Zunil is in the Quetzaltenango department of Guatemala. The population is mostly indigenous and almost everybody speaks K'iche as a first language rather than Spanish. The women still wear beautifully crafted huipiles and colourful shawls. There is actually a textile co-operative in town where you can see the women weaving these traditional garments and maybe even have a go at it yourself.

History and Culture
San Simón is an evil saint that the Mayans worship. A life sized image of him is paraded through the streets during Holy Week but for the rest of the year he is kept in one house or another. You can usually find him because there is a constant fire burning outside the house he occupies. Attendants stay with him in a darkened room and make sure his cigarettes are constantly burning. The ash is then used as a cure for insomnia and the butts are to protect against thieves. Villagers are constantly visiting, with offerings of rum and cigarettes, to ask for his help in matters such as illness and love. Although it may seem a little wacky to the westerner, it is a very serious matter to the villagers so you should pay the utmost respect if you visit. You will also be expected to make a donation.

Sightseeing
A visit to the Fuentes Georginas is a nice way to spend an afternoon. These natural thermal pools aren’t really hot but their location is spectacular, as is the scenery along the road on the way there.

Getting there
There are frequent buses running from the Minerva terminal and the town centre of Quetzaltenango to Zunil. They leave about every half an hour.