21st Century Seeing Guatemala's people up close.

GUATEMALA offers an astonishing diversity of spectacular landscapes. In two weeks, we`d visited high mountains and colonial cities, a lush cloud forest and active volcanoes, deep lakes and limestone valleys.

危地马拉变幻多端的壮丽景观令人叹为观止！在过去的两周里，我们遍览群山、周游殖民城市，领略了苍翠繁茂的云雾雨林以及拔地而起的活火山群，还有那一座座深不见底的湖泊和石灰岩谷。

These views are packed into a relatively small country but change all the time, giving you the impression that you`re a member of a theater audience enraptured by a fantastical play.

很难想象，在如此一个幅员有限的国度内，竟能看到这么多风格迥异的美景。身处其中，你会觉得自己仿佛置身剧院，不由自主地被眼前这部似梦似幻的剧目深深吸引…

We left the highland Maya for their cousins in the lowlands, a vast area of thick tropical forests stretching down from Mexico`s Yucatan peninsula into the most northerly area of Guatemala.

结束了对高地玛雅文明的参观后，我们转而去拜访他们在低地的旁支。低地玛雅人生活在一片浩瀚的热带雨林中，由墨西哥的尤卡坦半岛一直延伸至危地马拉的最北方。

Our bus followed a lonely road, winding through wild lands where the scenery changed by the hour, from high mist-clad cloud forests into gently undulating hills before flattening out inside a landscape of swamp, savannah and, jungle.

长途汽车沿着荒无人烟的公路行驶，在野地里蜿蜒而过，窗外的景色不时交替变换：从浓雾笼罩的高山雨林，到此起彼伏的丘陵，地势渐渐平缓，间或出现一片沼泽、草原或丛林。

The change of climate was reflected in the local produce on display and growing all around us. Gone was the green palette of the coffee plant and avocado tree. It was usurped by tropical tones of yellow coconut palms and the banana plant.

无论是眼前的自然景观还是身边触手可及的植被物种，气候变化的影响随处可见：刚走过绿油油的咖啡树林和鳄梨树林，又有一片茂密的热带树种闯入眼帘，有黄色的椰子树和橡胶树等。

Even the locals have had to adapt, the local Maya women here eschewing the heavy, intricately embroidered blouses and shawls of the highlands for lighter blouses in shades of yellow, blue and pink.

这样多变的气候，即便是土著居民也不得不因地制宜。当地的玛雅妇女很少如高地人般穿戴暗色调的复杂绣花上衣或披肩，她们的着装多是轻便的黄蓝粉色罩衫。

They worked under the blazing sun in little villages comprising modest dwellings, many with roofs thatched with palms, all with rough wooden planks for walls.

这些土著居住在人口适中的小村落里，头顶烈日劳作。他们的房屋很简朴，屋顶多由棕榈枝制成，屋内的墙壁也都是粗糙的厚木板。

Their kids ran around barefoot in the dirt, wrestling with each other in the road, apparently unconcerned about the odd vehicle which made its way in their direction.

他们的孩子光着脚在泥地里奔跑，在公路上玩摔跤游戏，根本不在意身边疾驰而过的陌生车辆。

Then we left and fled to the village of El Remate. No aggressive touts here - only gentle locals who merrily greeted us as they rode slowly past on old bicycles.

随后，我们又前往另一个村庄--El Remate。当地人很友好，他们骑着老式自行车慢慢地从我们身旁经过，还愉快地与我们打着招呼。

We holed up at an old guesthouse, its glory days long past, fantastical plasterwork cracking, furniture broken. Geckos clucked away from the walls of our room as rats fought in the ceiling above.

那天，我们寄宿在一家老旅社。在岁月的侵蚀下，它的光辉已不复存在，昔日平滑的水泥墙面而今已布满裂痕，室内的家具也都破旧不堪。更糟糕的是，你甚至能看到壁虎在墙上自由漫步，屋顶上还不时传来老鼠打架的声音。

We retreated to the old sun terrace and perched on a couple of cracked plastic chairs as the sun bid us a spectacular goodnight over the still waters.

我们不得以撤到了同样很旧的阳台，靠坐在一对带着裂痕的塑胶椅上。夕阳倒映在平静的水面上，我们就那样渐渐入睡。