Spring Time in Antiqua

As we passed by Guatemala by sea, we knew we would be going back to visit via bus.  We talked to several other cruisers who passed along their inland excursion experiences and gave us their recommendations for traveling to Guatemala.

We didn't have a set itinerary, but we planned to be gone about a week.  Peg from Ogopogo went with us , and she had firmer ideas about where to go and what to see. 

We departed on Tuesday, February 26th and left our friend Fred in charge of Calpurnia and Ogopogo while we were gone.  This was most helpful because our freezer was full, and it was a challenge to figure out how to keep the freezer running all week and still keep the batteries charged.  Fred and the generator were the answer.

Having missed the free marina shuttle because the generator cooling tubes were clogged from leaves in the river just as we were getting ready to depart, we traveled by taxi ($25 total) from the Marina to the town of Usulutan, El Salvador.  We then snagged a local bus (chicken bus) for the 2 1/2 hour ride to San Salvador. Cost: $2.25 per person. 

Arriving in San Salvador late in the afternoon,we decided to stay the night there rather than arrive 5 hours later in Guatemala City in the dark.  We spent the night at the Myer's House Bed and Breakfast, which was recommended by the marina.  A driver from the motel picked us up from the bus station and took us over to purchase our bus tickets for the next day at the King Quality  bus station, which was across town.

Bed & Breakfast:  First and Last

Meyer's House B & B was in an upscale neighborhood- just up the hill from the "Residencia Presidencial" where the Salvadoran President resides behind 15-foot brick and concrete walls topped with barbed and razor wire, along with snipers (not that they are needed, of course).  A little further up the hill was an estate- a full city block- where the owner of Burger King and his son live.  The B & B itself was quaint, but not exactly Mark's style.  Note to self: no more B & B's (sleeping in Aunt Elma's bedroom) for Mark.

We woke up before dawn to catch our morning bus from San Salvador to Guatemala City, Guatemala.  King Quality bus lines rivals any American airline for comfort and service.  We sat upstairs in the double-decker bus, which was $7 cheaper than the downstairs premier class section.  I can't imagine what the passengers downstairs had that we did not.  In full reclining chairs, we were treated to air conditioning, a tasty sandwich lunch, and two Hollywood movies in English with headphones.  At the border crossing, the bus attendants took care of everything so that we never had to leave our seats.  Those on the chicken buses have to get off their bus, answer questions, carry their belongings across a bridge and then load up on an awaiting bus on the other side.

Upon arrival in Guatemala City, we hired a taxi to make an emergency trip to Burger King, and then take us the one hour ride to Antigua.  We had no idea where to stay in Antigua, so our taxista took us to Hotel Palacio Chico, which we loved!  The inn was a former single-story colonial residence with a formal court yard which all rooms opened up to.  Its nine rooms were neither air-conditioned nor heated and moderately priced (about $60 US for a double room).

High in the mountains, the temperate climate makes for comfortable days in the 70's and cool nights in the 60's.  The inn, which was hidden behind a stone wall, was entered by crossing through a three inch thick wooden door.  The door was barricaded shut at 9:00 each night; most other inns appeared to do the same.  Just one block down the street was the beautiful central park of Antigua. 

The hotel offered a free breakfast of coffee, fruit and raisin toast and a very helpful staff willing to assist in any way they could. The showers had interesting "electric instant hot water heaters" on the shower head which offered enough hot water to get by.  Mark thought the fully exposed pigtailed electrical connections just above the shower head was not up to code.  I was only shocked once when I accidentally touched the shower head while trying to rinse my razor.  I quickly learned that if you did not touch the head, you would not get shocked.  Problem solved.

The City

Built in the shadows of three active volcanoes, Agua, Acatenango and Fuego, Antigua is a beautiful city dating back to when the Spanish first settled here in 1524.  It is a magnificent Spanish colonial city with several churches and convents which are hundreds of years old. 

With a strict building code and enforcement, the town's appearance does not seem to have changed at all in 400 years.  Along with five-star restaurants there are also Subway, McDonalds and Burger King, but you will have to look hard for them because the city does not allow them to display any type of signage which does not conform to the original feel of the city.

In 1541, a mudslide from Volcan Agua devastated the then-capital city (now called Ciudad Vieja), so the town of Antigua was built as the capital.  However, damage from the 1773 earthquakes was so devastating that the capital was rebuilt in its new location of the current Guatemala City.

Today, Antigua is thriving with language schools, travel agencies, volcano guides, hotels, eateries, internet cafes, and shops full of local handiwork- especially textiles.  Many of the structures were never repaired from the earthquakes, but the ruins remain.  We saw a picture taken in 1880, of one of the churches, and it appeared in the same destructed fashion as we saw it first hand.

The first day we arrived, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of it all.  Spring time had arrived with us.  Several of the trees were in full bloom and the flowers were bursting with color.  There are women selling their own hand-made woven goods in boutiques, markets, vestibules of hotels, and on the street.  It is all so amazing and colorful, I literally wanted to buy one of everything.  Mark believes the attempt was made in earnest. 

They have taken their colorful textiles and made it into anything that people will buy:  purses, wallets, backpacks, clothing, table runners, placemats, even notebook covers and CD holders. 

That first day I was too overwhelmed to buy anything, but by the time we left four days later, I had almost fulfilled my goal of buying one of everything.

Historic Culture

Shopping is not the only thing to do in Antigua.  For those who are able to control themselves and look beyond the shops, the city is full of history. 

Each year there are over 200 earthquakes of various strengths, caused by the rubbing of three tectonic plates.  Violent earthquakes rock the area a few times every century, so there are many sites around that were once beautiful but now lie in ruins.  The government funds cannot keep up with the destructive forces, so there are some restoration projects underway, but many other sites continue to decay. 

Our travel schedule was so packed with activities that we didn't get a chance to explore some of the  museums and churches that we would have liked to see.  We did, however, get to see the most beautiful McDonalds we've ever seen.  I don't know if McDonald's gives such an award, but if they do, the Antigua location should win the "Most Beautiful McDonald's in the World" award.  We went for the Play Place; the beauty of the gardens and fountains, with a volcano as a backdrop was just an added bonus.

I would love to go back to Antigua; I could even live there.  It is a very international city and very alive with commerce and culture.  We will be going back to Guatemala, through the "backdoor" of Belize on the Caribbean side.  Just a few miles within Guatemala's border lies Tikal, a huge Mayan city of ruins dating back to 900 BC, which we plan to visit.

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