QUETZALTENANGO
Trasportation
From Guatemala City: because of the flight landing from Cancun at 12.15, my biggest concern was to get out of the capital as soon as possible, and reach Quetzaltenango by the evening. Apart from the chicken buses, there are some more comfortable lines that connect the two cities, with last ride at 16.00. Since the flight was punctual, despite a rather slow immigration control queue, I managed to get to the city at around 13.30, and buy a Linea Dorada ticket (60 GTQ) with departure at 14.30. I also found the time to eat a sandwich in the cafeteria inside the terminal, because I was warned by the ticket agent not to venture out onto the street with luggage, even for the two blocks necessary to get to the first restaurant. Arrived at destination at around 20.30. Given the few passengers, instead of a big normal bus we traveled on a minivan. Comfortable travel. The driver stopped at 18.00 in Los Encuentros, for a dinner in a restaurant whose name I do not remember, but where we ate well. All passengers took profit of the situation, since nobody of us knew if we had found some open restaurant at destination, due to the late time of arrival
To Todos Santos de Cuchumatan: At 6.00 chicken bus to Huehuetenango (20 GTQ two and a half hours ride). At 10.30 microbus “Transportes Flor de Maria” (20 GTQ about two hours travel). I waited 2 hours at the Huehue bus terminal, a dirt patch with a smell halfway between piss and rubbish. Since I had nothing to do, I wrote down all the departures timetable for Todos Santos Cuchumatan for this company: 10.20, 11.20, 14.00, 15.15 and 16.15. Comfortable travel. The stretch of road between Huehuetenango and Todos Santos is not as terrible as mentioned online. It’s a mountain road full of bends, that’s all. Very scenic, among other things, in the area where it reaches at the summit a plateau, called La Ventosa, before the descent to Todos Santos Cuchumatan
Sleep
Hostal Dona Maria Mercedes, 110 GTQ a single room, with breakfast and a very clean shared bathroom. Really nice hotel, with an internal patio decorated with plants and birdcages, a kitchen for guests use, smiling and very kind personnel. Very quiet room on the first floor, without windows and with thick stone walls. The upper ones have double glazing. I made my booking via Messenger, they were very helpful, they did not require a deposit and they waited for me despite the late hour (very few rooms were still occupied when I arrived) .The most popular budget accommodation are however the Black Cat and the Seabel
Eat
Some lunches at Armonia Cafè, mentioned on the Lonely Planet, average cost 30 GTQs. Very bad first dinner at Shalom Cafè (35 GTQ a liquid lentil soup). Much better at Utz Hua (corner 12 Av with 3rd street) frequented only by locals, and at the Black Cat Hostel (frequented only by tourists) 45 GTQ a rice and fried chicken in Thai style. Utz Hua is my favourite 🙂
Excursions
19/7 morning Fuentes Georginas 130 GTQ, booked through my Hostal. A tourist shuttle came to pick me up. It’s nothing special, but it’s a pleasant experience, in a nice natural setting, and there’s a lot of local tourism.
20/7 morning Salcaja, San Cristobal Totonicapan and San Andres Xecul, 250 GTQ with taxi
20/7 afternoon Mirador of Vulcano Santiaguito, 300 GTQ with taxi
The two excursions should be inverted, since in the morning you are more likely to have clear views on the Santiaguito. It’s a stroll of about an hour and a half uphill in a bucolic landscape.
Salcajà did not impress me, San Cristobal and San Andres are quite cute. In the first village the preparations for the patronal feast were fervent, and the main square, surrounded by bright blue buildings, was scattered with stalls of sweets, candies and toys. The second one is characterized by churches with bright coloured facades, as vivid as chicken buses carts and the ladies’ dresses. It is here that I begin to know the Guatemalans’ habit of officiating propitiatory rites in pagan altars placed near the churches 
Despite having contacted most of the agencies downtown, and even the tourist office, I could not find any tour to join, so I had to rely on a taxi. The three villages can be reached by chicken bus, it only takes a little extra time
21/7 morning San Felipe El Alto, 14 GTQ in a chicken bus
The theft of my wallet does not influence my positive opinion: it is the less “tourist” market I saw, with only goods for use and consumption of the local population. The most interesting part is the one which takes place in a large dirt square at the top of the village. Here they sell typical farm animals, and pets. A kitten costs 35 GTQ
Impressions
The weather was mild. Beautiful sun during all the excursions in the nature. More clouds during visits to the villages, thank goodness the opposite did not happen! During the day it has rained very little. The sun is very strong. Unfortunately for lack of time I could not go to the Laguna Chichabal