Comments on: Chicken Bus and the Driver’s Assistant

By: norm kwallek

norm kwallek — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:26:03 +0000

I think the men hawking the Chicken buses along side the market in Antiqua yelling Guata-Guata-Guata is what my children recall the most about our trip to Guatemala years ago.
I think they have the extra guy on those buses to act as an extra set of eyes on the road. The people in Guatemala City drive like crazy people and you need a lookout just to keep from crashing into someone or something.

By: Traditional Guatemalan Cuisine Sampler | La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo

Traditional Guatemalan Cuisine Sampler | La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 04:35:35 +0000

[...] the link to download it). Last time I shared with you a track from this compilation was for the Chicken Bus and Driver’s Assistant entry with Zacatenango; a track with samplings of the many different call outs from the chicken [...]

By: Guatemalan Cuisine: Atol de arroz con chocolate | La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo

Thu, 15 May 2008 19:12:38 +0000

[...] to abbreviate or simply chop names. That’s how Guatemala City becomes simply Guate or “Uate” if you listen carefully to the chicken bus helper (cholojo is the technical name for the helper); Chichicastenango becomes Chichi (be careful with [...]

By: Marimba Chicken Bus and Church of San Pedro | La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 06:22:57 +0000

[...] well, what we have here… what’s up with that, why are Guatemalans so enchanted with the infamous chicken bus. I mean what makes Guatemalans take on the crappy junk and retired school buses from up north and [...]

By: ale

ale — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:24:45 +0000

The “technical” name is “cholojo”. (sorry that I couldn’t catch up with you, next time with more time. You know how it’s is.)

By: patsy poor

patsy poor — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:53:25 +0000

that bus has a nice paint job. how much is the cost to ride the bus, is it set by mile?

By: One Way

One Way — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:44:33 +0000

As soon as I saw your picture, I could hear the sound of ‘Guate!, Guate!, Guate!’ in my head, before I even read your description. Brings backs memories of my (very short) holiday in Guatemala. My other favourite yell was ‘WayWay! Way!Way!’ for Huehuetenango.

By: Monica

Monica — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 08:51:26 +0000

Awesome song, thanks for sharing…

By: Jerry T

Jerry T — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 03:59:39 +0000

Yes, that sounds like the tempo of Guatemala, although I think it might be missing a few horns honking. (LOL) Where do the buses get their feminine names?

By: LD

LD — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 02:34:46 +0000

Thanks, Rudy. And people should know that sometimes “vacio” doesn’t really mean it’s empty. They’ll yell it out to get you in the bus, you get in, only to find out it’s standing room only. Such is life on the chicken buses.