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Merida
Mérida, the state capital of the Yucatan in
Mexico, is a relaxed, charming city of narrow streets, colonial
buildings and shady parks. Most Yucatan people are mestizos,
Mexicans of mixed Spanish and Indian descent who take great
pride in their Mayan roots. In Mérida you will find
the commercial and cultural hub of the Yucatan.
Belize City
Belize is an English-speaking country, which became part of
the British Empire in the 17th century and has been occupied
by English soldiers up until 1994. Belize City is a ramshackle
port where roughly a third of the country's population of
200,000 lives. For such a tiny country Belize is home to a
diverse mix of people and cultures. Sixty percent of the population
are creole - descendants of African slaves and British
pirates. Ten percent are pure-blooded Maya. A third
are mestizos, and there are even several thousand Swiss
German Mennonites - a separatist religious sect. It's
a hot, dirty, dilapidated but lively city, a strange mixture
of Caribbean ease and African rhythm.
Guatemala City
Home to a quarter of the Guatemala's nine million people
Guatemala City is the largest urban sprawl in Central America.
Migrant workers looking for jobs crowd into the city every
day adding to the poverty which sits uncomfortably alongside
glaring displays of wealth. The city has a huge market and
surprising efficient buses that ramble around and add to the
general chaos of the city.
Antigua
Rustic Antigua is the former capital of Guatemala and
was founded in 1543, and the cobblestone streets add to Antigua's
charm. It's a good place to meet travellers of all sorts.
Although Antigua has been repeatedly damaged by earthquakes,
volcanic eruptions, fires and even floods it remains one of
the most beautiful colonial cities in the Americas.
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