Colorful mixed (Guatemala)

December in Guatemala was very eventful.

We visited the cities of San Pedro and Santiago. San Pedro is located at the foot of the volcano with the same name and is known for its many restaurants (especially Israeli) and nightlife.

Santiago is the oldest Mayan city on the lake and is famous for its large and diverse markets. Compared to San Pedro, Santiago is less touristy and has a very traditional atmosphere.

In addition to the many small towns on the lake, you can also enjoy the nature. For example, by going on a hike to one of the many waterfalls in the area.

One special highlight for us was visiting a cacao farm. It is not a conventional farm, but rather a healthy, natural ecosystem where the cacao trees can grow in the jungle without any chemical influence. The farmer, Don Juan, showed us the different varieties of cacao. Additionally, with our guide who is of Maya descent, we had a cacao and tobacco ceremony right in the forest. Tobacco is also a sacred plant in Mayan culture.

On December 24th, we had a Christmas dinner with our friends here in San Marcos. Each person contributed a dish from their home country to the dinner. We made Austrian bread dumplings with mushroom sauce.