Quetzaltenango, also known as Xela (pronounced SHAY-la) or Xelaju, is the second largest city in [wiki=948b13d5a3e11e21baadc349e199020e]Guatemala[/wiki]. There are a number of attractions in town, and it's also a good base for exploring Guatemala's Western Highlands ("Los Altos"). Situated at the southwest of the country, the surrounding department has a variety of landscapes extending from the cold highlands to the warm Pacific coast. There are numerous volcanos, hot springs, valleys, mountains, rivers. The region provides a harvest of numerous products such as coffee, wheat, fruits and vegetables, as well as sheep and cattle breeding.