Antigua, Guatemala

[Pilot Dane]

Last year my wife and I went to Antigua, Guatemala. A very beutiful city in the central highlands of Guatemala and surrounded by three large volcanos between 13'000 and 12'000 feet tall. Because of the cities elevation it stays nice and cool despite it's location in the tropics.

Many of the buildings were damaged by a large earthquake in 1717 and it once was a city of 60'000 back in the late 1700's but today has a population of only about 35'000. It is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

[Pilot Dane]

Like many old Spanish cities beautiful courtyards are everywhere. The streets are lined with shops but I never saw and restaurants until I noticed that most of the shops had a small menu posted near the door. You could walk through the shop and into the central courtyard of almost every block to find a garden of eden with a nice cafe. My favorite dish was a smoked turkey, jalapeno and avocado soup. Yummie!



This painting was inside another courtyard and I'm not sure of it's history or whether it is original or a decoration for tourists. I asked someone about it, but my Spanish was not good enough to understand everything they said.

[Pilot Dane]

Many buildings show the wealthy history of Antigua. The detail is incredible.

[Pilot Dane]

Even though I never saw blue sky and considered it nice if it simply was not raining Antigua is a very colorful city.






I wonder if they put lights on the tree at Christmas?

[Pilot Dane]

Last but not least the people of Guatemala were really great. At some of the know tourist spots there would be a few people selling hand made crafts but even they were very polite and would apologize after I said "no gracias". The only tourist street vendors I have ever felt bad saying "no" to.

Even though Antigua is popular with tourists of all nationalities the citizens treat tourists like everyone else. I got a polite smile and "buenos dias" from almost everyone I passed on the street.