After about 3.5 hours drive, we arrived in the small town of Chichicastenango, or as many call it, Chichi. It is a small town nestled in the highlands northwest of Guatemala City at an altitude of ~6,445'. Chichi is known for it's open-air market on Thursdays and Sundays. I'd visited Chichi before and had fond memories of the colorful market. When we arrived today it was raining, but that only put a slight damper on our visit. We made our way through the narrow cobblestone streets, jumping over puddles and taking in the sights and smells of the market. The Iglesia de Santo Tomás, dating from ~1540, is a Catholic church built on the site of an ancient temple. Catholic mass is held here, as are traditional Mayan rituals. There are 18 steps leading up to the church; they stand for the 18 months in the Mayan calendar. Inside the church, candles are affixed to 12 tablets embedded in the floor; four each representing the sun, moon, and rain. It is breathtaking to see the unique blend of Mayan and Catholic traditions; unfortunately, no photos are allowed to be taken while inside the church.
1 Comment
Carolyn Fleming
7/16/2017 05:47:17 pm
Erin, I'm enjoying your travel blog. Looks like you're having a wonderful time in Guatemala.
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