There are quite a number of salsa schools in Antigua but I would recommend La Salsa Dance Co. above all the others. The director of the school is Carlos Miranda, who is also an exceptional teacher, and if he is not available there are also other equally good teachers such as Andrés and Martin. There are usually two others: Julio and Selvin, but they are reportedly abroad in Europe at the moment. If you’d prefer a female teacher, there is just one at this school: Marisol, who is Carlos’ dance partner at salsa shows, competitions and the like.

The school has plenty of students, so if you’re more comfortable in group classes, there are those. However, if you only have limited time in Antigua and would like a crash course you can sign up for private lessons with any of the teachers for Q75 per class, with a discounted rate if you sign up more than a certain number. A lot of the time other students will be having their private classes at the same time as you, so most times it’s a nice unintimidating atmosphere with several pairs dancing simultaneously.

If you want to try a class before committing to anything, there are free group classes from 5 to 6 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays. Sometimes they are packed however, due to Spanish school students who come to shake their booty for the first time. But drop in anyway for a trial class.

There are also weekly group classes (if at least three people show up) for other Latin rhythms such as Bachata and Merengue. Otherwise, if no one shows up and you want to do it anyway you’ll have to pay the equivalent of a private class, i.e. Q75. For two people you’d probably have to split that amount by half.

Visit the school’s website (www.lasalsadancegt.com) for more details on class schedules and rates. Or if you’re already in Antigua, drop in and ask. There’s almost always somebody there.

After you’ve learnt some new moves and want to test them out in clubs, Antigua has a healthy salsa nightscene, the best night being Tuesdays at Sin Ventura (the pounding disco right next to Monoloco) where most the salsa teachers of Antigua show up.

Also, if you’re taking lessons at La Salsa Dance (the studio is housed in the lounge of a hotel), make sure you try lunch or dinner at the Korean restaurant called Veronica House named after its pleasant owner (tell them Emily sent you!) opposite the school’s studio. Both the school and the restaurant are contained in a small commercial centre called Centro Commercial Canoa (turn right out from Bagel Barn and it’s a few shoplots down the same street), which also houses a Spanish School.

What? EntreMundos volunteer fair
When? May 25th, 2 - 4 pm
Where? EntreMundos Office (El Espacio) on 6a Calle 7-31, Zona 1, Xela
Tel? (502) 5606 9070, (502) 7761 2179

© mricha15 - Xela’s Central Park

Quetzaltenango (more familiarly dubbed ‘Xela’) is probably the place to volunteer in Guatemala. It’s the country’s second city after Guatemala City, but smaller, somewhat safer (with exceptions: two of my friends were robbed at gunpoint, so you still have to be careful when it’s dark out), and with just the right balance of foreigners and locals to offer a sufficiently authentic local experience. Whatever you get in Antigua in terms of Spanish schools and bars and cafes to make your comfort zone, you’ll also get in Xela, but the latter is nothing like the seemingly self-absorbed bubble that is Antigua.

© Emily Ding - The famous arch in Antigua

But of course, as with everything, you have to give and take. And Antigua, being an old Spanish colonial town is, hands down, a lot prettier than Xela is. For the passing tourist who can only afford a few days, Xela might only stay in their minds as ugly and nondescript, kind of like Guatemala City. But for the dedicated volunteer or long-term traveller looking to stay in one place and live some semblance of a life, Xela is a good choice. From the people I’ve heard who have lived there, they’ve loved it.

The only reason I’m not in Xela, despite the fact that there is so much more there with which to keep myself occupied… is this nagging question I ask myself: “Why would I come to a country like Guatemala and live in a city?” I’m going back to London town in exactly three months, and I’ve lived all my life in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia also home to the world-renowned Petronas twin towers. Why then would I choose to live in the city here in this still-developing country? Better to live a small-town existence on the tranquil shores of Lake Atitlán which, have I mentioned, is the most beautiful lake in the world. At least, until I see something else to rival it.

Photos © Emily Ding

I guess this place attracts hippies as much as San Pedro does, but of the more health-conscious variety. No marijuana or cocaine here, it’s all about your spiritual well-being.

