without getting pickpocketed (that I've noticed). So far, so good.
I was a little nervous about this trip--I haven't traveled with my
computer on chicken buses until now, and I was concerned about it, but
it seems to have worked out pretty well.
As those of you who have traveled in places like this know, they love
the speedbumps down here. Three or four, at least, in every little
town. Guess that's what you have to do when the cops aren't reliable.
On the way up here, I wound up in the very last seat in the bus.
Remember when you were in 5th grade and you loved that seat, because any
time you went over a bump you popped up in the air a foot or two?
Yeah.
Take that picture, and replace your fifth grade self with a neurotic 30
year old with an ostentatious moustache. And a computer he's addicted
to. Every time we hit a bump, I wondered if the computer had made it
through THAT one.
To be honest, part of me is inclined to leave the computer at home when
I go to Bolivia, but I frankly don't know how I would do this research
without it. Not only have I been typing up case studies and working on
putting my thoughts down with the computer (so much faster than writing
it out by hand, which is probably the alternative), but I've been
plugging away at some data analysis this whole time, which (I think) has
been pretty productive.
But I'm typing this, which means everything seems to be working
correctly--a good sign, at least.
I checked out of my room in Antigua (thrilled to be getting out of the
Disney of Guatemala, by the way) at about 8, and was on a bus to
Chimaltenango at about 8:15. Less than an hour of listening to the "to
Chimaltenango song" from the bus helper (the guy who puts your bags on
the roof and collects your fare) and I was in Chimal...
Chimal a chimal a chimal chimal a
Chimal a chimal a chimal chimal a
Chimal a chimal a chimal chimal a
Chimal a chimal a chimal chimal a
And although I almost lost by backpack when I got dropped off (who knew
that "it's underneath" meant "it's under the last seat, inside,
Gringo"?) I managed to catch my connection to Quiché just fine, and
without having some wheeler-dealer talk me into taking a more
complicated route...
Chimaltenango, by the way, may just be the most unattractive town I've
seen, anywhere around the world. And that includes Livengood, Alaska
(on the off chance that you've been there). Like Newark, it seems to
have the uncanny ability to support a local economy made completely up
of auto body shops and tire shops. But things sound like they're
getting better in Newark. And it at least has its own airport.
But I shouldn't complain. The bus ride here also takes you through some
of the most beautiful country anywhere in the world--and it's not just
beautiful scenery. The scenery is matched by the salient presence of
very strong cultural traditions, visible everywhere you look in the
dress and mannerisms of the locals. A proud people with strong
traditions.
Here in Quiché, I've even seen several men in traditional costume, which
is very unusual in other parts of Guatemala.
Santa Cruz itself is a busy, dusty town with little in the way of
attractions to bring tourists here, except for good transportation
connections to most of the rest of the country. But it's within a
couple minutes walk of beautiful countryside, and one of the more
intriguing archaeological sites in the country.
Útatlan is the site of the last stand of the Quiché Mayan State, which
was defeated there by Pedro de Alvarado, after the Quiché experienced an
earlier defeat at Xelajú (now Quetzaltenango, which all the locals still
call Xela). The site is still revered by the Maya, and the site is the
site of several current-day altars.
When I went there, earlier today, several of these altars were still
smoking from earlier ceremonies, and in one place, I spoke to a Mayan
family which appeared to be resting up after just having completed a
ceremony.
They were hanging out at the mouth of a cave under the complex of ruins,
which, it is believed, was a place of refuge for the Mayan women during
the conquest, so that they wouldn't be raped by the Spanish. The story
goes, one of the people killed in the cave during the invasion was the
Quiché princess who was the last of the royal line--so literally, the
cave is seen as the place of death of the Quiché kingdom.
After I wandered around the ruins a bit, I headed back to Sta. Cruz on
foot--it's only 1Q out to the site by colectivo, and another 1Q back
(about 15 cents each way) but I wanted to get a view of the countryside,
and I hoped to get some pictures. I'll post some when I have better
internet access again.
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