Solola, Guatemala, Central America

Panajachel, a.k.a. Pana (thankfully Guatemalans like to shorten their town names), is going to be a nice base. Its location in the highlands of Guatemala & on the shores of Lago de Atitlán (Lake Atitlán) is stunning, surrounded as it is by many picturesque villages and some of the 30 volcanoes found in Guatemala, only 4 of which are active. With Pana as a base I’ll be, & with the help of chicken buses, be exploring the nearby indigenous villages where the traditional Maya culture is prevalent.

Guatemalan Mayan Markets
Guatemala’s indigenous Mayan population comprises more than half of the 15 million population of the country, the majority of which live in adverse poverty in this rural highland region west of Guatemala City, the country’s sprawling, unforgiving & unappealing capital. The Mayan villagers’ strengths lie in their strong family & community ties, and their traditions.

Each village holds market days when locals from the surrounding hills descend on the town to sell their produce or crafts & textiles. Today was my first introduction to the explosion of noise & colour that is guaranteed when visiting a Mayan market of the Guatemalan hinterland, having spent a portion of this morning attempting to photograph the goings-on in & around the market in Solola.

Solola

Video || Solola Market
A brief walk around a section of Solola Market.

______________________________________________________

More Mayan Markets
Pictures & video from my subsequent Guatemalan Mayan Market visits.
1 || Chichicastenango (Chichi)
2 || Santiago Atitlan

______________________________________________________