San Marcos is one of the many villages surrounding Lake Atitlán. It’s very beautiful, and much quieter than its counterparts. However, if you’re not into meditation or yoga or massages or emotional therapy or vegetarian food, one day spent here will probably be enough. However, I’m speaking from the viewpoint of a lone traveler; I’m sure if you have company, time will pass a lot faster here.

There are a whole cluster of signs to various hostels and restaurants near the dock where you disembark, but as they all seemingly point in the same direction they are unhelpful. But don’t worry, you don’t need a guidebook. Just be prepared to take a stroll and see things and you will find everything. From the dock, take a left, and follow the first fork up, or the second fork, or the third. Work your way around and you’ll find where everything is.

And if you want to get yourself into hippie pants and wander around barefoot, you wouldn’t look out of place either.

Santiago Atitlán is one of the many villages surrounding Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Upon arriving on Santiago’s shores, you will be greeted by tuk-tuk (or rather ‘moto taxi’) drivers eager to bring you on a tour of Santiago for a fee. I’ve been inundated with offers as low as 50 Quetzales, and offers as high as 100 Q. Always negotiate.

If my tuk-tuk guide is anything of a standard comparison, you will first be brought to the Mirador, from which you will get a view of the lake and Santiago, and also a distant glimpse of the Lavandería Maya, where Mayan women wash clothes on the shores between 8 - 10 a.m. and in the evening between 3 - 5 p.m., so I was told. The Mayan women can wash their clothes in their own homes, but it’s long since been something of a custom to congregate by the lake to do their laundry. If you want to get up close and personal with the Tzutujil Mayan women, walk down a little dirt slope to the lakeshore from the Mirador. My guide was Tzutujil (chances are it’ll be easy to find one) so he could converse with the people I met in Santiago and act as a translator for me, in Spanish. If you don’t speak even a little bit of Spanish it will probably be difficult. I say get right down to where the laundry-washing is going on, because the view is incredible. The Mirador view is a tad bit impersonal.

The 3rd destination is the Peace Park (El Parque de la Paz), the site to commemorate the victims of the 1990 massacre by the army, where thirteen villagers, including children, were killed.

Then you’ll be brought to the house of Maksimon, a god of the Mayans who actually smokes and drinks. There is a special committee designated to guard Maksimon, who entrusts him to a different house every year, and people are welcome to pay their respects to him for a small fee. It costs Q2 to enter, and Q10 to take a photo. It might be a bit bizarre for some of us to see a paper doll being fed cigarettes and cigars while someone leads a prayer to him, but those who believe in him take him seriously, so show some respect when you’re in his presence.

Your last destination will be the Catholic church, which is currently undergoing some cosmetic construction.

Aside from these places though, you can negotiate with your guide to take you somewhere else you’re interested in for an extra fee. I was interested in the small village of Panabaj, which was destroyed by Hurricane Stan in 2005. You will see the hollow remains of the Hospitalito, which is currently being rebuilt in a safer, more secure location, and which still needs donations. I also went to take a look at the temporary housing of the victims of Hurricane Stan. Three years on and they were still living in shacks in a open dirt field. It’s very much worth a visit.

As far as impressions go, Santiago is very much a workaday village, and much bigger than either Panajachel, San Pedro or San Marcos, which are more popular haunts of tourists and hippies. Santiago lacks the kinds of bars or restaurants we’re used to, and is probably not much fun if you’re traveling alone. In Panajachel or San Pedrogas (so nicknamed for its abundance of marijuana and cocaine activities, drogas meaning drugs) or San Marcos, if you’re eating on your own in a restaurant, chances are you will find company as you are shuffling burritos into your mouth, one way or other. But in Santiago, that will probably be more difficult. However, it probably offers a more accurate picture of what life in a Guatemalan pueblo really is like.

Where to stay in Santiago:

I stayed in Hotel Chinimya, which is a short walk away from the dock (’embarcadero‘) and its abundance of restaurants. Rooms are basic are perhaps a little cramped but comfortable nonetheless, with hot water and an attached licuado stand, useful if you need your fix of fruit shake every morning. It is also right next to an internet cafe, so that’s convenient. It’s one of the cheaper options, about Q70 for a private room with shared bathroom. It’s expensive compared to accommodation rates in Panajachel or San Pedro but considered cheap in Santiago.

For more luxurious - and accordingly, more expensive - options, try Hotel Bambu (which is rather far from the centre of Santiago, but I guess isolation is the point) or Posada de Santiago, which costs on average about $USD 50 per night for a private single room.

