Chichicastenango - "Chichi" Market
If there’s one thing I love to do on every trip, it’s SHOP. But not traditional mall or department store shopping, market shopping! Hidden in the Guatemalan highlands, the quaint village of Chichicastenango, otherwise known as “Chichi”, would provide just the fix I needed.
Held every week, on Thursdays and Sundays, the market is one of Guatemala’s largest, allowing thousands of indigenous people to distribute their wares. Spreading over the entire town square and spilling into the alleyways leading to and from, Chichi is transformed into a market goer’s paradise. Beaded blouses, shiny jewelry, colorful flower bouquets, intricately carved wooden instruments, leather cowboy hats, marble masks and yes, even those beloved tourist T-shirts are all available. And, as is true with most markets in developing countries, vendors sell the exact same merchandise. Stall after stall of the same T’s or row upon row of identical bracelets, the only difference being layout and the salesperson themselves. This high volume of analogous goods means one thing for you…great bargaining power!!
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Let me provide a few helpful hints when hitting the Chichi market:
1. Arrive early and stay late. Prices are at their highest in the morning but if you spend the day determining lowest prices, you will almost definitely get your price by days end. Remember, vendors want to sell as much as possible, even if it is for a low, low price! Be patient, Be persistent.
2. Lap, Map and Tap! Use your first market lap to decide which items caught your eye. On your second lap, map out which vendors offer that item and continue price enquiries. After calculating lowest prices offered, on your final lap, tap your wallet. If vendors refuse to drop to your “final price” offer, then refer to tip #1 - Return 30-minutes before markets end to see if there willing to sale.
3. Finally, and possibly most important, bring small money!! Vendors NEVER have change, especially if you produce big bills! Aside from ease, the act of simply flashing a vendor the exact sum you are willing to pay can be a helpful tool in getting the right price. The green-eyed monster usually wins.
Alright, with those tips in mind, it's time to enter the Chichi madness…
1. Arrive early and stay late. Prices are at their highest in the morning but if you spend the day determining lowest prices, you will almost definitely get your price by days end. Remember, vendors want to sell as much as possible, even if it is for a low, low price! Be patient, Be persistent.
2. Lap, Map and Tap! Use your first market lap to decide which items caught your eye. On your second lap, map out which vendors offer that item and continue price enquiries. After calculating lowest prices offered, on your final lap, tap your wallet. If vendors refuse to drop to your “final price” offer, then refer to tip #1 - Return 30-minutes before markets end to see if there willing to sale.
3. Finally, and possibly most important, bring small money!! Vendors NEVER have change, especially if you produce big bills! Aside from ease, the act of simply flashing a vendor the exact sum you are willing to pay can be a helpful tool in getting the right price. The green-eyed monster usually wins.
Alright, with those tips in mind, it's time to enter the Chichi madness…
Standing on the market threshold, my palms sweated with anticipation. Months of bottled up bargaining energy ready to explode. I was on a mission. Let the hunt begin! Gliding into the chaos, my shopping senses were in overload. Stacks of techni-colored blankets, skirts and wraps towered as far as the eye could see while buckets of fresh fruit, veggies and even raw meat lined the dusty ground. Pressing further into the market, wood framed stalls covered with thin plastic tarps, created an even more claustrophobic shopping experience - The roofs blocking sunrays from above but intensifying the heat below. Colorful beach umbrella’s also played into the scene, signifying sustenance. Either a fried chicken vendor or tasty fruit cup seller.
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Completing my first big market lap, I retired to the church steps to regroup and partake in one of my favorite activities, people watching. Balancing large wicker baskets effortlessly atop their heads, women moved up and down the church steps selling varieties of flowers, plants and small woven pieces. Socializing between sales the women laughed merrily while tending to their babies - often wrapped in bright blankets on a nearby step. The steps were also a prime territory for young children. Moving through the hoards of tourists, kids did their best to sell small nicknacks with the greatest sales tool around…big puppy dog eyes. But the most memorable visual, were the women offering alms at the church entrance. Burning incense, they cleansed themselves in the smoke and prayed aloud to Dios.
Refreshed, I returned to the madness for laps 2 and 3. Stopping at the same vendors as Lap 1, I honed in on const and pushed for the lowest possible price. And let me tell you, Guatemalans are tough cookies. Cracking their price shell was difficult at first but as the day melted away, so did their prices.
Some may say I’m ruthless. Others persistent. But I like to think of myself as a seasoned international shopper. Hope this advice helps you become a thrifty market shopper too!
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