Guatemala
While civil war and military operations have hindered Guatemala’s progress for quite a while, in the past ten years since cease fires had been declared, there has been gradual growth and urbanization. If you study a map of Guatemala and Central America, you will notice that Mexico is one of its neighbors as is Honduras, Belize and El Salvador. Your Guatemala map would definitely show that the capital of this Central American country is Guatemala City. It may also show landmarks such as major roads, rivers and even historical sites, something this country is known for.

The history of Guatemala can be backtracked thousands of years BC. These earliest settlers paved the way for the Mayan civilizations that followed. The Mayans were known for erecting grand palaces, pyramids and walled cities. They also created roads made of stucco. Eventually, the Mayan cities declined and then the Spanish came a-calling. Eventually in the mid 1800’s Guatemala declared their independence, but it wasn’t until 1980 that their neighbor Belize recognized that fact due to the still lingering disputes about border issues. The Guatemala flag reflects their independence. It is two light blue vertical stripes with a white stripe in the middle which bears the country’s coat of arms that depicts their date of independence.

In regards to Guatemala tourism, much of it is centered on the Mayan ruins and eco-tours. This is the perfect country in which to explore rainforests, caves, volcanoes, lakes, mountains and yes, even beaches. Antigua, Guatemala is a popular tourist place because of its proximity to a volcano as well as the ancient architecture that is reflected in the buildings. The Guatemala culture is intertwined with its Mayan background as well as those past Spanish visitors.

Guatemala food is unique with its blend of spices and flavors. The food in Guatemala reflects its European influences in the chicken, seafood, turkey, pork and vegetable dishes. Of course, rice, carnitas, chili rellenos and guacamole are other popular dishes. Some of the Guatemalan recipes are traditional and lend it to other Latin American countries. Some of these dishes are eaten during Guatemala Christmas celebrations. As in other Latin countries, Christmas in Guatemala is somewhat traditional with midnight mass on Christmas Eve and the sharing of food and presents with family and friends.

Besides tourism, another reason that some people trek to Guatemala is for adoption. Guatemala adoption is fairly common due to the economy and poor literacy rate in the country. The popularity of adopting in Guatemala is that while there is a bunch of red tape, they allow single people to adopt and also allow adoptions of very young children and even infants.