LAS VERAPACES - Guatemala - page 451

derful views of surrounding areas. There are paintings inside depicting the arrival of the
Spanish conquerors. Outside, it is interestingly decorated with Mayan adaptations of the
Hapsburg double eagle, providing further evidence of the historic German influence in this
region. The church's bell was a gift to local villager Juan Matalbatz from the Holy Roman
Emperor Charles V. Mass here is held in Spanish and Q'eqchi'.
In nearby Aldea Chajaneb is the wonderful Don Jeronimo's (tel. [phone],
www.dearbrutus.com/donjeronimo ) ,runbyamiableexpatJerryMakransky,whereyoucan
getawayfromitallandenjoyarelaxingstayataworkingblueberryfarm.Therearerooms
in the main house with fabulous balcony views of the surrounding countryside as well as
quaintbungalowswithprivatebathroom.For$25yougetaroomandthreedeliciousveget-
arian meals daily. There are guided hikes available to a mountain with commanding views
of the highlands as well as inner tubing on a pretty stretch of the Río Sotzil. A series of
paths winds its way through the property and around the river to two swimming holes.
Don Jeronimo's lies five kilometers outside of Chamelco down a signposted road 150
meters west of the plaza. You can walk or take a bus headed for the village of Chamil and
ask the driver to let you off at the turnoff for Don Jeronimo's. From there it's a short walk
for 300 meters along a path. You'll see the farmhouse after you cross the bridge and walk
into a clearing.
Half a kilometer from Don Jeronimo's are the Grutas del Rey Marcos (8 A.M.-5 P.M.
daily, $3 including guide and hard-hat and boot rental), worth a look for some interesting
stalagmites reached by wading across an underground river. Though the caves are a kilo-
meter long, you'll see only a small part of the complex on the tour.
San Cristóbal Verapaz
Nineteen kilometers west of Cobán is the Poqomchi' Mayan town of San Cristóbal
Verapaz, set beside Lake Chicoj. The Holy Week festivities here are similar to those in
La Antigua, with processions and the making of colorful sawdust-and-flower petal carpets.
The Museo Kitanamit (tel. [phone], [e-mail], $1), run by the local Cen-
tro Comunitario Educativo Pokomchi (CECEP), features exhibits on the Poqomchi' way
of life, including art, textiles, and tools used in everyday life. The organization also runs
the Aj Chi Cho Language Center ( www.ajchicho.50g.com ) , which teaches Spanish and
Poqomchi'.
If you need a place to stay, try the Poqomchi'-owned El Portón Real hostel (tel.
7950-4604).
Sachichaj Waterfall
From Cobán, as you head north on the road to Chisecis, is the Sachichaj waterfall at Km.
24. This beautiful, 15-meter-high cataract spills from the mouth of a cave into a gorgeous
cobalt lagoon. You can get here via a tour booked with Casa D'Acuña or Hostal de Doña