Anyone been to Guatemala?

[dipstik]

I will be traveling there at the end of the month to work on a photography documentary.

The trip is a 2 week workshop organized by a few professors from a Boston-based photography school.

There are about 15 of us going (some students, some pros) but that doesn't really matter because we will all be on our own to shoot. Basically, we will all pick a story to photograph during our time there, and the instructors will be there to help us with logistics, and for nightly critiques. They have a lot of connections with local NGO's and a few other people and places.

But other than nightly critiques, I am basically on my own in Guatemala for two weeks, and can shoot and travel where ever my story leads me. This is not a vacation, it is strictly photography.

I am arriving in Guatemala City, but we will be staying in Antigua.

If any of you have been there, what was your experience like? Did you travel at night, and were you ever worried about your personal safety? Did you take anti-malarials? Any other general tips on what not to do or eat?

I don't yet have a story idea, so if anything pops into your head, please let me know.

[Bart T]

i biked from guatemala city down to livingston. was not concerned about my safety, except for a couple times in traffic but mostly it was a chiller place to bike than chicago loop.

did not take anti-malarials, because i was there for 8 weeks and didn't want to be on the drugs for that long (some nasty side effects for long term use.) but 2 weeks should be fine.

for photography, if you are into jungle and ruins, you could explore the area around tulum. some amazing spelunking opportunities there (the early maya used the caves for defense and religious rites, so there are lots of bones, pottery, and other cool stuff to come across in the caves.). and tulum itself is really cool although it is touristy. for long distances, like guatemala city to flores (closest big town to tulum), take an express bus which takes maybe 12 hours with super comfy seats and movies, and you can get over the counter valium clones to help you sleep.

the highlands areas around antigua are cool too, i just don't know that area nearly as well.

[hop]

Xela is awesome. Go hiking up the volcanoes just outside of town. Antigua is kind of awesome, although crawling w/ gringos trying not very hard to learn Spanish. Nice colonial architecture should make for good photo ops. Tulum, from what I've heard, is awesome.

The beaches are awesome but pretty much one giant shore-pound. I had one of the worst beatings of my life trying to surf in Monterrico.

My crew of about 25 was bopping around the country for 5 days and we had one scientist get pickpocketed on a bus and our ships captain, who is a big man, got mugged at knifepoint walking home from a bar in Antigua. Then again, one of our folks who is native Chilean was biking around on his $$$$$ road bike (including from Puerto Quetzal to Monterrico and PQ to Antigua) and never had an issue.

Edit: I gues if you have nightly critiques in Antigua, then you're kind of stuck around Antigua. There is a cool market there... go to the sketchy butcher part

[El Chupacabra]

Mrs. C. and I went in November 2008; flew in/out of Guatemala City, took tourist busses around everywhere (the "collectivos," not the chicken busses). Spent most of our time in Antigua and the Lake Atitlan region, with 2 days in Flores/ Tikal (flew to Flores from Guatemala City).

It felt safe, but we were pretty much in the tourist areas anyway.

[dipstik]

There is a cool market there... go to the sketchy butcher part

Hmmm...sketchy butcher market sounds like it could make for an interesting mini-story. I'm especially interested in the people and the culture, so this might be worth checking out? Anything else you could say about the market?

[hop]

It's in between the chicken bus stop and the town, so you can walk there from the central plaza in about 5 minutes.

There was a much more exciting covered market in Xela, but IIRC the one in Antigua was pretty cool. It's amazing to think of how crazy our health regulations regarding food are, then you go down there and you see some fucked up shit... and then you eat it!

There are also a lot of really cool textile shops. Again, I can't remember exactly where they all were but if you have two weeks you will find them. I was only in Antigua for about 40 hours and I had no problem finding cool cultural things to ogle.

[dipstik]

did not take anti-malarials, because i was there for 8 weeks and didn't want to be on the drugs for that long (some nasty side effects for long term use.) but 2 weeks should be fine.

Good to know. Did you take any other meds while there? My doctor gave me an r/x for a dengue fever preventive vaccine and a heavy duty antibiotic, so I'm thinking I am pretty much covered in that regard.

[hop]

Just wear long sleeves, long legs, and a bit of DEET here and there. I'd be more worried about pissing out of your ass (see sketchy food reference above).

[BFD]

My friend owns this hotel. http://lacasadelmundo.com/
we have a standing invite but haven't gone since he started building it 15 years ago. Some other friends visited last year. http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/491011.html
Tikal is worth checking out. If you go to lake Atitlan check out the above link.
There is crime and I would recomend paying attention to where you are at night.

[Tye 1on]

Friend was down there helping to get a new national park established, called El Mirador iirc. Here is something off google on the area. Had an estimated 80,000 residents, likely one of the oldest and largest Mayan sites in mesoamerica. Pain in the ass to get to, and a lot of the structures are still covered in moss/rain forest. If you want to go there, i can get you more info...

[El Chupacabra]

My friend owns this hotel. http://lacasadelmundo.com/
we have a standing invite but haven't gone since he started building it 15 years ago.

^^^ We stayed there for several nights at Lake Atitlan. Very nice place; highly recommended.

Also, DEET is a must, everywhere.

[Tippster]

No bugs in Antigua when I was there. Shit, the year round temp is like 74 degrees! Loved that place.

I'd do a story on the brave but failing attempt to keep all the colonial Architecture from falling in on itself. A worker repairing the Viceroy's Palace got crushed when we had a very small earthquake while we were in there sightseeing!

Needless to say we headed straight to a bar. Reilly's is a cool place to chat with the Euros studying in town.

[Danno]

Hmmm...sketchy butcher market sounds like it could make for an interesting mini-story. I'm especially interested in the people and the culture, so this might be worth checking out? Anything else you could say about the market?

Every market in every town must be visited, you just have to experience them.

It's been 15 years since I was there, but Tikal was amazing. Lake Atitlan was cool: Panajachel was touristy as fuck but fun, Santiago was a pit, San Pedro was a nice little town. Climbed Pacaya, local volcano, that was very cool. Chichicastenango was renowned for its market, but I wasn't terribly impressed. I never did make it to Xela.

[hop]

Needless to say we headed straight to a bar. Reilly's is a cool place to chat with the Euros studying in town.

A friend of mine did a stint bartending there when he sailed from SF to RI and back over a course of a few years. He and another friend from HS pulled in to the lake accessible from the Caribbean side and holed up in Antigua to "rest" for a few months.

He said it was a rare night he did not score some young worldly female action.

[atomicboy]

you could explore the area around tulum. and tulum itself is really cool although it is touristy.

Do you mean Tikal? Tulum is in Mexico 150km south of Cancun.

I just got back from Guatemala two weeks ago and will be posting a TR of sorts soon.

No need for Malaria pills. It is safe except for a couple of zones in Guatemala City. Chichicastenango is way over rated. Atitlan area is great. I would bus from Guatemala City to Tikal/Flores instead of flying. The road goes through several climate zones and offers many photo opportunities.

Antigua is great for photos. I would try to find a local who will take you to an old historic home. Most big homes in Antigua have a door only to the street and look like nothing special but through the doors is a stunning home and courtyard.

I would also pick up a bottle of Ron Zacapa 23. I heard its great as I don't drink but when I needed to grease a wheel or two it came in handy as everyone really likes it.

[Bart T]

yeah, tikal, sorry for the brainfart.