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Travel

First Impressions of Guatemala

written by Brenna Holeman May 14, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flores, Guatemala
For those who don’t yet know, I will be spending the summer in Central America, drifting through El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama before heading to South America for the rest of the year. For now, however, my roots lie in Guatemala, a country I will call home for the next two months.
But what of Guatemala? What do I know, what have I seen, what are my first impressions of this place? I admittedly did not know much before I got here, and I still don’t. I arrived first in Flores, in the north, a small city that is usually for those who plan on visiting majestic Tikal. Even in unassuming Flores, however, the streets shone as if adorned with jewels, shades of blue and pink and green bouncing off each other with the setting of the sun. The meals were hearty, the smiles genuine. Moving on to Antigua, my new home, I am greeted by everyone with “buenos” and “hola”. Smells of warm chocolate, fresh tortillas, and strong coffee waft through the stoned avenues. I am enticed by shops selling white cotton dresses, colourfully embroidered bags, wooden statues of Jesus, woven tapestries, and tiny instruments. Behind every door ajar seems to lie a beautiful and lush garden, populated only by sleeping cats or locals sipping an afternoon cerveza.
So what are my first impressions of this country I’ll spend the next eight weeks in? She is friendly and full, beautiful and resplendent. She will make a fine home.
*Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook and Twitter!*
ColoursGuatemalaNorth America
7 comments
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Brenna Holeman

Brenna Holeman has travelled to over 100 countries in the past 15 years, many of them solo. She's a big fan of whisky and window seats.

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7 comments

Jen May 15, 2012 - 3:40 am

I just got back from central america, guatemala was my favorite particularly antigua during holy week. you are going to have an amazing summer! enjoy! adios.

Reply
Jay May 15, 2012 - 6:26 am

So much colour – I love that!

Reply
Katie @ Domestiphobia.net May 15, 2012 - 11:29 am

Beautifully written, as always. And, like Jay said, I love the color in the streets!

Reply
EM May 15, 2012 - 5:33 pm

So colorful! Lovely! I am hoping to make it Guatemala when I get back to Honduras in September…this post just cemented that idea in my head.

Reply
This Battered Suitcase May 15, 2012 - 7:32 pm

Thank you so much, everyone!

Reply
Audrey | That Backpacker May 16, 2012 - 1:16 am

So colourful!! I love pastel coloured buildings. They brighten up a place so much. 🙂

Reply
This Battered Suitcase May 17, 2012 - 7:46 pm

Audrey – I absolutely love that, too! It’s so much nicer than gray and brown and beige.

Reply

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About Me

About Me

Hi, I'm Brenna

My name is Brenna Holeman and I drink a lot of whisky. No, wait. That’s not how I want to start. After travelling to more than 100 countries over the past 15 years, many of them solo, I tend to write about travel a lot, but I write about other things, too: getting dumped, buying way too much jewellery, and yeah, OK, whisky (none of those things are related, I swear). You’ll find a mix of advice, opinion pieces, and stories on this blog, but either way, I hope to make you want to read more. And up next? I'm about to become a single mom to a beautiful baby boy, the biggest solo adventure I've ever been on. For more about me and what you'll find on This Battered Suitcase, click here .

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INSPIRATION

Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life." - Jack Kerouac

About Brenna

This Battered Suitcase is not only about the where and the how of travel, it's about the who and the why.

Originally from Canada, all I've ever wanted to do is travel. After eleven years of solo travel and over 90 countries, I'm currently living in London and fulfilling my other dream of becoming a writer. If I'm not travelling, I'm writing about it, either for my blog, my job, or my book. I firmly believe there is adventure everywhere, so long as you keep your eyes (and your mind, and your heart) open. Join me as I continue to look for these adventures. Hopefully you'll find your own, too.

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Last stops: Manitoba, Canada

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