Antigua, Guatemala
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Eating like the locals in Guatemala

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” ― Lao Tzu

Lucy and I hit the pavement hard in the morning, walking and taking pictures as if we were on some kind of crazy photography marathon.  Lucy lives in Antigua.  However, I only had one full day to see as much of this amazing city as possible.  And, amazing Antigua was.

I was completely captivated by everything I saw.  Every step was a photographic moment. Every building had a story to tell.  The rooftops were often in a spray of blossoming flowers in hues of purples, pinks and white.  The peeling paints telling the tales of centuries ago.  The missing cobblestones making each street a unique albeit tiring journey.  The mysterious volcanoes.  Threatening and looming off in the distance.  The colorfully dressed indigenous people.  Everything was a Kodak moment.  The problem was there simply wasn’t enough time.

Beautiful typical buildings and homes. There are many streets like this in Antigua. 

CULTURE Guatemala TRAVEL BY REGION
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The ruins behind La Merced

As I mentioned in my earlier post “Antigua’s Magnificent Le Merced“, the ruins behind this spectacular church, which resulted from a series of dramatic earthquakes over the centuries, are perhaps as equally impressive as the golden yellow exterior of La Merced herself.  It is a tough call however I have to say that there is something haunting and exciting about ruins.  I love them.

I’ve seen the fabulous ruins of Rome, spent four days hiking to the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, and took an overnight dilapidated Greek ship on my honeymoon (while sleeping on the stinky floor underneath the luggage holder) just to catch a glimpse of the Turkish ruins of Ephesus.  Let’s just say, I really like ruins and there are many more that I desire to see. (Only problem of course is time.  Most ruins are in far off destinations that make it hard for  me to see at this point in my life).

At least I was able to get my fix of ruins in Antigua!  Antigua is loaded with ruins thanks (or no thanks) to all the earthquakes.  The monastery ruins behind La Merced proved to be quite impressive with its centerpiece being a 27-meter in diameter fountain which is believed to be the largest fountain in Central America.

Guatemala TRAVEL BY REGION
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Antigua’s magnificent La Merced

Hands down, the most beautiful church in all of Antigua and perhaps all of Guatemala is the magnificent Iglesia y Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Merced (La Merced for short). Construction began in 1548 by the Mercedery Fathers who dreamed of building a temple, yet the church suffered several setbacks due to Antigua’s infamous earthquakes which wreaked havoc and destruction throughout the city.

It wasn’t for another two hundred years that the cloister and sanctuary were finally built and finished in 1749.  Then another traumatic earthquake struck Antigua in 1773 causing significant damage to the church and leaving its marvelous ruins behind it.

Today, La Merced is one of the only old churches that is still offering services on a regular basis and its brilliant yellow and white colors are a delight to the eyes and the soul.  When the Antiguan sky is clear and royal blue, the brilliant gold-yellow of La Merced is perhaps one of the most glorious sights in all of Guatemala.  Here are some photos of the magnificent La Merced and you can judge for yourself.

La Merced blends in perfectly with Antigua’s brightly colored colonial buildings and architecture.  Here is a glimpse of the church on the lefthand side of the photo. 

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The ruins of Catedral de Santiago

Antigua’s long tumultuous history of natural catastrophes have left a bittersweet mark on this nearly 500-year-old city.  Founded in March 10, 1543 by the Spanish conquistadors Antigua became the third capital of Guatemala and the capital remained there for over 200 years until death and destruction struck too many times.

In 1717 a devastating earthquake struck the area, demolishing over 3,000 buildings and leaving the gorgeous colonial city in ruins.  Over time, churches and buildings were rebuilt in force while Antigua continued to grow in power and prestige despite the geographical hazards and continual rumblings.   It took an even more devastating earthquake, which struck on July 29, 1773, to finally force the Guatemalan government to pack their bags and move the capital once again, this time to Guatemala City where it remains today.

What makes Antigua so incredibly striking and fascinating is that like the ancient city of Rome, the ruins remain.  Behind every gorgeous, serendipitous church can be found an equally impressive, spectacular set of ruins that give the visitor a glimpse of what once laid there hundreds of years before.  It can be argued that the ruins are in fact what make this city so incredibly divine.   Yes, the cobblestone streets, the three triangular volcanoes, a vibrant indigenous culture and colorfully painted buildings are sensational.  Yet, the ruins which are barren and open up naked to the sky, are beyond imagination.

Judge for yourself and take a walk with me through the ruins of Antigua.

Guatemala TRAVEL BY REGION
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A second breakfast at Cafe Condesa

My first and only full day in Antigua was a full day indeed.  And it was also a day that I will not forget.  One of those truly memorable days while traveling that makes traveling so delightful and so addicting.   The day included a non-stop fast speed tour of Antigua’s main sites with my blogging friend and local Antigua resident Lucy, and well over 400 pictures each.  In fact, so much transpired during that one day in time that I need to break down my posts on Antigua into different topics.  The first and easiest one to pursue is my eventful morning in lovely, picturesque Antigua.

