On my way south to Baja Verapaz we stopped in the town of Tactic, which is for the most part a traditional, small pueblo. Surprisingly enough, at closer look Tactic had more to offer than the traditional small pueblo feel with local shops jutting out from its centrally located park and church. On the outer rim of town is a small park tucked into the hillside which offers a mini-zoo and water park.
Tactic below, view from Chi'ixim Church on the hill
Chi'ixim Church in Tactic, Alta Verapaz
No more than a handful of cages, the zoo portion of the park is more impressive than you’d initially think upon hearing about such a place located in a no-named town in the middle of Guatemala. Interestingly enough, the arrangement of the animals is strategically done so as to increase your wow factor, which I think adds to the overall allure of the park. You start with a few birds, squirrels, and local fauna that slowly increase in size and awe. Next thing you know, you’ve perused the 9 or 10 cages feeling alright about spending the $1.25 entrance fee and…holy bejesus, there’s a tiger over there!
World Series bound Tiger
And how could you possibly have a tiger without the accompanying lion?
I could tell my local, Guatemalan coworker was equally excited when he began rattling the cage and gently flicking small pebbles at the large cats in order to get their attention; just another example of the small cultural differences between my upbringing and the Guatemalan upbringing. Add “No tapping the glass at the aquarium/No rattling the cages at the zoo” to basic life lessons learned as a youth to the list of things Guatemalans generally don’t adhere to. That would fall somewhere near “Throw trash away in a proper receptacle/Don’t litter” and “Obey the laws of the road while driving.”
After visiting the felines we cruised to the crocodile cage and even got up close and personal with the spider monkeys. Given the park's general laid-back attitude (i.e. lack for general safety and hygiene), we were able to get right next to the monkey cage, which only left a simple chain link fence between us and our fellow brethren. Not heeding my earlier advice on not rattling the cage, my friend stepped right up to the fence and by gently poking our new friend, encouraged the monkey to pep up and give us a show. I began to scratch my head contemplating the theories of evolution and how this one was the one on the opposite side of the fence taunting the other.
Disgruntled spider monkey
After a little exploring in Tactic for hotels, restaurants, and sites to see, we were on our way to Salama, the capital of Baja Verapaz. The final haul to Salama is as hilly as you’ll find in the Verapaces and you can find some great parks including a Biotope where you can find Guatemala's national bird, the quetzal, in its natural habitat as well as some caves deep within the hillsides.
Water Park in Tactic
In Baja Verapaz I found much of the same that Alta Verapaz had to offer, and that is meant in the best way possible. The laid-back attitude remained and the beautiful, hilly terrain rolled on - if not more so – in Baja. Again, I was invited to saddle up on the back of a motorcycle as my new guide and I made our rounds throughout the area to explore new hotels and restaurants.
The visit to these two departments was not only a relieving breath of fresh air from the suffocating smog from what life around the capital can sometimes bring, but was also a great learning experience allowing me to better manage future Habitat teams that visit and build in Guatemala. Previously I had to advise visitors on what they could expect in certain parts of the country without fully knowing or having experienced these areas myself, however now I am better equipped with this knowledge, which is an underrated skill to have in my toolset.
Local celebration in Baja Verapaz
Oh man, that don't tap the glass picture made chuckle. If you think Guatemala is bad you should see Kenya. We paid a guy like 10 cents to take us into the cheetah cages, and and another dollar to hold a baby lion. That would never happen in America!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I like your stories.