Guatemala Is Not All Dirt Roads and Tin-Roofed Shacks

Before I came to Guatemala, I was only slightly less naive about the country than most people. I had done my research and focused my attention on the town of Panajachel on Lake Atitlan, population 17,000. I wanted a rural setting and wasn't bothered by stories of power outages and muddy roads and electric showers. I've never been a city girl. I'm a country mouse! 🐭

Recently, a friend posted a picture of the movie theater in Xela (Quetzaltenango) and a friend of hers commented, "That can't be Guatemala." But it is! I think a lot of people believe Guatemala is all dirt roads and tin-roofed shacks. And while that is actually true for the most part, I can tell you that Guatemala also has fancy malls and wide paved highways and 5-star hotels and even TGI Friday's.

The population of the capital, Guatemala City, is 2.9 million. The second-largest city is Xela with 225,000 people. A big drop! Doing some quick math, that means 17% of Guatemala's population lives in the city. Yikes.

Aerial view of Guatemala City. Sooooo big!

Guatemala City is quite sprawling, actually. I think that's probably due to a combination of earthquakes and poverty. There are not many multi-story buildings, and the city keeps growing outward as more people move closer to the opportunities that a big city provides. Seen from the air as you arrive on a plane to Aurora Airport, the city looks pretty dirty and grey. That's because almost all buildings here are built from concrete block. The owners will paint the front of their house or store, but not the sides or back. They save money by only painting the part of their house that facing the street. Very frugal.

I haven't spent any significant time in Guate City. I get in and get out. I'm usually only there to go to the airport. I have friends, however, who do regular shopping trips to the city and really enjoy it. Guatemala City is as modern as any large city can be! There are malls, museums, modern art, ballet, movie theatres, and music concerts. There is even La Aurora Zoo, which I've heard is actually quite nice.

For me, if I really need to do a shopping trip to buy something that isn't readily available in Panajachel, I'll go to Xela (Quetzaltenango is its official name but everyone calls it "shay-lah"). It's about 2.5 hours by chicken bus and the trip only costs between Q25 and Q30. The mall in Xela that I go to is called Pradera and it is located two blocks from the main bus terminal. I've written about it several times before. I go there a lot when I'm on my visa runs to have lunch, use a clean bathroom, and stretch my legs.

Centros Comerciales Pradera Xela. Look how shiny!

Pradera Mall's website is here and you can check out the list of stores. There is a Walmart, Ashley Homestore, Benetton, Levi's, GNC, and more shoe stores than you can count. They even have a Sears and a RadioShack, strangely enough. And, yes, there is a movie theatre here with real theatre popcorn! There is also a food court just like any mall "back home" with Taco Bell, Burger King, McDonald's, Pollo Campero, and more.

(EDIT: I just found out there's another modern mall in Xela called Utz Ulew. I'm gonna check it out next time I go there!)

Whenever I go to the mall in Xela, I always feel like a country bumpkin! Yes, there are still people wearing traditional clothing, but there are a lot more people wearing "regular" clothes...and they all seem to be wearing much nicer clothes than I have, and sporting new shoes and glasses and jewelry and iPhones.

Another weird thing that I've noticed when visiting Xela is women with short hair. I'm so used to the long, straight, pulled back hair of the women in Pana that it was actually a shock to me to see a girl with a stylish short 'do. 😄

Beautiful, iconic La Antigua, Guatemala

Another upscale, modern city in Guatemala is Antigua, population 46,000. It is a totally different city than Xela. It is known for its gorgeous Spanish Colonial architecture, historic ruined churches, and jaw-dropping Easter celebrations. There are no malls here, but there is no shortage of fancy restaurants and stores to visit. The town caters more to the tourist crowd rather than those looking for first-world delights, so you'll find lots of stores selling jade, silver, chocolate, and traditional textiles.

And the restaurants! Oh my! There are so many tempting places to eat. You will never run out of options for food, from traditional Guatemalan dishes (done right) to sushi, Indian, Korean, tapas -- you name it! And of course the beloved Londoner Pub! Just go to TripAdvisor and see for yourself. It lists 330 restaurants in Antigua. Buen provecho!

If you absolutely must have a taste of home when in Guatemala, I have to recommend the world's prettiest McDonald's in Antigua on 4th Street W., not far from the central park. An unassuming sign marks the entrance. Inside you can sit in the lovely garden next to the fountain and admire the volcano while you chow down on your McNífica. 😄 I take all my friends there just so they can be amazed!

I hope you've enjoyed this blog post about the modern side of Guatemala. Personally, I prefer the rustic side: the cobbled streets, jungle-clad hills, and beautiful indigenous people. But it's good to have options to soothe my first-world soul every now and then. 

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