Articles about Central America – Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.
Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Audrey Scott
As we take off for Central America (this time to Costa Rica), we think back to our first visit to the region a couple of years ago: Antigua, Guatemala.
Although Antigua has a reputation for being touristy, we found that it wasn't too difficult to get lost and find a slice of authentic Guatemalan life. One of our favorite places to do this: Antigua's central market.
Last Updated on April 22, 2024 by Audrey Scott
Have you ever returned to a country and felt you were visiting for the first time, the experiences and locations so utterly different than before?
That was our recent visit to Nicaragua.
Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Audrey Scott
Stand in the middle of the Grand Plaza between Temple I and Temple II at Tikal, Guatemala and imagine what life must have been like in this Mayan city over 1,200 years ago when Tikal was at its peak. The size of the temples and surrounding acropolis indicate that this must have been a rich and sophisticated city-state. Yet the ruins are only partially exposed and understood, as thick rain forest still covers most of the park.
And the grand mystery remains: Why was Tikal abandoned in 900 AD?
Last Updated on July 30, 2017 by Audrey Scott
“For safety reasons, we'll need to go in groups of at least four to the cemetery,” our Spanish language teacher informed us.
“Why,” we wondered. “Are the dead coming back to life?”
Last Updated on November 17, 2022 by Audrey Scott
What is Central American food? Which dishes and street food should you seek out and what sort of flavors and spices might you find when you visit Central America? Our Central American Food guide shares of the best dishes and street food we found during the five months we traveled through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. ¡Buen provecho!
Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Audrey Scott
As we close out our reflections on Central America (don't worry, food comes next), we are reminded of the places and moments — the good, the bad, the idiosyncratic, the illustrative — from our zigzag chicken bus journey across Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua.
Let's dig in.
Last Updated on April 22, 2024 by Audrey Scott
As we travel, it's common for locals the world over to ask us where we are from. In Asia, the response “The United States” was usually sufficient. In Europe, they didn't ask; they assumed.
Not so in Central America. People were curious to know the states and often the towns and cities where we grew up, where we have lived. After sharing our details, it wasn't uncommon to hear: “I had a cousin who lived there“, “Oh, I lived [nearby] for 15 years” or “My brother lives there.”
Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Audrey Scott
We usually share photos to better relate our experiences and provide a more personal look at a country and its culture. Here we do the same, but we add a cautionary tale.
Last Updated on April 26, 2024 by Audrey Scott
El Salvador is one of those places I recall from my childhood, but for all the “wrong” reasons. Newscasts in the 1980s equated the country with menacing jungles, death squads and guerrillas. Our recent conversations suggest that for many, El Salvador's image as dangerous and gun-prone persists today.
Last Updated on April 22, 2024 by Audrey Scott
Our timing was again impeccable.
Honduras, a country we had just visited, experiences a military coup and begins to melt down just days after we leave its borders.