ALL PHOTOS © EMILY DING

© meltravels — An old US school bus repainted into the infamous public ‘chicken bus’

If you’re flying into Guatemala City, upon arrival at the airport there are shuttles (even without prior reservation) to Antigua, from where you can then further your journey to other parts of the country. Otherwise, take a taxi to a bus terminal to catch a chicken bus to your destination.

Pros and cons between a shuttle and a chicken bus?

Truth is, they don’t differ very much in terms of comfort. Taking a chicken bus from Guatemala City, which is the starting point for most buses, you’ll be guaranteed a seat so you won’t have to be swaying interminably in the center aisle.

And in terms of time saved, I’ve found that there’s no significant difference between the two either since all the drivers drive like hell’s on fire anyway. The chicken bus will make stops for people to get on and off but that doesn’t contribute to a significant delay in reaching your destination. Any delays will be due to highway constructions.

In terms of cost, the chicken bus is generally cheaper, although for some routes there is no significant difference. For example, from Antigua to Panajachel or Guatemala City, you can get it as cheap as $5 or $7 with a shuttle, which works out about the same as a chicken bus. But for longer routes there might be a larger margin of difference.

Point is: if you’re hesitating about taking a chicken bus, don’t… unless: (1) you have a hefty amount of luggage, then you might want to consider a shuttle, or (2) if you don’t want to take the chance of being robbed while you’re asleep or unaware - I’ve had my wallet stolen from me before while I was asleep, and I met a traveler once who unknowingly had his pocket sliced open with a knife and his passport and cash stolen. But the better reason to opt for a shuttle over a chicken bus is (3) not having to make multiple connections. A shuttle brings you from A to B in one vehicle, sometimes even door to door.

However, for every first-timer in Central America, the chicken bus is an experience not to be forgone since it offers up a true local experience (once you’re a veteran you’ll probably tire of it). So here I’ve listed a few places in the country you might want to make your way to from la capital, with the bus terminal addresses provided in Spanish.

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This was played every six hours on Guatemalan TV in September 2007 to commemorate the month of the country’s independence. Guatemala became independent from Spain on September 15, 1821. This video will also show you the amazing greenery of the country, its landscapes, its people… all the nice things about Guatemala. The more unpleasant ones… well, you won’t find it here.

¡Guatemala feliz! que tus aras
No profane jamás el verdugo;
Ni haya esclavos que laman el yugo
Ni tiranos que escupan tu faz.

Si mañana tu suelo sagrado
Lo amenaza invasión extranjera,
Libre al viento tu hermosa bandera
A vencer o a morir llamará.

CHORUS:
Libre al viento tu hermosa bandera
A vencer o a morir llamará.
Que tu pueblo con ánima fiera
Antes muerto que esclavo será.

Fortunate Guatemala! May your altars
Never be profaned by cruel men.
May there never be slaves who submit to their yoke,
Or tyrants who deride you.

If tomorrow your sacred soil
Should be threatened by foreign invasion,
Your fair flag, flying freely in the wind,
Will call to you: Conquer or die.

CHORUS:
Your fair flag, flying freely in the wind,
Will call to you: Conquer or die;
For your people, with heart and soul,
Would prefer death to slavery.

1. Purified water - I don’t do it anymore now but when I first entered Guatemala, I’d started following Lonely Planet’s overzealous advice and brushed my teeth with drinking water when one of my fellow homestay mates told me he was doing that. Lonely Planet also tells you to wash all your food with drinking water and that you shouldn’t eat uncooked vegetables but I’ve been doing all that in blatant defiance of their advice. It is impossible to escape the salads in Central America: one, because it’s so ubiquitous; and two, because it’s so good. I’ve been eating plenty of market/street food (actually it’s my favourite) and I’ve been okay. Maybe Bel is right, maybe Malaysians have got stronger constitutions. Our tummies have been trained well by the not-so-distinctive-as-we’d-like-to-think Malaysian feature: the pasar malam (night market).
2. Hot water - This commodity much taken for granted at home in Malaysia and in London is scarce and only available in some houses (you have to install a waterheater which obviously requires extra money) and even if it is available it is usually inadequately provided. Either the water only remains hot at low volume, or it is too hot you run the danger of scalding yourself, or too cold - there seems to be no way to have anything in between. Water pressure is also generally dismal. I always feel like I have soap suds stuck in my hair after I shower. In Guatemala when I couldn’t access hot water I didn’t shower at night because it was too cold. In Nicaragua, where I’ve been traveling for a month now, I’ve only had hot showers for a few days when I was in the highlands of Estelí and Jinotega. But in Nicaragua, the lowest country in Central America, it’s almost welcome because it’s so hot.
3. Toilets that flush - Not all toilets flush, and even if they do, they might not if you clog it with tissue paper. In Guatemala and Nicaragua you don’t flush anything down the toilet, not even toilet paper that you’d think is supposed to go down the toilet bowl. Instead, you throw everything into a wastepaper basket that is provided, whether or not your tissues are filled with urine or faeces or that monthly inconvenience women go through. Very nice.

