Visiting Guatemala for the first time can be a daunting experience. Security warnings, economic hardships and rampant corruption can be a bewildering mix for the unsuspecting tourists. But next time, I am determined to learn more about this country.
By the time I landed at the La Aurora International Airport, after the two-hour immigration queue at Miami International Airport in transit, I was on the road for over 20 hours and feeling extremely jet lagged. It was a huge relief to receive my baggage not having been tampered with whilst it was in transit at Miami. Yes, the last time I transit at Miami, my baggage was opened, not by the TSA but by baggage thieves. American Airlines who carried me at the time, denied my claim and told me to take the issue to the airline who sold me the ticket, which was British Airways.
Stepping out into the terminal, I was intrigued to come face to face with street vendors selling tourist tack. Later on the outbound trip, I saw even more of them accosting departing tourists at the entrance to the airport terminal.
All the photos in this blog were taken on my iPhone 6 Plus. I did not feel safe to carry my camera with me.
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| Street vendors outside Guatemala International Airport |
The hotel is a 15-minute ride from the airport. The Barcelo Hotel is an attractive hotel and charges an unbelievably reasonable rate of USD$60 per night, including breakfast and wifi. It also offers free shuttle to and from the airport and to and from the office. The young guys at the Business Centre who helped me to do my on-line check in were pleasant enough for a business hotel. Elsewhere, within the public areas, security men patrolled ardently with their earpiece and mouthpiece.
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| View of the city from the hotel balcony |
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| Another view of the city from the hotel balcony |
Everyday I left the comfort of the hotel by shuttle bus to the office at Europlaza. There, we all had to leave our personal belongings with security and pass through a scanner. I often reflect on how lucky it is not to have to go through this kind of security in the UK or in Europe.
Everywhere I went, the roads were covered by political posters, with male candidates' faces beaming benignly at the passers-by. The Presidential elections will be in September and in the meantime, Guatemala is facing a corruption crisis, with many ministers resigning and the head of the central bank sacked.
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| Guatemala City, street scene |
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| Guatemala city, street scene |
The small stores in Guatemala practice the pile it high format. Here are two examples:
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| The shop in the hotel lobby |
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| The shops at the airport, before immigration |
Food was fine. The best meal I had was this plate of grilled prawns. The seafood was cooked just right and the prawns were delicious.
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| Grilled prawns |
On departure, after tedious immigration and even more tedious security check, a policeman stopped me and demanded to see my passport. That was the fifth time my passport was checked (first time at entry to terminal, second time at airline check in desk, third time at entrance to the departure hall, fourth time at immigration). The young man looked at me menacingly, passed his fingers over my passport as if he was suspecting to find the document a fake, and when he saw my anger, asked me how much money I had with me. Then, when I opened my purse and he saw a near empty purse, he very reluctantly returned my passport to me. That was the first time I was rumbled by an official and I am not sure what the purpose was to single me out for intimidation.
And to add to the security paranoia, all my hand luggage was given another thorough search at the departure gate. The search agent took everything out of my cases and ran his fingers along the lining of the case. I was a relief to leave the country.
