Antigua, Guatemala - Wrapping up our 7 week trip!

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It's been 7 weeks already? The first week was so new and time crept along. As we acclimated ourselves to the area, created new routines, time sped up and it's already time to return to the US. How did we end up in Guatemala for Spanish Immersion classes? While I was camping in Massachusetts, I met a lovely couple from Eastern Canada. They were planning a trip to Antigua for Spanish Immersion School. I was filled with questions for them. Once they fed my curiosity, I called Don who was midway of his biking trip and asked if he was interested. I received a HUGE yes! Within a couple days the tickets were bought and we were enrolled for school. I hope that sharing our travel experience will entice someone else to jump out there and do the same. It was an amazing experience and a perfect addition to our first retirement travel year.

What did I learn other than the language? That we are giants in Guatemala. The foods are fresh delicious and contain much history. There is an increase in corruption rumored to be due to the government changes in El Salvador. Corruption and drugs are being pushed out and moving into Guatemala more. Even though many websites stated an increase in violence and deemed it unrecommended to travel right now, we found it very safe, friendly, and non threatening. The climate is perfect during this time of year. The elevation is about 5000' so the sun was intense, and absolutely not a drop of rain. There is racism primarily between the Spanish and the Mayan's which has a foundation very similar to the the English and the Native Americans in the US. There are 26 different Mayan dialects in the Lake Atitlan region. Thankfully it is a part of tradition that is currently being passed onto the newest generations. The people we met and witnessed are very hard working people who take pride in their products, home, family, selves, country, and heritage. There are many Catholic churches that are hundreds of years old. We visited during "el Dia de Reyes" or Three Kings Day. Typically a day that Latin American families celebrate the three kings that visited baby Jesus and brought gifts. Church bells ring across town, a special Dia de Reyes cake from San Martin bakery is a must!



Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret.

Michelle

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Photos

The Santa Catalina Arch
One of the most distinguishable landmarks in Antigua Guatemala, located on 5th Avenue North. Built in the 17th century, it originally connected the Santa Catalina convent to a school, allowing the cloistered nuns to pass from one building to the other without going out on the street.

Central Park
Simple gathering spot with trees, a central fountain & benches, plus nearby vendors & eateries. We lucked out with live music on the New Year's day when we first arrived.

Central Park
Antigua’s Central Park is home to a quite unusual fountain – four mermaids on each side of the fountain are spraying streams of water out of their breasts. The fountain, ‘Fuente de las Sirenas’ in Spanish, was built by Diego de Porres in 1738, who took his inspiration for the fountain from the Neptune Fountain in Bologna, Italy.

Convento la Recoleccion
Building began in 1701 and was inaugurated May 23rd, 1717. A few months later in 1717, was damaged by an earthquake. After rebuilding and adding on it was again suffered from an earthquake in 1751. Finally the devastating Santa Marta earthquake in 1773 rendering much of the building useless.

Convento la Recoleccion
After years of devastation and rebuilding the remnants of this building were used as stables, soap factory, even a sports complex. Now the remnants stand in heaps in a park like setting for visitors walk through and image what once was.

Mercado Central
A group of lovely ladies making the best handmade corn tortillas. You can hear the slap of fresh tortillas being clapped between their hands from a distance. The cost is 3 tortillas for Q1 (about 3 cents each). We thought it was a great price but the locals complain that they used to be 5 tortillas for Q1.

Chicken Bus
A chicken bus in Guatemala announces its arrival with bright lights, vivid shiny colors, unique swag, and loud music.

Acatenango volcano
We did see the volcano erupt and spit out smoke. The more trained ear can hear the eruption from Antigua.

Antigua Brewry
Don't get your hopes up on this concept. The beers are weak, the food is good, the views were even better and it is all tourist at this restaurant. It only made us homesick for some good brew.

Casa de Ana
The rooftop view from the families home we stayed in for school.

Antigua Guatemala Cathedral
In Central and South American there is always many churches and convents to visit. Many in beautiful park like setting with restaurants and shops to visit along the way.

Nuestra Señora de la Merced Convent
Don't forget to see the churches at night, they put on a real show and the bells keep ringing.

Starting a work day
On our way to school, Don snapped a photo of these local women balancing their goods on their heads. This is a very typical way that baskets of laundry, food, and other items are transported. To make the already daunting task even more mesmerizing is the younger women will also have a baby in a fabric sling on their back. Did I mention before about how hard working these folk are?

Mercado Central
An outdoor section of the market where there are toys, health and beauty products, clothing and shoes for sale. It is always fun to just walk around the market and strike up a conversation. A great way to practice our Spanish too, because most visitors here are local.

La Tortilla Cooking School
Don and I signed up for a cooking class. Here he is making a tradional

La Tortilla Cooking School
Our group of cooking school participants from Vietnamese, Boston US, and Denmark. We enjoyed the fruits of our labor of Pepian (a traditional meaty, spicy stew that many see as the national dish), radish salad, rice, tortillas, atol (a warm rice or corn based soup made sweet or salty by adding flavors of your choice), rellenitos (sweetened black beans in mashed plantains and fried). Oh and endless red wine!

Union Tank
This historic gathering place was used by people to wash their clothes during colonial times.

Antigua Guatemala Cathedral - ruins
Ruins of the old cathedral located behind the new church.