Ipala, Guatemala

Ipala is a town and municipality in the Chiquimula department of Guatemala. Ipala is a 30-minute microbus ride from Chiquimula headed south towards Jutiapa. Roughly 3 kilometers from the base of the volcano, the land is full of lava rock and cacti. There are several "aldeas" that surround Ipala, and the residents from them gather every Sunday in the city center for market day. Economically speaking, Ipala is mostly agricultural. The harvest (la cosecha) is an important event, and most families plant corn and beans for own consume and trade. Inside Ipala, there are several neighborhoods (barrios) including El Maestro, El Suyate, and La Cruzita. There is one main street (la calle principal) which is lined with restaurants, clothing stores and jewelry shops. The people of Ipala are camperos and ladinos. Unlike Northern Guatemala, where the indigenous population speaks many dialects, in Ipala only Spanish is spoken.