San Francisco El Alto
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From a magnificent hillside setting, the small and very picturesque market town of San Francisco El Alto overlooks the Quetzaltenango valley. It’s worth a visit for the view alone, with the great plateau stretching out below and the cone of the Santa María Volcano marking the opposite side of the valley. At times a layer of early-morning cloud fills the valley, and the volcanic cone, rising out of it, is the only visible feature. Cerro Quemado and the peak of Zunil are also easily seen. On rainy season afternoons, the white colonial church is often visible above the clouds from the Cuatro Caminos junction on the Pan American highway far below, a stunning sight.
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From a magnificent hillside setting, the small and
very picturesque market town of San Francisco El Alto overlooks
the Quetzaltenango valley. It’s worth a visit for the view
alone, with the great plateau stretching out below and the cone
of the Santa María Volcano marking the opposite side of the
valley. At times a layer of early-morning cloud fills the valley,
and the volcanic cone, rising out of it, is the only visible feature.
Cerro Quemado and the peak of Zunil are also easily seen. On rainy
season afternoons, the white colonial church is often visible above
the clouds from the Cuatro Caminos junction on the Pan American
highway far below, a stunning sight.
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An equally good reason for visiting the village is the Friday
market, the largest weekly market in the country. Traders from
every corner of Guatemala make the trip, many arriving the night
before, and some starting to sell as early as 4am, by candlelight.
Throughout the morning a steady steam of buses and trucks fills
the town to bursting, and by midday the market is at its height,
buzzing with activity.
The town is set into the hillside, with steep cobbled streets
connecting the different levels, and two areas in particular are
monopolized by specific trades.
At the very top is an open field used as an animal market, where
everything from pigs to parrots changes hands. The teeth and tongues
of animals are inspected by the buyers, and at times the scene
degenerates into a chaotic wrestling match, with pigs and men
rolling in the dirt.
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Below this is the town´s plaza, dominated by
textiles. Under the arches and in the covered area opposite the
church you´ll find a superb selection of traditional cloth,
particularly handmade woolen blankets from Momostenango bearing
intricate geometric designs.
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Below this the streets are filled with vegetables, fruit, pottery, furniture, cheap comedores, and plenty more. By early afternoon the numbers start to thin out, and by sunset it´s all over – until the following Friday.
A large fiesta is held October 4-5, and includes some especially big and exotic markets and considerable cattle trading.
Bibliography:
Mark Whatmore and Peter Eltringham: Guatemala and Belize. The rough guide.
Paul Glasmann: Guatemala Guide.
Richard Mahler: Guatemala. A Natural Destination. |
