Antigua

A quick one hour flight has us arrive fresh and really to roll. That is after we get a cab from Guatemala City about 1 hour to the hotel. One of the disadvantages of no plans, my travel by feel philosophy is that you do not always get your fist choice of hotel or in this case even your eight choice. Antigua is an old, colonial city surrounded by mountains and volcanos.

History of Antigua Guatemala: founded in 1543, was the seat of Spanish colonial government for the Kingdom of Guatemala, which included Chiapas (southern Mexico), Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The full title bestowed upon the city was Muy Leal y Muy Noble Ciudad de Santiago de los Caballeros de Goathemala, that is, the "Very Loyal and Very Noble City of Saint James of the Knights of Guatemala."

Walking around Antigua you feel like you have step back 300 years to a bygone era. The city with its cobblestone streets, buildings in various stages of decay or upgrade. The streets teeming with locals and tourists lead to the center where a beautiful little park with large fountain reminiscent of European architecture anchors the city. I am enjoying the interesting way the buildings are designed. Most look very nondescript from the outside but once you step inside you are greeted with flowing courtyards, fountains, stone archways, ancient oak doorways and rooms that seem to keep going back and branching out and above to another floor. No way is this visible from the street. You enter another world and I gather this was the intention. On a stroll last night, I walked into this restaurant only to see that it included another eating establishment, a cafe and then a bi-level bar with live music. Tomorrow we are on a 3 walking tour with the historian Elizabeth Bell P.hd, without and Antigua icon.

Courtyard of Monastery

Town Central across the street is the park.