptures and there were flowers for sale in a flower market in the central plaza. See below for some photos! 

After a brief walk in town, we headed to lunch at a local farm that I had read about online: Caoba Farms. Similar to my beloved Tanaka Farms here in Southern California, it's an organic farm that also has food to eat! Caoba Farms was founded in 2004 by Alex Kronick. A native Guatemalan, the land Caoba Farms now sits on was once used to grow coffee and roses. When Alex took over the property, he converted the space into an organic farm with the goal of introducing new varieties of produce in the area. It started with growing arugula and in the decade-plus since, the farm has produced and sold over 100 different organic crops commercially. Caoba Farms now consists of two fully operating farms spanning 45 acres. The farms supply top restaurants and hotels in Antigua and Guatemala City with fresh, organic produce as well as providing ingredients for fresh farm-to-table meals in the Caoba Café which we got to enjoy. 

For lunch, I enjoyed a lemonade with fresh mint which locals often drink as a refreshment in the heat. We ordered avocado fries for the table (SO good!!) and I ordered a fabulous breakfast plate consisting of a fresh egg, avocado, cheese, potatoes, tomatoes, bacon, chorizo (the best I've ever had) and fresh veggies from the farm (including purple radish, which was incredibly fresh). On the side? Homemade sourdough-- yum! There was live music in the open-air courtyard that was the perfect touch to a wonderful lunch. 

Following lunch, we went to San Antonio Aguas Calientes, a town specializing in the finest authentic Mayan textiles. We visited a co-op where we were able to try our hand at weaving, but I gave up very soon! 

For the Mayans, weaving has been a way for women to express themselves and show their technical skills (women make their mother-in-law a textile on their wedding day and if the mother-in-law doesn't approve, there is no wedding). Huipiles are the most complex, with the patterns, colors and how they're worn indicating a person's ethnic identity as well as their social/economic status within the community. Weaving is incredibly complex, requiring a backstrap loom which has been used since the pre-Columbian era. The portable loom is made out of sticks, a belt, and thread and is tied around the weaver's body and a stationary tree, post, or column in a house. The weaver creates tension on the loom by moving their body forwards and backwards to open and close the sheds while using a rotating wooden batten (a strip of squared wood used to hold thread in place) through the threads. It requires immense concentration, stillness, balance, and strength. After hours of watching a demonstration, we left with a sample weaving and a newfound appreciation of handwoven textiles. 

The following day, we embarked on a short walking tour of Antigua complete with shopping. Antigua was founded in 1543 as Santiago de los Caballeros and was the capital of Guatemala until it was moved to Guatemala City in 1775 after a series of earthquakes destroyed the town. Built on a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance, Antigua is located in a volcano-rimmed valley. Unfortunately, the volcanoes played hide-and-seek the entire time we were there and we never saw the tops. Its UNESCO status means every fast food chain has to hide behind traditional building facades (and there are a lot-- you'll see Wendy's, Dominos, Papa Johns, Panda Express, McDonald's, KFC and other American fast food chains everywhere you look in Guatemala).

 

Our hotel had a few flower decorations to celebrate the festival.

We first made our way towards the famous yellow arch of Antigua: Arco de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina's arch) passing by homes painted in earthy tones of terra cotta, yellow, and blue. Antigua's most iconic monument, it was built in 1694 to enable nuns from the Santa Catalina convent to cross the street without being seen. The clock tower seen today was a 19th century add on after the original arch fell in an earthquake in 1773. When in Antigua, all visitors take a photograph under the arch. When we passed by, there was a wedding photographer taking photographs of a couple under the arch, so we decided to take a photograph there later. 

Santa Catalina's arch... with lots of clouds!

Instead, we went to Nim Po't, the best place to shop for textiles and handicrafts that I had found online. Upon entering the store, you see kites on the ceiling which are used during the Day of the Dead festival. You'll also find textiles from all of Guatemala's different regions, labeled accordingly. Local artisans from all over Guatemala bring their products to Nim Po't to have a reliable place to bring their products with the money going back to the source. 

A beautiful example of Guatemalan weavings.

After quite a bit of shopping damage, we continued by tuk tuk (a popular method of transit in Antigua) to Fernando's Kaffee (recommended by my colleague). This café had the best coffee in Antigua so far, and we enjoyed a cup before continuing on through the main plaza (Parque Central), stopping for lunch at the famed Pollo Campero (with a quick photo stop at Santa Catalina's arch), and onward to our hotel. 

