Chichicastenango

Bidding Panajachel a temporary farewell (I may just become a 90's hippie sometime soon), we travelled to the nearby town of Chichicastenango to visit the bustling Sunday markets. That old cliché, "a hive of activity" must have been coined by someone who had visited this market. From tourist attracting goods to food for the locals, there is something for everyone, and everyone is here!

Situated just near the main road is the Hotel Santa de Tomas. This is a great place to rest and grab some food and a drink before once again facing the busy onslaught of the market. The hotel has some delightful gardens with tame Macaws and Cockatiels that are more than happy to chat to passing tourists, as well as an amazing Spanish colonial dining room that is great to just sit in. Once again a local church fiesta was taking place amongst the busy market scene, street traders mixing with church dignitaries for a unique event. One of the saints from the church was paraded through the streets on this particular day, with a tiger, a Mayan animal of worship, draped on the saint's back in the form of a beach towel. Nice to see the modern mixing with the ancient.

If you can, be sure to take the time to visit this or one of the many other Mayan churhes, they offer a fascinating insight into the religious beliefs of the modern Mayans. A mixture of Catholicism and Mayan beliefs is what you'll find, along with devout and very private worshippers no matter what the time of day is.

Their privacy must be respected, no photos or videos should be taken inside any church. Instead, just take the photographs in your mind instead.