[beverlyanderic]

What types of souvenirs did you bring home from Guatemala? My wife and I are making our first trip to the Peten region and Guatemala City late this month and were wondering what types of things we should/can bring back.

What types of textiles?

Any wood carvings? Like a cross?

What else is there to get?

Jade? From where?

Which markets? Any in Guatemala City that are worth going? What about Flores or Antigua?

Thanks a bunch!
Eric

[ana-mom]

I can't tell you what you should bring back but I can tell you the types of things we purchased...

What types of textiles? Tablerunners and wall hangings (Antigua)

Any wood carvings? Mayan Mask (San Antonio)

Jade? -Jaguar (Guardian of the kings), earrings, childs bracelet (Antigua)

Which markets? Although we didn't go, Chichicastenango is supposed to have a great market. We did most of our shopping in Antigua's market and on our trip to Lake Atitlan.

[beverlyanderic]

thanks, suzanne! i heard about chichi as well, but can't make it there this trip- maybe next time. we're primarily spending time in the flores/tikal area for 4 nights and then 6 in guatemala city with our soon-to-be son. we're going to try and make it to antigua for part of a day.

thanks again.

[wvamom]

Suzanne-ditto what you said!

Also we bought a beautiful clay nativity scene--actually we bought two--one terra cotta, the other painted.

And we brought home lots of wonderful coffee.

Oh, and a really nice woven purse. And some ceramic items from San Antonio, at Lake Atitlan.

I got some really nice things at the Artesan Market in Guatemala City. It is close to the airport, and our hotel shuttle took me there for free and picked me up. I have also been to the Central Market--it's good too but farther away from the airport.

Antigua has a TON of places to shop.

And if all else fails you can find all kinds of representative items at the airport on your way out of town!

Wish I'd gotten to shop more this time around!
Carolyn

[beachdreams]

We brought back jade, worry dolls, a mask, a table runner, some maracas, and a bracelet.

[beverlyanderic]

great info! thanks!

any others?

[Stacytoadoopt]

I picked up a lot of stuff at the airport when leaving. A full size blanket, a hat, a bamboo drum thing, etc

[Mum2Diego]

While in Antigua I got some coffee table books about Guatemala, a few wrought iron wall hanglings in the shapes of buildings and churches, boys belts, t-shirts from cafes that I plan to frame and put in my kitchen, a ton of coffee, and a gorgeous glass-topped wooden tray with beautiful fabric.

I also got an assortment of bags, notebooks/photo albums, and little gifts that can be used for Gotcha day gifts.

During previous trips I purchased a jade chess set and tablecloths/runners in the Artesan market in Antigua. I also bought a few ceramic vases in Topis right by the Arch in Antigua.

Enjoy.
gail

[charliebrown1894]

We brought back a LOT of kitch (balls, potholders, etc - the stuff you can get all over at any little gift shop), but we also brought back a clay nativity and some art of a mother and baby and one of a child's face. They are precious and I looked everywhere for pictures. Maybe I shouldn't be advertising, because I'd like to get another when we go for our next pick up trip sometime this summer and I'd hate for them to be all gone. :0)

We picked up some jade - a necklace for me and earring for her when she's older. We'll definitely be getting more of that on our next trip.

Our lawyer gave us a runner for her dresser and some other little knicknacks and next time we will get a runner for our piano.

CB

PS - this is a great thread. I'm really interested in what people got and what they are glad they got and what they wished they'd gotten more of.

[beverlyanderic]

thanks for your response, cb! good point about what people wish they would have brought home. or maybe they brought something home, but now want more.

[Wonk]

What types of textiles?

Basic weavings that are about a foot and a half across and about four feet long - people use them for table runners but we hung them in the baby's room on the walls. Got a nice quetzal bird one, the symbol of Guatemala. Got some cheap things too. A knit hat. A bracelet that says Guatemala. A woven belt. A little purse made out of handmade cloth. Mainly things so we would have small things to have scattered around to remind us of Guatemala.