My mom picked the textile, and I picked the masks. Close ups below!

Fernando's Kaffee in Antigua.

After dropping off my mom, I set out with our guide again for a shopping mission: find a Mayan textile leather purse and get a handwoven hat that I had been looking at earlier. We ducked into countless shops (probably at least 20 handicraft markets and individual stores) before finally finding exactly what I was looking for. After bargaining for a handwoven hat, I ended up returning near Santa Catalina's arch to buy the very first hat that I had seen, with birds and flowers on it. 

My woven hat.

I laughed when I saw this tattoo shop's signage!

After an additional several miles of walking, I returned to the hotel. That evening, we had one of the best meals I've ever had in all my travels.  When researching places to eat, I read raving reviews of El Refectorio, located in Antigua's showpiece hotel Casa Santo Domingo. The restaurant is set within the grounds that surround the remains of what was once the city's richest and most powerful convent. Walking through the ruins, built in 1642, I felt like I was stepping back in time. Passing by the courtyard, we proceeded to the open-air restaurant. 

We passed by this courtyard on our way to dinner.

Upon sitting down, the waiter asked what country we were from. We thought he was just being friendly (by far the friendliest local we had met so far) and were surprised when he came back with an American flag. We looked around, and every single table had an international flag of where the guests were from-- a clever idea that was a fun way to see where all the tourists live! We both started with a traditional Guatemalan soup of cauliflower and black bean purée with tortilla strips and corn on the bottom. To serve it, the waiter came with two white teapots, pouring both simultaneously into the bowl. The soup was so unique, and easily one of the best soups I've ever had. 

My mom, being the sushi fanatic that she is, opted for a tuna roll whereas I opted for the traditional Guatemalan dinner (two nights in a row!) The one at El Refectorio was beyond amazing with a juicy, tender steak, wonderful homemade guacamole, refried beans blended perfectly smooth, sweet plantains that were crispy on the corners but soft in the middle, a slice of pan fried cheese, rice, salsa, and the best tortillas we had on the entire trip (traditionally, Guatemalan tortillas are much thicker than the tortillas you get in Mexico). 

We finished off with "grannies flan" (because how could you say no to that?!) and coffee. 

At the end of our delicious meal, we headed back to the Porta Hotel to repack for our next adventure: Tikal. On the morning of November 22, we drove approximately 90 minutes back to Guatemala City for our flight to Flores in northern Guatemala. Flores Island, also known as Tayasal, is located on Peten Itza Lake in Peten and is about an hour away from the Tikal archaeological site. It's like the Venice of Central America and a causeway connects Flores to its sister town Santa Elena (on the mainland) which merges into the community of San Benito to the west. Together, these towns form one large settlement referred to as Flores. Flores was founded on a petén (island) by the Itzáes who came to Flores after being expelled from Chichén Itzá on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.

While in the Guatemala City airport, there was a Guatemalan man going around asking people to participate in a survey for the airline (we still don't know if it was really from the airline, but we assume that part was true as he looked pretty official). We overheard someone saying they were from India. Our ears instantly perked up, because India is one of our favorite countries. We began chatting with a mom and her son and soon found that we had many similarities-- she is a teacher as was my mom, he is a book designer as was I, and so on. The hours passed by quickly as we waited for our flight, and when we landed in Flores we exchanged contact information. We continued on to a local restaurant our guide recommended (talking us out of where I had wanted to go, which was a huge mistake) before continuing on towards Tikal. Most people stay in Flores but why would I want to drive an hour in the morning for a sunrise hike when I could just stay in the jungle? It was a no brainer for me. When we got to Tikal National Park some time later, our guide led us on a short birding walk with his spotting scope. As we were walking around, we ran into our friends from the plane again! We knew they were staying at a nearby property, but what were the chances?! We confirmed that we'd all have dinner the following night at our hotel, and wished them a wonderful rest of the evening. We checked into Jungle Lodge, which lodged archaeologists from the University of Pennsylvania for the exploration of the Mayan city of Tikal. It's a basic hotel with hardly anyone who speaks English, and with generators that apparently shut off in the middle of the night leaving the room pitch black (we aren't unfamiliar with this as we travel to Africa frequently, but no one told us so it came as a surprise). Its one of three lodges located in Tikal National Park, so at least it was convenient. See below for some property photos.

