General Info:

Market Days:
Saturdays: Antigua, Chichicastenango, Joyabal, Momostenango, Nebaj, Nahuala, Panajachel, Sacapulas, San Martin Jilotepec, Rabinal, Santa Cruz del Quiche, Senahu, Soloma, Sumapango, Tecpan, Todos Santos, Tucuru, Uspantan.

Sunday
Chichicastenango, El Quiché: Joyabaj: Rabinal : San Juan Comalapa: San Martin Jilotepec: Sumapango: Momostenango, Totonicapán: Nahualá, Sololá: Nebaj, El Quiché: Patzún, Chimaltenango: San Cristóbal, Totonicapán: La Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez: Santa Maria Chiquimula, Totonicapán: Comalapa, Chimaltenango: San Mateo lxtatán, Huehuetenango: Todos Santos, Huehuetenango: Tecpán, Chimaltenango: San Lucas Tolimán, Sololá: Tactic, Alta Verapaz: Tamah, Alta Verapaz: Tucuru, Alta Verapaz
San Cristóbal Verapaz, Alta Verapaz: San Martin Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango

Monday
La Antigua Guatemala, Senahu: Tucuru: Sacatepéquez: Chimaltenango, Chimaltenenago: Zunil, Quetzaltenango

Tuesday
Comalapa, Chimaltenango: Patzún, Chajul: Lanquin: Rabinal: San Lucas Toliman: Totonicapan: Chimaltenango: San MartinJilotepeque, Chimaltenango: Sololá, Sololá: Olintepeque, Quetzaltenango

Wednesday
Chimaltenango, Chimaltenango: Patzicia, Chimaltenango: Momostenango: Sacapulas:

Thursday
La Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez: Chichicastenango, El Quiché: Nebaj, El Quiché: Sacapulas, El Quiché
San Mateo Ixtatán, Huehuetenango: Todos Santos, Huehuetenango: San Sabastián, Huehuetenango: San Juan Atitlán, Sololá: San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango: Tecpán, Chimaltenango: Nahualá, Sololá: San Lucas Toliman, Sololá: Tactic, Alta Verapaz: Tamah, Alta Verapaz: Tucur, Alta Verapaz: San Cristóbal Verapaz, Alta Verapaz
San Martin Sacatepéquez, Quetzaltenango: Totonicapan:

We were in Xela, also known as Quetzaltenango, a highland town in northern Guatemala. The air was cold at 2335 meters. Finding the local bus station that really was busses packed in rows at the edge of a rather large market, we found the bus to Momostenago. Momo as it is locally known is another mountain town that is located in a remote valley in the central highlands and is known for its production of wool products. This was our destination to try and purchase a blanket and hopefully catch the end of the local fiesta that was winding down in the area.

We finally found the right bus and began watching a local ladino man selling what must have seemed like magic to the local mayans. Ladinos are the direct decedents of the spanish conquerers who now make up over half of the population. They tend to live a much wealthier life than the indigenous Mayans who endured the brute of the long civil war. The man had what looked to be the basic chemicals that any 7 year old would have in their chemistry set. You all know the trick where you pour one chemical into a glass of water and it turns pink and then when you pour in a second chemical it turns the water clear again. Basic you might be saying, but to the local Mayans it must have seen impressive. We watched while he peddled the wonders of his little bottles over a lage megaphone that was plugged into a large battery sitting in the dirt. He even managed to sell quite a few of the bottles while our buss was waiting to leave.