Goodbye Mexico, Hello Guatemala!

    I got up very early to catch my 7 AM flight out to Guatemala City on July 14. It took almost 5 hours and a connecting flight, but I made it into my next country by lunchtime. I grabbed lunch at the airport and made my way by taxi towards my hotel, Casa W'ies. I spent most of my first day just wandering around the city too tired to do much else at the time. 

    

A jaguar at the La Aurora Zoo

    The next day, my first stop was the La Aurora Zoo, considered one of the best zoos in all of Central America. It was so amazing to witness all the different exotic species of animals that aren't usually present in American zoos. Overall, the zoo is broken up into four sections: Africa, Asia, Granita, and American. Some of my favorite animals were the helodermas, also known as Gila monsters. Not only are they a very interesting reptile to see up close, but the zoo does a wonderful job in protecting the two species native to Guatemala as they are considered an endangered species. 

    Some other attractions I was able to check out while in Guatemala City included the Plaza de la Constitución, the National Palace, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Popol Vuh Museum, and the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. One really cool attraction I visited was the largest theme park in all of Central America, IRTRA Mundo Petapa. 

IRTRA Mundo Petapa's iconic rainbow arches accompanied by some fun performers

    I had a blast at the amusement park, going on a plethora of rides while also checking out Guatemalan history in other sections of the park. It even featured a zoo and botanical gardens! My favorite moment was the incredible view over Guatemala City and the land surrounding it from the top of the towering ferris wheel. This capped off a wonderful excursion to Guatemala City.

Another Two Weeks in Mexico

    I spent my last day in Mexico City eating that sweet sweet street food breakfast and wandering around before hopping on a midday flight Mérida, Mexico through Volaris. I chose Mérida as my second destination because of the Mayan and colonial history represented there which was very interesting to me. I checked in at Hotel Kuklin and spent the rest of the day walking around and admiring the city's architecture. 

Plaza Grande, Mérida's colorful central square

    The place I spent the most time at during my time in Mérida was the Plaza Grande (only a 20-minute walk from my hotel) where dancing, shows, craft fairs, and many other events took place almost daily. I even joined a free walking tour in the morning after I got there on Wednesday at 9:30 AM. This was truly my favorite part of staying in Mérida and where I spent most of my evenings.

    I was very interesting in the Mayan history near the city so I first visited the Gran Museo del Mundo, a museum dedicated to historical and present-day Mayan culture. Before that, however, I did rent a car so I would be able to visit all the Mayan ruins I would like with all the time I need as opposed to taking a scheduled tour.

Cenote X'batun, a beautiful natural pool south of Mérida

    I visited Dzibilchaltún, Mayapán, Kabah, Sayil, Labna, X'Lapal, the Loltún cave, and of course the most important Uxmal. All of the sites were truly amazing to visit and get a taste of Mayan history. I also visited Cenote X'batun which may have been the most stunningly beautiful pool I've ever swam in in my life. Heading there on a weekday definitely let me make the most of it with an almost nonexistent crowd.

    Overall, I had a great time in my two weeks at Mérida with all the Mayan historical sites and the fun evenings at Plaza Grande.