I loved this graphic on our hotel's wall.

The pathway to our room was dreamy!

We had an outdoor shower...

...And a private hot tub in the jungle.

Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well that evening and ended up skipping the sunrise hike the following day, but we did make it to Tikal later in the morning which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Tikal was the most resplendent of all Maya cities in a vast empire that once encompassed Mexico, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. It was the religious, political, and military center that represented the apogee of Classic Maya civilization with its pyramids and acropoli being the highest structures in the western hemisphere. At its peak, an estimated 1000,000 people lived there. Set on a low hill, you ascend to the Gran Plaza from the entry road.

Our first glimpse!

The 145-foot high Temple of the Gran Jaguar (Temple I) looms over the Gran Plaza. It's a nine-level pyramid (the number nine is a symbolic number for the Maya) that became the burial place of Ah Cacao (Lord Chocolate), also known as Hasaw Chan K'awil. Centered in the base of Temple I is his tomb, buried with stingray spines and pearls which were believed to aid his journey to his next life. Across the Gran Plaza is Temple II (Temple of the Masks) which houses the remains of Ah Cacao's queen, Lady Twelve Macaw. 

Our guide had me do a fun little panorama... I was in two places at once!

At one point, we got distracted by a flock of toucans in a nearby tree. We admired them through the spotting scope since I didn't bring a long telephoto lens on the trip with me! I was able to get one picture with my 70-200mm, but it would've been fantastic at 500+ mm!

When we took a break to sit down, I said to my mom "watch, we'll see our new friends here". Not more than one minute later, I spotted them in the Gran Plaza! Naturally, we snapped a pic, talked a little, and then said see you later as we were meeting them for dinner that evening. I mean, what are the chances?! 

The Gran Plaza was the center of the Mayan metropolis of Tikal where ceremonies and local events were held. Human habituation here dates back to 800 B.C., eventually reaching its height in 300 to 900 A.D. when 70,000-100,000 people lived there (making Tikal one of the most densely populated places on Earth at the time). Thousands of workers erected these imposing monuments in the vast Peten jungle. In the late 9th century, Tikal began to decline and by the 10th century, Tikal was virtually abandoned. Theories range from disease and drought to war and conquest, but no one knows exactly what happened-- it's another one of Earth's mysteries. In comparison, other Central American cities including Palenque and Copan began to decline around the same time. 

Today, only a small portion of Tikal's 3,000+ temples, ceremonial platforms, ball courts, and plazas have been excavated. Beyond Tikal's Gran Plaza lie other temples, ceremonial sites, and living areas (the residential area alone covers more than 20 square miles, much of it yet to be cleared). I ventured into the jungle for about 20 minutes to El Mundo Perdido. 

Literally translated to "The Lost World", I felt like I was in Jurassic Park on the way there. The jungle enveloped nearby temples where you'd take a look, think you were looking at a hill, and then found out it's actually a temple covered by the jungle. We even came across a few wild turkeys.

El Mundo Perdido is a complex of 38 structures with a huge pyramid in its midst. Nearby, I climbed Temple IV, trekking up a narrow wooden staircase consisting of at least 100 steps (the temple itself is 230 feet high). 

Temple IV is the highest building in Tikal and the second-highest pre-Columbian building after La Danta in El Salvador. Likely completed around 741 A.D. by Ah Cacaao's son, Yax Kin, a steep wooden staircase leads to a platform at the top. If you've seen Star Wars, the view might look familiar as the view was used as a setting in Star Wars: A New Hope. See below for some photos.

The view is almost as good as being in a helicopter... you can see the temples of the Gran Plaza, Temple III, Temple V (barely), and the great pyramid of the Mundo Perdido poking through the jungle's canopy. The panoramic view is what I had been dreaming to see, as it really puts Tikal into perspective. Its vast, remote, and incredibly spread out. Our guide even told me about a German tourist who was lost to the jungle in Tikal last year! Below are some photographs from the top.

Following our exploration of Tikal (and after admiring the cute coatimundis and a species of toucan), we enjoyed lunch at El Meson. We had a BBQ lunch before heading back to our hotel for the rest of the afternoon at leisure. In the evening, we met our friends from the airport in Guatemala City for dinner at our lodge. Good food and good company was a great way to end our time in Tikal. Romik and Brinda, if you're reading this... we hope to see you somewhere in the world very soon! 

