Antigua Guatemala

With the boat packed up and put away for another season we waved goodbye and climbed into our drivers SUV. It was an 8 am start for the 6 – 7 hour journey to Antigua. It was the Saturday of Semana Santa, so traffic was either going to be light because most people were already at their destination, or it was going to be a gong show as all the last-minute travelers were rushing to get to where they wanted to be. We lucked out, it was a very peaceful trip and took six hours with a stop for lunch.

We booked our hotel through the internet. Upon arrival it was clear that the pictures on the web were of other rooms or were taken with a very wide angel lens. The room had a twin bed and a double with just enough room between for a bedside table and just enough room at the end to stand our duffel bags up. There was a TV in the room, but it extended about 6 inches past the bathroom door opening. The manager, after seeing all our of our bags, did say he could give us a bigger room at their sister hotel, we thought we could make it work after all we live on a sailboat. After one smack on the head leaving the bathroom and one night trying to sleep on the most uncomfortable beds we have ever been on, the next morning we talked with the hotel manager.

A quick walk up to the other hotel to have a look and yeah, a move was a no brainer. They even had a van to transport us and are bags to the new spot. Finally settled in, it was time to check out Antigua.

Antigua is in the highlands of Guatemala and is surrounded by 3 volcanos. One dormant, one actively emitting steam clouds on a regular basis and a third that had a catastrophic eruption in 2008. The city was established in the mid 1500’s and served as the Capital of Guatemala until 1773 when a devastating earthquake demolished much of the city. At that time, it was decided to move the capital to what is now modern day Guatemala City. Due to the number of Spanish Colonial style buildings that were or are in the process of being restored after the earthquake the city received recognition as a UNSECO World Heritage Site in 1979.

We have spent the last 4 days wondering around the city, both on our own and with a guided walking tour, checking out the architecture, museums, churches (both active and abandoned) the city square, bars and restaurants. It’s a fascinating place. Even the McDonalds restaurant here has a 400-year-old fountain in the courtyard. Just be really careful walking, ancient cobblestone roads are anything but smooth. We even made it up to the Hill of the Cross and by that, I mean we taxied up and walked back. It’s a large park with an overview of the city.

We decided to take a break from all the walking and elected to take a Chicken bus tour. What’s a chicken bus you ask? Well in most Central American countries, old North American school buses are used for public transport. These buses often bring people from the outlying areas into town and specifically on market days they are often loaded with the farmers and their wares, including chickens and so the name has stuck. Many of the residents are illiterate and can not read destination signs. The buses are all painted in unique ways, the locals have learned the colours that determine the routes. They are adorned with lots of chrome and lights to make it more appealing to its riders. The more passengers on a bus, the more the driver earns.

Our particular tour bus was “custom” decorated but was specific for our tour and not part of the public system. It turns out we were the only two people to sign up for this tour so JJ our driver / tour guide gave us a private tour. He was a wealth of information, we had a great 5-hour tour with him that included several outlying smaller towns. Along with touring the towns we were introduced to Mayan weaving, macadamia nut farming, a fruit winery, jade carving and chocolate making.

An interesting Mayan tradition requires a young couple be engaged for a year to a year and a half, during that time the groom to be will weave a shawl for the intended mother-in-law. He will use symbolism and fashion from the time period to tell a bit of a story. The more complex and intricate the designs the better. It is presented to the mother-in-law on the wedding day. If she wears it over her shoulders, it’s a good thing. If she carries it folded over her arm, she is not a happy camper. All the women attending the wedding will also be looking at and commenting on the design and workmanship.

There are often subtle and not so subtle messages within the design. One sample we were shown included scorpions hidden throughout the piece. What might that be saying about the future mother-in-law?

Our timing landed us in Antigua on the Saturday before Easter Sunday which is the last day of Semana Santa (the holy week). Like most other Central American countries, the population is predominately of the Catholic religion, so Semana Santa is a big deal. We were able to watch several of the processions to the cathedrals. They were quite something to see.

Next stop is Lake Atitlan. With Semana Santa over we are expecting a much quieter visit.