Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There
There are hourly buses leaving for Guatemala City from in front of Deli-Donas between 3
A.M. and 8 P.M. The 4 A.M. bus is a nicer, more expensive Pullman. Buses coming from
Guatemala City continue west to Rabinal and Cubulco. Buses and minibuses for San Jer-
ónimoleave frominfrontofthetownhalleveryhalfhour6A.M.-5:30P.M.Therearealso
departures for the La Cumbre Junction with onward connections to Cobán departing from
this same location about every half hour from early morning until 4 P.M.
About10kilometersfromSalamá,backtowardtheLaCumbreJunction,isthewonderfully
atmospheric town of San Jerónimo. This is about as clean and pleasant as highland
Guatemalan towns get. The weather, at a comfortable altitude around 1,100 meters (3,600
feet), is just warm enough. San Jerónimo has an interesting history, as it was here that sug-
arcanecultivationfirstmadeinroadsintothelocaleconomywiththeestablishmentofCen-
tral America's first sugar mill by Dominican friars in 1601. The new crop came from Ja-
maica, along with new technology and 700 slaves from the island nation.
During the 17th century, the friars built a Roman-style aqueduct with
124 archways
to bring water to the sugar mill and town as production continued to increase. Wine and
moonshine were also eventually produced in addition to sugar. The growth of these indus-
tries would be checked in 1829 with the expulsion from Guatemala of various religious
orders under the liberal government of the time. You can still see the old remains of the
archways scattered throughout town, giving San Jerónimo a unique feel.
Among the town's most interesting attractions is its beautiful 17th-century baroque
church,
set on the plaza. Inside, there's an altar brought from France and crafted with
sheets of 18-karat gold. The plaza also harbors some ancient carved stones.
There are minibuses every half hour from Salamá to San Jerónimo between 6 A.M. and
7:30 P.M.
Museo del Trapiche
The town's most interesting attraction is the Museo del Trapiche (tel. 5514-6959, 8 A.M.-4
P.M. Mon.-Fri., 10 A.M.-4 P.M. Sat. and Sun., donation), set on the grounds of the old Ha-
ciendaSanGeronimo,CentralAmerica'sfirstsugarmill.Itoncehoused1,000workersand
boasted a production of 90 tons of processed sugar per year, a figure matched only by the
great sugar mills of Mexico and Brazil. Among the relics you'll find here are a giant press
andmetallicwaterwheelmeasuringsevenmetersindiameterandweighingaton.Thereare
displays on popular art and handicrafts, including old costumes, baskets, and woven items
as well as archaeological relics, including pre-Columbian pottery.
