Guatemalan craft traditions, locally known as
artesanía
, are very much a part of modern Maya culture, stemming from practices that in most cases predate the arrival of the Spanish. Many of these traditions are highly localized, with different regions and even different villages specializing in particular crafts. It's worth visiting as many
markets
as possible, particularly in the highland villages, where the colour and spectacular settings are like nowhere else in Central America
As for
everyday goods
, you'll find that both slide and print film is available in most towns in the country, though monochrome is much less common. Camcorder videotapes are also widely on sale, though digital video tapes are difficult to find.
Crafts
The best place to buy Guatemalan
crafts
is in their place of origin, where prices are reasonable and the craftsmen and women get a greater share of the profit. If you haven't the time to travel to remote highland villages, the best places to...
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Markets
For shopping - or simply sightseeing - the
markets
of Guatemala are some of the finest anywhere in the world. The large markets of Chichicastenango, Sololá and San Francisco El Alto are all well worth a visit, but equally fascinating are the...
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