The next morning, we drove approximately one hour back to Flores for our flight to Guatemala City. It was an eventful flight. Besides the soccer game being on, it was also our flight attendant's birthday. The plane soon turned into a party, with a man reaching into the overhead compartment to grab his instrument, serenading the flight attendant and the rest of the plane. The entire plane was clapping along before bursting out singing "happy birthday" to her. 

A short while later, we were on the ground in Guatemala City. We dropped our bags off at the hotel, had a quick lunch at a Chinese restaurant, and then headed to one of the most incredible museums I've ever been to. In planning the trip, I wanted to be sure my mom had plenty of opportunities to see (and potentially buy) textiles. A quick Google search later, I found the Ixchel Museum. Named after the Mayan goddess of the moon, women, reproduction, and textiles, the Museo Ixchel del Traje Indígena (Ixchel Museum) consists of textile exhibits and paintings by Andrés Curruchich and Carmen L. Pettersen which present the history of the clothing and weaving of the Maya of Guatemala. The museum hopes to instill an appreciation for the technical and artistic skills of weavers in addition to conserving the documentation of weaving practices across the country. In 1973, the Textile Committee of the Asociación Tikal was formed with the goal of protecting the country's archaeological treasures. Members of the committee raised funds to purchase quality indigenous weavings for its future collection and the first textile exhibit was displayed at the Parque de la Industria in Guatemala City alongside featured pieces borrowed from local collectors. The site was abandoned after the 1976 earthquake, but in the same year León and Carmen Pettersen donated the proceeds from the first edition of Maya of Guatemala to the museum. Sales of the book started the fund that financed the construction of the museum. In 1986, the Universidad Francisco Marroquín granted the museum land on its campus to build its new building. Today, the museum is a private non-profit institution whose mission is to collect, conserve, document, recover and exhibit the Maya textiles of Guatemala. The three story building showcases a fabulous collection and is easily one of our new favorite museums anywhere in the world. 

After watching a video "Maya Clothing of Guatemala" on the origin and history of weaving, we proceeded to the permanent exhibit space. The rooms are organized by Pre-Hispanic Maya dress (1000 BC - AD 1529), Maya-Hispanic dress (1530-1844), Modern Maya dress (1845-1959), and Contemporary Maya dress (1960 to the present). Afterwards, there's a temporary gallery followed by the Carmen L. Pettersen gallery. Throughout the rooms, there are great dioramas showing city life in central plazas, colonial textile workshops, and traditional dress. There are intricately woven textiles and huipiles, machines, backstrap looms, and spun cotton methodically organized and presented. Perhaps my favorite section was the giant graphic on the wall illustrating the different regions in Guatemala accompanied by photographs of traditional Mayan textiles matching the textile to the region (as all regions are known for a unique color, style, or theme). Oh, and did I mention we were the only people in the entire museum?! It made our visit all the more special! Some photos below...

This is an example of the back strap loom.

When we returned to our hotel, we decided we were too tired for the dinner reservation I had made and we noticed that the hotel was having a "traditional Thanksgiving" dinner. We were curious, so we ate at the hotel. It was by no means traditional and quite comical to see what "traditional Thanksgiving" meant in Guatemala! We went to bed early, preparing to wake up at 4AM for our flight to Panama. Our time in Guatemala was jam-packed and full of highs and lows. While we really enjoyed certain aspects of Guatemala, we found most locals weren't welcoming to Americans and we talked with other people who had the same impression. In main tourist hotels, most people didn't speak a word of English (or if they did, they pretended not to) and it was incredibly difficult to communicate. Of course, I never expect anyone to speak fluent English but I do expect that in tourist attractions (hotels, touristy restaurants, etc) enough English is spoken to at least get by with ordering food or asking the hotel basic questions. In all our travels, we have never encountered any communication barriers as great as what we experienced in Guatemala. Not only that, but when we told locals (in Spanish!) that we don't speak Spanish, they just kept talking to us in Spanish. It left a bad taste in our mouth to say the least, and Guatemala unfortunately isn't high up on my list of places to return to. Stay tuned for adventures in Panama, coming soon!