CHICHICASTENANGO

An hour and a half drive away from Antigua is the Mayan market town of Chichicastenango. Each Sunday and Thursday hundreds of Mayan villagers descend on the town to trade, barter and sell their produce and handicrafts. There are two distinct markets – the one for locals selling produce and items for daily use and the tourist one selling handmade Mayan handicrafts. Young hawkers are attracted to westerners like flies and plead, beg and cajole you to purchase some of their wares – eventually a repeated “No, gracias” will send them away (and of course, others will immediately take their place!) We bought quite a few items after the obligatory haggling over the price, with both the seller and us, the buyers, satisfied with the deals.
 * CHICHICASTENANGO**
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 * [[image:IMG_9435.jpg caption="Graveyard next to markets - graves are decorated each Nov 1 by family."]] || [[image:IMG_9476.jpg caption="One of the many many "chicken buses" that the local Mayans use for transport. They are terrfiying on the road!"]] ||
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