Celebrate the End & Beginning of a New Era

Maya Calendar

December 21, 2012 is a special day. A day that marks the end and beginning of a Mayan era. "Oxlajuj" in several Mayan languages ​​means number thirteen (13) and "b'aktun" refers to a period of 400 years. This December 21, we will be closing a cycle of 13 B'aktunes, making a total of 5,200 years, which concludes an era. The eras are distinct spaces of time since the beginning of the world and man. According to the Mayan culture, several cosmic ages have passed since life appeared on earth. The current era (13 b'aktun) ends on 21 December 2012. The Mayan concept of time is cyclical and infinite.

Many people have mistakenly thought that December 21 marks the end of the world. But that is not what the Mayans believe. "On the contrary, that date marks an awakening symbol of hope that humanity will be changed; a natural universal regeneration giving civilization another chance to enter the era on a new course with renewed values over our life, our choices, & our values to become one with nature,"said Carlos Batriz of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Government of Guatemala on a Guatemalan news program.

The Mayans have a strong belief that mankind and mother-nature must be united and that man has contaminated the world, thus contributing directly to natural disasters. We must better ourselves & reflect on how our choices in life have created chaos. So the question is, what must we do to be in harmony with mother nature? Once we make strides towards harmony with the earth & with others, it secures the future of our generations.

As a result of this new era, the Guatemalan government is taking steps to improve harmony with nature by taking firmer stands on human rights, making policy changes to end poverty, & end discrimination. For example, in April 2012 Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina spent a weekend with a family in the poorest district of the western city of Huitan to help him better understand aspirations and problems of ordinary people. He will be among other 5,000 volunteers of the government-backed program “We All Can Do Something” that is aimed to provide help to families with low income, according to RiaNovosti News [ http://en.rian.ru/world/20120429/173127659.html ].

How about you? According to the way in which the wise and ancient Mayans calculated time and understood the universe and all life forms in it, it is known that based upon the exact birthdate of a person, personality traits and the patterns of energy used to experience life are revealed. This unique influence is your Nahual, a spiritual guide waiting to be acknowledged. Now you can understand Yours and celebrate the end and beginning of a new era.

And You Thought There Is No Surf in Guatemala...

When you think of all the places in the world to surf, Guatemala does not cross many minds. But that has been changing in recent years as surfers are finding Guatemala's beaches as virgin surf turfs with little to no crowds & challenging breaks. The sport of surfing has been practiced in Guatemala since 1966 and has welcomed professional surfers such as Dane Reynolds & others.

I sat down & interviewed a surfer enthusiast who has lived in Guatemala for 11 years and is the owner of  Global Surf Guatemala, Mr. Gal Kaedar, to learn more about surfing in Guatemala.

In Gal's search for places to surf with no crowds, hard surf, & virgin terrain, the black sand beaches of Guatemala was exactly what he was looking for.  "To surf in Guatemala, you must understand the ocean because the coast of Guatemala is a straight coastline which means it has a lot of currents going around so you really have to feel comfortable in the ocean. The waves here are not perfect like in El Salvador and Costa Rica with point breaks. There is a difference between point breaks & beach breaks. Here in Guatemala we have more beach breaks which mean the waves are faster, shorter, & not so consistent which makes it more interesting."

Surfing in Guatemala requires experience but it also requires the knowledge of where to surf on what days. "You have to know where to go and you have to plan your trip on what the swell looks like and once you know where the different breaks in Guatemala are, that's where you'll be going." A surfer who steps off the plane in Guatemala & goes to an unfamiliar beach may be disappointed at the surf conditions. According to Gal, one spot may have the perfect break and a half hour down the coast, the waves are terrible. There is an online Surf Forecast that provides surfers with the current conditions, however,  experienced surfers in Guatemala rely on contacts who live at the beach for forecast & conditions. Sometimes you have to change your surf locations due to the inconsistency of the breaks. "For example, Iztapa is good one day and then Sipacate is terrible but on another day Sipacate is the best day to surf and Iztapa isn't. So you have to talk to someone who knows the beach in Guatemala. And that is what is so unique about Guatemala. If you know the places, you will surf a lot."

Seasons in Guatemala affect surf conditions greatly as well. The dry season, which is October to early May, is prime time to have surf camps teaching kids how to surf because the ocean is calmer as opposed to the rainy season.

One benefit the locals get from surfers, is the English language. Many children never thought they would learn English, but due to the increase in surf tourism, locals are learning the language and learning how to surf.

The following are the best places to surf in Guatemala, according to the Asociación Nacional de Surf de Guatemala:

1. On the beaches: Port of San Jose, near the ruined pier (km 111), the Pale (km 139), Los Pinos (km 140), in Sipacate Marmaya beach (km 135), The Paredón (Km . 141 to the left of Sipacate); Champerico (km 229) and point to the right of John Gull (km 124).

2. Breakwater in bars without: Barra "Bump" from Hotel Radisson and Juan Gaviota (km 120), Rama Blanca near the Palisade (km 145), The Paredón located to the left of Sipacate (km 142), The Tulate (Km 222) and Ocós (km 265).

3. In bars with Breakwater: San Marino located between Puerto Quetzal and Iztapa (km 115), Iztapa, located between Puerto Quetzal and Monterrico (km 120), Juan Gaviota located between Puerto San José and the wall (km 120) .
Some beaches of Guatemala for its topography are less suitable for surfing in the form of fiberglass tables, however, allow the practice mode or short board Bodyboard flexible, also known as Boogie, among which are: Monterrico Beach (km 143 per Iztapa) and Playa del Seed (km 179, by Tiquisate).

Why isn't Guatemala known as a surf destination? As we have learned, the waves are not as consistent as Costa Rica, El Salvador, & Nicaragua. Furthermore, the beach communities are not quite as developed though there are few resorts, restaurants, & hostels. However, when asking Gal what the reaction of first time surfers in Guatemala are, he says, "They just love it!"

And you thought there is no surf in Guatemala....