Blogs from Antigua, Capital Region, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean

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 ... read more

Happy New Year! 2023. I have been unable to post updates of our time spent in Guatemala so they will unfortunately all come in all at once. I hope you find time to read about it or at least enjoy the photos. Don and I arrived in Guatemala New Year's eve night. A driver met us at the airport with a shuttle and he didn't speak ANY English. We decided to come to Guatemala for a Spanish Immersion program and it is starting immediately. A 1/2 hour later we were in Antiqua at our group house for students. Many questions went through our heads.. "Are we going to be the oldest students?", "Will anyone speak English?", "What have we gotten ourselves into?". The homeowners Anna (0% English) & Arturo (15% English) greeted us into their home ... read more

I leave rising from the plains burning dry heat a landscaped apron of mango trees stretched drum tight under smoking volcano Fuego his sister Agua their brother Acatenango west wind raising a loose horsetail of pumice dust from Acatenango’s flank rust colored against turquoise the gouged once molten rivered mountainside is etched deep trampled glowing red they lied when they told us who is buried here was it 200 hundred no senor it was certainly 2000 mas mas they lie to us here but we know who did not come home that night never came home that morning the truth is washed away when they spray the cobbled streets with precious water while people here are waterless the cane fields burn behind me the armless man waits and I shake his stump and say good morning ... read more

Hola gringos! Efter en sløv start har vi nu fået lidt af Guatemala under huden! Vi startede med at være et par dage i Antigua, den gamle kulturelle hovedstad. En fin, by med farverige bygninger der bærer præg af tiden fra de spanske "Conquistadores". Godt jetlagget, skulle de første dage bruges på at få hovedet med herover så der blev slappet lidt ved poolen, slendret rundt og bare suge folkene og stedet ind. Antigua ligger på vestkysten, i et vulkanfyldt område, samme kæde der starter Andesbjergene længere sydpå. Jeg har set billeder fra nogen af vulkanerne hvor man kan komme op og se "floder" af rød lava - det lyder jo ret spændende, så der måtte vi op. Tidligt afsted om morgen - og endelig med fødderne i støvlerne - gik turen op af på vulkanen ... read more

Fri 16-Sat 17 November - Day 21 to 22 - Antigua We arrived around 2.00pm after negotiating the busy, large city of Guatemala, at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Antigua, one of the most delightful colonial towns in Central America. After booking in at the very friendly Hotel Posada Los Bucaros in our spacious room with 2 double beds and a single bed, Alfredo took us on the usual orientation walk around the city. The local indigenous could be seen throughout the cobbled streets and plazas of the city in their colourful costumes, selling their crafts and textiles. They are very short people, wearing colourful blouses and full skirts. Often, they were carrying their wares on their head as well as carrying a baby in a wrap. As the cultural centre of Guatemala, Antigua was an ... read more