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© Michael Hrncir

So. I don’t understand why all the guidebooks wax lyrical about Granada.

Yes, it is purported to be the oldest city on the American continent, and I guess it has got some kind of colonial charm, but the future of Nicaragua tourism it isn’t. At least, not for me, nor it seems, to the multitude of tourists passing through. I haven’t spoken to a single traveler on the road who has found Granada charming or romantic or befitting any of the purple passages dedicated to it in the guidebooks.

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If you:

• want to travel dirt cheap
• don’t mind being squashed like a sardine
• don’t mind making several connections
• don’t mind waiting for the connections, for what could potentially be hours (breakdowns aren’t rare to hear of)
• speak enough basic Spanish to take you through what could be unpredictable schedules and bus-stops not obviously signposted
• don’t mind missing out on sleep
• don’t mind taking a longer journey

… then by all means, take what tourists have dubbed ‘chicken buses’ (because according to Lonely Planet you will sometimes have to share your seat with sqawking chickens; however, I’ve yet to actually experience that to justify the nickname) all the way across borders in Latin America.

Of course, the local chicken buses don’t traverse national borders so you’d have to get off at borders, cross them, then take another bus onward.

I met a German guy recently who caught six chicken buses from Copan, Honduras to San Salvador, El Salvador for all of $5 USD; so you know, if you have the nerve and the patience for it, it’s entirely possible.

I’d recommend traveling light though. If you have a fat backpack with you it might be difficult to squeeze into the bus if it’s full. You can leave it on the roof of the bus of course, but I prefer to have my things with me at all times. I’ve been on buses where luggages have fallen off making a noise like a gun shot.

On the other hand, if you are adamantly opposed to or are unable to afford any of the cheap thrills mentioned above, you can opt to travel with Ticabus or King Quality, the latter with in-bus café serving food and drinks for a couple more extra bucks, so I hear.

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The most conspicuous is DHL, located on 6a Avenida Sur 16 but there is another one before that on the same street called International Bounded Couriers (IBC) which is cheaper and allows you the option of not purchasing insurance (which costs about $USD 20) on your package. For a package of 5 kg to Malaysia, DHL charges $USD 280 but I asked for a discount and without much effort, got it down to $USD 210, insurance included (there is no option to exclude insurance). IBC charges $USD 170 for a package of the same weight without insurance.

I’m an enthusiastic amateur photographer and you would think that Guatemala offers a plethora of opportunities for documentary photography. But just yesterday I sent my gigantic Canon 10D SLR camera and similarly big lenses back home to Malaysia because it got too stressful worrying about being a potential target for armed robbers while I carried them conspicuously around town. I haven’t felt free to use them on the streets for the same reason so it’s actually been restricting me from taking as many photos as I would otherwise.

But the main reason isn’t my fear of being robbed. The other thing is that it affects my conscience when I take photos of the local people here. The children tend to ask you for a buck when you take a photo (anything for a buck here, seems to be the mentality) and I don’t like the idea of having to pay to take a photo, or the idea that I’m intruding. I don’t want to be taking pictures of people if people don’t welcome it. So I’ve bought myself a disposable camera instead to document my travels - it will do for now. I still have my writing.

So, unless you’re a very serious photographer, think long and hard about whether you want to bring all your photography equipment along. It’s a pain to carry and to worry about, and sure as hell it burns a hole in your pocket when you have to pay $200 to send it home!