Also got jade jewelry. It is cheap and plentiful. You can also go upscale to a place like Jade SA where we got our Mayan birthday symbols for the whole family, some nice jade jewelry (my expensive piece was $47, the most I paid for anything). We also got a piece of carved jade in her birth symbol.

Also got a silver bracelet, again nothing horribly fancy but something to be able to wear every day to remember.

Any wood carvings? Like a cross?

Got a great wooden box at Mercado Central that she can put things in when she is older.

What else is there to get?

Textiles of all sorts are very big. Purses, bags, clothes, anything made out of fabric.

Jade? From where?

Jade SA is the big place in Antigua but lots of places have jade. Got a cheap pair of silver earrings for her when she is old enough to have pierced ears.

Which markets? Any in Guatemala City that are worth going? What about Flores or Antigua?

Mercado Central is really really worth the trip. About a 15 min taxi ride from where the embassy and the big hotels are. Built in what looks like an underground parking ramp to make it safe from earthquakes. Be sure to make it to all three levels. The bottom level is sort of the food area (where the bathrooms are) but also the baskets area, the wedding area, the beans and legumes vendors, just all sorts of facinating places you will not see in the US. And great tourist shopping on the upper levels. The area around it has pretty much anything you could ever need (except tampons that really don't exist in Guatemala). There is even a grocery store about a block away. There is also a taxi area. The Cathederal is right next to it. Check out the names of the people who were "disappeared" by the government carved around it to understand why someone would want to have their child live a better life. Oh, and if you use the bathrooms, pay first and they will give you toilet paper. Use the bucket to make it flush.

[CurlysGirly]

Do you want to hear a funny thing that I bought on our visit trip??? A friend wanted me to pick up a bracelet for his girlfriend and I really had to do most of my shopping at the airport because we couldn't get out to the market. Well I found one that was a decent price and very pretty. When I gave it to him, he said how much he liked it. He did say "Hey Tara, the back is stamped Made in Mexico"! I almost died of embarrassment!

Who knew that they were so active in the import/export business.....and that I needed glasses???

[imateach]

One word of caution......when purchasing, think about how you will get it home. I bought a large wooden picture frame that I just loved and also a pretty good size vase from one of the art galleries. I loved them both but was not thinking about their size and how to pack them to get them home safely. I ended up having to buy a large bag to carry them on the plane and they were bulky and heavy. But.....still glad I got them.

Here are some of the things that I have purchased during my 3 trips.

wooden cross, clock with Guatemalan symbols (love it), large wooden apples, peppers and grapes, table runners, pillow cases, worry dolls, large Guatemalan dolls, several smaller dolls, maps, coins, stamps, post cards, clay nativity scene, chicken bus, coin purses, coffee, prints that I have now framed, art work off of street vendors in Antigua (love), small throw (blanket ?) off a street vendor, a large wall hanging (unfinished back) that I have now framed and absolutely love, maracas, wooden bracelets, coloring books, cookbook, t-shirts and several little outfits, hackey sacks, small flag on a stick and a large Guatemalan flag (great for pics ), cd case, cell phone case,.......that is about all I can remember right now.

I purchased at the Artesan Market and the Central Market in Guatemala City and also the Artesan Market in Antigua along with the little shops there.

For my Jade jewelry I purchased at the Jades, S.A. Jade Factory and Museum in Antigua. They also have a shop in the Marriott.

I wish I could have bought a Mayan Mask but I could not find one that I could afford.

Happy Shopping......It is so much fun!

[imateach]

Tara............that is too funny!!!

[tinaedmond]

There is a high-quality textile shop called Carolina's Textiles outside of Antigua. We bought a large weaving there; it was expensive, $120 USD, but it is beautiful.

While in Panajachel we bought another similar weaving. Not the same quality, but larger and still very nice. We ended up buying two - one for us and one for my mother as a present. $100 for both. Our foster mother bartered that sale for us!

One of these days I'll buy an afghan hanger for the wall and actually hang them up!

Tina