Perceptive Travel Reviews The Book

Perceptive Travel published recently a review of the book Guatemala: A Journey Through the Land of the Maya in Guatemala. With the following words they begin their extensive coverage on our book:

There are few places left in the world where the people are as naturally photogenic as the Maya descendants in Guatemala. Michael Shapiro shares excerpts from an up close look in words and pictures.

“Guate, Guate! ” the barker shouts, announcing the destination of the vividly colored bus and imploring riders to get on board. “Alle, alle!” (Let’s go!) he calls, telling passengers to hop on because the bus, an old hand–me–down from a U.S. school district painted in a swirling rainbow of colors, is about to roll from Antigua to Guatemala City. The barker, the bus driver’s assistant, vaults onto the roof and pulls up big baskets of fruits and vegetables from the outstretched arms of the indigenous people below.

As the bus begins to chug towards Guatemala City, he ties down the packages to the roof rack and leaps like an acrobat down the back of the bus and in through the back door. Then he presses up the bus’s crammed aisle, collecting fares from workers and families, crammed five or six people to a green bench seat. The buses here are run by private companies, so they’re eager to pack in as many riders as they can. A local joke asks: “How many people can fit in a Guatemalan bus? Dos mas, dos mas! ” (Two more, two more!).

Continue reading the full review at the Perceptive Travel web site.