Central America Park — Attraction in Municipio de Quetzaltenango

When B and I got to Xela, we were exhausted after a long day of travel, but we wanted to explore. "¡Van a la Parque a Centroamérica!" our house mother, Rosario recommended. We had 75% battery in our phones, more than enough to find the park. We set of on the narrow cobblestone roads and in 5 minutes we were there. The park is a two block by one block oasis and was full of activity on the Sunday that we visited. There were older women in woven skirts that we learned had different patterns related to different locations in the country. Kids ran around. People greeted strangers with a warm, "Buenos Tardes" and friends with a hug. There is a round stone structure in the center next to giant letters spelling out XELA. A puppeteer put his Michael Jackson puppet through the Billy Jean dance routine, complete with crotch grabs and moonwalking. Around the edges of the park there are carts offering various fruits, toys and trinkets. We found a girl selling mangos and asked for one that would be ripe tomorrow. She felt a couple, then pulled out the perfect ripe tomorrow mango. She asked if we wanted it prepared. We agreed, wondering what we were getting into. She put the mango on a stick and expertly pealed it. Next she cut slices into it that made it open up like a flower. She offered all sorts of toppings, but we wanted the pure thing. She put the mango into a small bag and we were off to find the marimba we heard in the distance. It turned out to be a recording of a marimba. We listened for a while and explored the market street next to the park. For such a small place there was plenty of things to explore. We returned there many times...

Most of Xela's sights crowd in and around the broad central plaza. It's a great place for a stroll or to sit and people-watch. It was originally two separate parks, designed by Italian architect Alberto Porta in the 19th century; these were combined in a 1930s update into its current oblong shape. The most notable of the monuments scattered along its expanse is a rotunda of Ionic columns dedicated to the composer Rafael Álvarez Ovalle.

In the center of the plaza is a pillar dedicated to Justo Rufino Barrios, the 19th-century president whose 'reforms' transferred land ownership from Maya peasants to...

This is an awesome spot! You'll find lots of people enjoying themselves and having a great time. The park is full of beautiful flora, notably many new American Sweetgum installations. What's really cool is how some of these sweetgums have been meticulously manicured, creating a bonsai-like effect that makes them look like perfect little green cakes or even vibrant green gelatin cups. Plus, keep an eye out for the lone...