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TRAVEL BLOG ENTRY
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Getting accurate and reliable information about local chicken buses is at best difficult, if not impossible, in Guatemala.
Having been told at 0700 today by someone at the bus pick-up point that the direct bus to Chichicastenango (Chichi for short) was leaving at 0730, we had breakfast in the adjacent cafe, having been reassured that he would let us know when the bus arrived.
We had just taken a bite out of our toasted sandwiches at 0713 when the same man shouted to us that the bus to Chichi had arrived and would leave in two minutes!
We jumped into action, grabbed our sandwiches and wrapped them in napkins (we had paid for them!), and the waitress appeared almost by magic with two takeaway cups with lids.
Once on the bus we discovered that "direct" meant that we would have to change buses twice before getting to Chichi. The conductor tried to charge us for the entire journey to Chichi, 15Q each, even though he was only taking us 10 kms up the road. We paid 2.5Q each after much discussion, and after Barbara had asked him if we paid him for the entire journey to Chichi, how would the drivers of the connecting buses know we had paid and who would pay them!!! He didn't answer that one and we paid him 2.5Q each for his part of the journey.
We noticed that the back door was still open as it flew open every time we went round a corner. We then realised that the conductor was not on the bus. Glancing backwards we saw him on the outside of the bus, climbing back down the ladder from the roof (he had been securing all the luggage while we hurtled down the road and around corners), and he proceed to climb back into the bus via the back door. What a ride!
After changes at Sololá and again at Los Encuentros, passing through some beautiful mountain scenery with many 180 degree switchback corners, we arrived at Chichi, set at over 2,000m high.
Dave got off the bus and before I had a chance to get to the front of the bus it had moved off again, with Dave chasing the bus down the road. I asked the driver to let me off so he stopped again after 50m. Meanwhile the conductor was already on the roof of the bus, untying our backpacks. He launched the first one off the top of the bus, Barbara's, and as Dave set it to one side to grab the second one a passer-by knocked against it, knocking it forward and under a wheel of the bus. The impatient driver had already started to move forward even though the conductor was still on the roof and about to pass down Dave's backpack. The wheels ran over the top half of Barbara's backpack causing a "wash-bag" explosion and some damage to the backpack. After a lot of shouting the driver reversed wheel-spinning and causing even more damage to the backpack. So Barbara's backpack doesn't look so virginal any more, so maybe we are minimising our chances of getting it nicked!
We hadn't made a reservation so we started off by checking out the hotel in the main square, however all the doors were locked and the main door was even chained. We asked at the shop next door and the owner even walked with us to the main door, the chained one, and he couldn't understand why it was closed either.
So, frustrated, we worked our way down our selected list of hotels, the first three were fully booked and at this point we were getting apprehensive and thinking that we would have to go to a different town. We resorted to trying our B list of hotels and, hey presto, we came up trumps with the first on our list. A really clean room, ensuite bathroom (Hotel Girón) set around an open courtyard and set well back from the street, and only one block back from the main square. We were settling in when an American girl knocked on our door and asked where the reception was. She later called back having got a room and invited us to join her and her friend for dinner.
Sitting on a balcony at Don Juan's enjoying the best chocolate cake and coffee in Guatemala we watched as the market traders set out their stalls in the main square. Men and women carried large packs on their backs, containing everything from logs to clothing and fabrics, and of course souvenirs for the hordes of tourists that would descend on the town for the Sunday market tomorrow.
Chichi is famous within Guatemala for its Sunday market, which is reputed to be the biggest in the country and this is when many indigenous people come in from the country to sell their wares. However, on other days of the week it is a world away from the tourist towns of Antigua and Panajachel, as it has retained its character, and you feel like you are the only tourist in town.
On the main square there are murals running the length of the Town Hall, dedicated to the victims of the Civil War. Guatemala's Civil War lasted for 36 years during which time 200,000 people were killed, 1 million were displaced and several thousands disappeared. It had started in 1960 in response to a harsh military dictatorship and didn't formally end until December 29th 1996.
previous travel blog entry
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