jadess3

If you want the real feel of a Guatemalan market, I would recommend the market at San Francisco el Alto (the largest in Guatemala and much less touristy)... nevertheless, if souvenirs are what you are after, chichi has EVERYTHING. Make sure you are aware of what things should cost though so you are ready to bargain those prices down, sometimes by more than half. The white church with the flower ladies and incense swinging priests is wonderful – try to be there on Sunday when they hold their services.

This is honestly one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life. Make sure you take the hike up to the Mirador. Dont let the difficulty rating deter you – it is very steep and can be muddy, but it was the BEST view I have ever had. Amazing natural beauty.

This is a quaint town, quiet and green. I rated it “not worth visiting” simply because there isnt much of interest, but its not a bad place and it does have its fair share of cute little shops, parks, cafes etc if you find yourself there one day.

I dont know if its been mentioned before, but a major part of the allure of this island is that there are absolutely no cars/trucks/motorbikes etc. There was once a dump truck brought over to help and the villagers had it sent back. Everything is done by donkey and horse- when you arrive porters will load your bags on one and lead you to the hotel – its wonderful!

This small town at the base of Mt Olympus is the logical place to lodge the night before you start a hike to the throne of Zeus. Its quaint with plenty of info about the Mt, but not much in the way of sites. There is one great bakery near the main square and several good restarants.

This is a beautiful city, clean, with a gorgeous landscape. For any outdoor lovers it goes without being said that Utah is one of the most diverse states in the country with outstanding recreational opportunities and salt lake is a nice starting point. Excellent skiing for low costs from several resorts are 30 min from downtown. The only drawback is the somewhat stifling culture that limits the “night life” but it does exist!