All of my senses were heightened. I was bombarded by the bright colors of the stalls and their merchandise. The smell of smoke from a wood fire. The sound of women loudly selling their wares…

Bread! Fruits! Sandals! Chickens!

These are the precious memories that I have of going to the market with my grandmother. You see, I’ve been traveling to Guatemala since I was a baby. My family on my father’s side is Guatemalan, so as a kid I would spend my summers there. As I got older, however, I wasn’t able to go as often. I missed those trips to the market. I missed playing with my cousins. I missed spending time with my aunts and uncles.

 

Then a few years ago I was finally able to go back and I fell in love with Guatemala all over again. Although I did spend some time with my family, I also did some exploring, something I had never had the chance to do before. Now, as an adult, I was able to appreciate my heritage and culture so much more. I traveled to different cities, admired amazing architecture, played a marimba (the national instrument of Guatemala), explored the Mayan ruins of Tikal, saw my first ceiba tree (a tree that is sacred to the Mayan people), relaxed on black sand beaches, crossed Lake Atitlán, and watched gorgeous sunsets. Plus, I was there on September 15th, Guatemala’s Independence Day. That meant lots of parades and festivals!

 

So there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll be traveling back to Guatemala. But just in case you still need a little extra push, here are 15 of my favorite photos and reasons why you should visit the “Land of Eternal Spring.”

 

 

Have you visited Guatemala? Have I convinced you to pack your bags? We’d love to read your comments below! 🙂

 

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