Sounds of Guatemala

I love taking videos but due to my camera being dropped a few too many times, the audio on my videos comes out with a thump-thump-thump sound. So I wanted to link a few videos for you all so you can hear what Guatemala is like. Or at least what it's like from my little apartment in Jucanya. 😊

Every morning I wake up to birds singing, roosters calling, dogs barking, and a bread-seller honking a clown horn. (Click to listen.) I can hear the neighbours' kid crying, "Ma-MAH! Ma-MAH!" The old man gardener shuffles around throwing water on the plants. In the distance is either marimba music or Spanish pop music. Many mornings, it's popping fireworks too! (They set them off to celebrate birthdays.)

In the afternoons, it's the sounds of vendors walking the streets selling food and other things. "Pescado pescado pescado!" (Fish!) On the weekends, I can hear the thumping music from the party boats at the beach. Marching bands practicing, more dogs, and always roosters. The hot afternoons are often the quietest part of the day and the best time for napping.

In the evenings, I enjoy lots of lovely birdsong from the trees, plus kids playing in the alleys, neighbours laughing and talking, music playing from everywhere, dogs, dogs, dogs, and -- wait for it -- roosters! 😆

What I call the Guatemalan Robin. (Clay-colored thrush)

A video I found on YouTube of morning sights and sounds of Lake Atitlan. He appears to be filming in Santa Cruz, perhaps.

Marimba music. The marimba is the official instrument of Guatemala. Here in Pana, they have shows at Jose Pengüino's on Fridays and Saturdays.

A video I took a while back of the party boats at the beach in Jucanya. The announcer guy is so strange. They're incredibly loud, with the most insane party music at early hours of the day. Not for me. 😖

And of course, music! The workers at the river play the best old-time mariachi music, the chicken buses often play 80s pop music (ABBA, Phil Collins, even Rick Astley. I'm not even joking), stores sometimes blast Latin pop music from giant speakers set out front, and the bars compete with each other at night for who can deafen you the most. It's an awesome cacophony and very much makes you feel like you're in an exotic location. I love it!
I'll link Enrique, cuz all his songs are super popular here, but be sure to check out any other Latin pop artists that are suggested by YouTube after you watch this. The great music truly makes Guatemala a rhythmic, upbeat, booty-shaking place. 😁