Guatemala is a colourful country which offers lush, wildlife rich jungles, fertile lowlands and temperate highlands back dropped by active volcanoes and placid lakes. The ethnic people descend from the ancient Mayan civilization.
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| Guatemala's Fire Volcano, one of three active in the vicinity of La Antigua |
Our chosen shore excursion was La Antigua, a Spanish colonial town, once the capital of all Central America and originally known as Santo Domingo. It is situated between three active volcanoes 4500 feet above sea level. The air was pleasantly warm, much like a spring day at home. The locals felt it was too cold. When the Central America was divided into several countries the capital of Guatemala became Guatemala City and Santo Domingo was then called La Antigua, the old one.
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| The ruins of Santo Domingo; earthquake caused 300 years ago |
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| The ruins remain and an upscale hotel is nestled among the shattered walls |
The 100 minute bus journey took us from the agricultural lowlands into an area of the highlands situated between two large active volcanoes, the fire and the water volcanoes; a third smaller volcano is in the vicinity as well, which makes the land prone to smoky volcanic activity. Depending on the direction of the wind the volcanic ash will fall on the lowland sugar cane or the highland coffee plantations. The products of both have a distinctive flavor from the ash.
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| The old and the new parked in a modern garage constructed beneath ancient ruins |
Most impressive in La Antigua is the way in which the city preserves the history of the ruins and incorporates a modern way of life. The Casa de Santo Domingo is a modern, upscale hotel constructed within the ruins. A parking garage has been built underneath the shattered walls; we noticed an ancient horse carriage artifact parked alongside a brand new car. A tunnel leading from the garage to an interior courtyard, reception, restaurant, chapel, rooms is interesting in that along the walls are glass cases tastefully showcasing artifacts from an earlier life.
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The cathedral of La Antigua displays damaged for the original devastating earthquake;
the road shows damage from a more recent earthquake |
All the city streets are paved with original cobblestones. Streets which suffered recent damage are repaired by hand labour using pieces of stone from damaged buildings and roads. Considerable effort is made to maintain and preserve the historic qualities of the town.
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| Good exercise walking on these roads |
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| Hand labour repairing earthquake damaged street |
The people of La Antiqua were friendly, happy and hard working. Many make their living by peddling their wares and driving a hard bargain or crafting colourful clothing, jewelry and accessories.
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| The tropical fruits were tempting |
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Permission was given to photograph this beautiful child modelling
hand crafted, traditional Guatemalan clothing |
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| Traditional weaving on a simple loom; the products were gorgeous |
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| Toddler chasing pigeons in the Town Square |
Vegetation in La Antigua was lush, the foliage a verdant green, the flowers exquisite in their tropical beauty. Amidst the ancient rock walls colour spills from every nook and cranny. There are 600 varieties of orchids alone to be found in Guatemala.
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Largest fern I have ever seen. The photo in no way captures the size;
those similar growing in my garden are miniscule in comparison |
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| Floral beauty captured in a collage |
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| Exquisite Heleconia |
We enjoyed a sumptuous luncheon buffet served in a grand hall of the Casa de Santo Domingo. The ambience of the ruins was charming, the service efficient, the food delicious. We sipped both Guatemalan coffee and beer.
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| In the distance the dining area; in the foreground a ruined wall; all around were ancient artifacts |
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| Delicious coffee, beer and Guatemalan food enjoyed in the company of Travel Time Pals |
The Cathedral and Town Square are the focal point of the city. Both are the gathering places for many. This side of the Cathedral is functional and offers opportunities for worship. The backside of the Cathedral is closed to the public due to earthquake damage. On the opposite side from the Cathedral is the Mercado, a tourist haven full of restaurants, bars and plenty of shops.
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| La Antigua Cathedral and Town Square |
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| Welcoming holy statues |
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| A locked door offering a glance into the Cathedral ruins |
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| Magnificent bell sculpture set among the ruins |
We all agreed if would be pleasant to spend a few days exploring ancient capital of La Antiqua located not far from the new capital, Guatemala City. The street balconies alone are a photographers dream. So close they are to the sidewalks one must keep a heads up or suffer bumps and bruises. It is also necessary to keep heads down as the curbs can steep, the slopes precarious. In other words, setting a slow, meandering pace is the best plan since along all the streets are quaint boutiques, inviting courtyards, charming restaurants, nooks and crannies offering every product and service imaginable. Our tour ended with a brief visit to a Mayan Jade factory. The gems were magnificent and the security tight.
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| Street balcony just at head level; handmade chairs for sale in a furniture shop; Guatemalan souvenirs |
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A hotel with peaceful courtyard, charming restaurant and welcoming bouquet at the entrance.
Rates $100-$120 US depending on the season |
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| Entrance to Jade Maya; security guard; RP grimacing at the $$ handed over to smiling me for my birthday present - 3 piece jewelry set of Caribbean pearls, Austrian crystals and Mayan jade. |
The La Antiqua City Hall is adjacent to the Cathedral and the Town Square. An upper balcony offers a sweeping vista of this beautiful town. We enjoyed a relaxing 20 minutes for taking photos or lounging on comfortable, handcrafted benches.
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| Roof tops of the nearby building |
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| The hillside in the distance is the lower slope of one of the three volcanoes surrounding La Antigua |
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| Colonial archways of the City Hall balcony decorated with wrought iron stands and ornate clay flower pots |
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| La Antigua Town Square, vibrant with social activity, children frolicking and vendors galore |
The streets of this town reminded RP and me of the villages in India; DS and LS were reminded of villages in Cuba except the vehicles were newer than in Cuba.
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| Coca Cola found world wide; tour bus and many motorcycles; crowded curve heading into the city; a modern Tuk Tuk |
Macaws live high in the jungle throughout Central America. This was the first we saw in our travels on this trip. The courtyard of Casa de Santo Domingo had several perches for these huge, colourful, raucous creatures. They are well cared for but sadly have had their wings clipped, which disable them from flying to a jungle refuge. There are 300 species of birds to found in this tropical Eden.
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| Grand Macaws |
Although this excursion was hurried by an somewhat annoying travel guide, we savoured the brief glimpse into an incredible historic site. Of all the amazing experiences on this cruise adventure, La Antigua offered the most appealing lure to return for a longer, more leisurely visit. I really want to stay in a quaint boutique hotel, sample more of the delicious food, meet more of the charming, friendly residents and spend some dollars in the unique shops. We loved the vibrant, colourful kaleidoscope of life in Guatemala.
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