Summary Guatemala with its rich history is the country which inspires Allan Bechoam , a photographer who publishes books on his country and David Halfon , a French-Guatemalan sculptor. Guatemala is also the country of the quetzal, the national bird that the visitors can see at the "Ranchitos del quetzal": the quetzal appears also in the flag, banknotes and coins of Guatemala.Some words about Tikal: on an area of 16 square kilometers there are 88 restored monuments.But there is also the important Maya archaeological site of Kaminaljuyu in Guatemala City: Barbara Arroyo and her colleagues Henry Rodriguez and José Serech are discovering day after day the Mayan civilization. Guatemala has also a very rich religious life: in the highlands area of Chiabal Esteban Mathias tells that the people of the village are preparing the patronal festival dedicated to the Virgin of the Candelaria: they go down to Chiantla (Huehuetenango): from many place have come pilgrim to see the Virgin of Silver : there prayers, offerings, music, and procession: and now there are also fun fairs: in all the country there are about 100 patronal festivals.Besides we discover two Guatemalan technicians who are using the bicycles as power for domestic machines: water pump run by a bicycle or maize shelling machine run by a bicycle.Near the border with Belize there is the FUNDAECO association which promotes nature conservancy and women empowerment: the women work together in a community bakery and manage a small medical clinic: the men take care for the mangrove and grow fishes. Now some words about the journey of Jérôme which begins in Antigua Guatemala: a very precious town: Jérôme meets Osmin Isidro de la Maza, an architect who tells him the story of Antigua: they see the Santa Catalina Arch, then they drink a coffee (Jérôme drinks an espresso but Osmin drinks what the French people call "un café allongé", in Centralamerica called "American coffee).Then they visit the convent of the Capuchins,an impressive monument ad then the Cathedral of Santiago where Osmin is in charge of the restoration of this monument which was destroyed during the 1773 Santa Marta earthquakes.Then Jérôme goes to the Atitlan lake: he meets there Saqueo Ujpan Mendez , a coffee producer who invites him to go to San Juan La Laguna: There they go to the coffee plantation, harvest the red coffee berries and they go to the cafeteria of Saqueo: again Jérôme tastes a strong espresso and Saqueo tastes a softer coffee.Later Jérôme takes an auto rickshaw to the workshop of Paula Temo: there women are weaving traditional Mayan fabrics and Delfina Par who manages the store of the association sells him a beautiful blue scarf.Then Jérôme is in Chichicastenango: with Juan Leon Cortez he visits the great market of Chichicastenango: they bought incense, tobacco, flowers, chocolate and candles.They go to the Mayan Art Atelier, where Juan teaches young Guatemalan boys and girls to draw and to paint Mayan frescoes: later they climb a mountain: there Juan and his brother Miguel, two Mayan priests celebrate the end of the Mayan year and the beginning of the new Mayan Year with prayers, smoke of cigars and offerings.Then Jérôme takes the airplane to join Puerto Barrios, then a boat ride to Livingston and he is now in the middle of a Garifuna community, Diana Franzua receives him, they go to the school for girls, where the pupils learn Spanish, Kekchi language (a Mayan language) and Garifuna language.Later they go to the market and buy plantain bananas, coriander, basil, coconuts and fishes: in the kitchen they prepare the "machuca" , traditional Garifuna dish with plantain bananas, grated coconuts and fishes. The members of the Garifuna community meet together , plays drums, dance and eat the "machuca".

• Documentary
• Travel Documentary