Thursday, 7 March 2013

Blog 3 Heading for the hills-the Maya-Quiche highlands

Firstly don't you have to love a place with Quiche in its name!
Now driven up into the heart of the western highlands and a town called Chicicostanango where we are staying one night so that we can go to the famous market here. Sheila did some excellent bargaining and we bought some traditional Mayan fabrics, wooden masks, napkins etc - Boy that girl can haggle-saved us a fortune!
The town is the pivotal centre of Mayan religion in this area and also has catholics all getting ready for the big easter procession thru cobbled streets. sadly not here to witness the palo volador in which men dangle by ropes from a 20m pole ( bit like our may pole) and wrap themselves around it (by swinging) 13 times as they have 13 months in the Mayan calendar. Had forgotten what it is like to visit churches filled with clouds of incense, see very wrinkled old ladies kneeling praying and to step outside and be surrounded by hordes of kids trying to sell you (yet more) stuff!!!!
Moving on to Tikal, famous Mayan ruins, tomorrow at 4.30AM yuk






my lunch/supper most days!


lots of shopping opportunities....





Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

No comments: