Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
petate
a reed mat
picop
pickup truck
Pullman
a first-class bus, though to varying degrees of newness and quality
rancho
a simple thatched structure; also sometimes referred to in its diminutive
ranchito
.
recargo
a surcharge; usually associated with credit card transactions
refacción
snack time between lunch and dinner; also on menus as
refacciones
consisting
of pastries and sandwiches
repatriado
returned civil war refugee, usually from Mexico
reserva natural privada
a privately owned nature preserve
reserva protectora de manantiales
a watershed protection preserve
retablo
an altarpiece in a colonial church
revueltos
scrambled (eggs)
ron
rum
sacbe
once-paved Mayan causeways present in the modern-day lowlands of Petén and still
used as footpaths
stela (stelae)
pre-Columbian stone monuments, usually carved
timbre
a type of stamp sold in banks used in paying fees such as visa renewals
traje
traditional Mayan costume worn by inhabitants of individual highland villages
túmulo
a speed bump
verano
literally “summer,” but usually in reference to the height of the dry season between
March and the beginning of the rainy season in May
zafra
sugarcane harvest in the Pacific lowlands
zancudo
mosquito
zona
a city zone into which Guatemala's principal urban areas are divided
Your Guatemalan adventure will be more fun if you use a little Spanish. Though Guatem-
alans may smile at your funny accent, they will certainly appreciate your halting efforts to
break the ice and transform yourself from a foreigner into a potential friend.
Spanish commonly uses 30 letters—the familiar English 26, plus four straightforward
additions: ch, ll, ñ, and rr, which are explained in Consonants.
Spanish pronunciation rules are straightforward and easy to learn, because—in contrast to
English—theydon'tchange.SpanishvowelsgenerallysoundsofterthaninEnglish.(Note:
The capitalized syllables below receive stronger accents.)