The well known landmark and arch, Arco de Santa Catalina was awaiting my arrival.

Guatemala TRAVEL BY REGION
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The perfect B&B in Antigua

Finding the perfect Bed and Breakfast (B&B) in Antigua is no easy task. The picturesque UNESCO World Heritage City boasts tons of excellent, beautiful hotels and B&Bs, ranging from very affordable to quite pricey.  I knew that after a week’s stay with a large host family in Xela that I would want something nice, quiet and convenient to the center of town.  So I did what I always do while planning a trip:  Consulted my two favorite hotel sources, Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor.

Finding the right hotel or B&B is always something I do before leaving on a trip.  Other than that, I usually don’t do a lot of other planning before going somewhere new because I like to discover it for myself and figure out once I’m there how to organize my day.  Since hotel research is my only real trip planning I thoroughly enjoy it and use my time online perusing the various hotels and comparing each one by looking at the photos and reading the comments from past guests.  It is my time to get excited about venturing to a new place and picture myself there.

My home away from home while in Antigua.

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The Signs of Guatemala

I have always been fascinated by signs, especially when I travel.    Signs can be a work of art or a simplistic view into an unknown culture.  They can be fun, fanciful, beautiful or rather plain.  But they are always one thing:  A glimpse into the life of a place, whether it be a home, a building, a store or a country.

Here are some of my favorite signs that I found during my recent stay in Guatemala.  

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A slice of Semana Santa

The week of Semana Santa (“Holy Week”) is considered the most important cultural and religious event in all of Guatemala.  Semana Santa has a long, rich history, which began over 400 years ago as Catholicism spread throughout Guatemala due to the Spanish Conquistadors.  Today, Semana Santa can be viewed throughout all of Guatemala, however, there is no city more important during this sacred week than Antigua. It can be argued that Antigua has perhaps the largest, most traditional and famous Holy Weeks in the world.  Thousands of tourists flock to Antigua during Semana Santa to witness the spectacular religious processions, alfombras (“carpets”), fabulous floats and vigils.  It is said to be an experience of a lifetime.

Unfortunately my trip was timed a month too early.  The height of Semana Santa happens the week before Easter.  However, little did I know that smaller scale celebrations start on Ash Wednesday at the beginning of Lent.  Thus during my short stay in Antigua I was able to capture a glance at the magic and sensational beauty of Semana Santa.

Above is a glimpse of a spectacular Alfombra.  Alfombras are made of sawdust or sand dyed in brilliant colors and carefully constructed as a work of art.

CULTURE Guatemala TRAVEL BY REGION
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The drive to Antigua

I finished my last class of Spanish and my week in Xela on a Friday afternoon. It was a bittersweet feeling. Saying goodbye to Xela, my class and my host family for the week proved harder than I imagined. Yes, it was only a week. But the week was way too short and quite frankly, not enough time. It felt like just as I was finally fitting in and understanding the world around me, it was time to go. Plus I knew in my heart that even just another week would have greatly improved my spanish. Seeing how much I had gone in a mere week was astonishing. I realized that true immersion is far better than any college course. It is the only way to go.

Guatemala TRAVEL BY REGION
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Spanish class on the road

For anyone who knows me or has gotten to know me by reading my blog, it is obvious that I am one who doesn’t like to sit around. I have boundless energy at points that tends to get a little out of whack if I am not moving. I am not good at sitting still. This can be both good and bad. The good is that I’m not a couch potato; instead I am an extremely active and energetic person who can get things done at breakneck speed. The bad is that I really don’t know how to relax and tend to wear myself out to the bones.

Someday, when I’m not so busy raising a family and doing a million things in a day, I will work on gaining more balance in my life. I will take up yoga, learn to sit still and sleep better without jumping out of my bed each morning. But until then, I must deal with the cards I’ve been dealt with and face the facts: I’m kind of hyper.

Given my spirited temperament, you can only imagine how difficult it was for me to be in a new country sitting in a one on one spanish class for five straight hours. I absolutely love to learn but five intense hours holed up in a small room, seated at a desk is not my cup of tea. Thus, when my dedicated and loyal teacher Lili told me about her approach to learning on the road, I was thrilled. This is how it worked.

Leaving Casa Xelaju and taking our class on a road trip…

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Xela, Guatemala
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The churches of Xela

Like most Guatemalan cities, Quetzaltenango (Xela) is centered around a large glorious Catholic church.  Espiritu Santo Cathedral was founded in 1535 after the Spanish conquered the city of Xela and has remained the heart and blood of the city ever since. It is located in the parque centroamerica and can be seen well above the city from numerous vantage points.

Although Guatemala is predominantly Catholic, many other religions have established themselves throughout the country thanks to missionaries.  You can find loads of evangelist churches and even Mennonite communities as well as Mormons. In fact, you can find any religious establishment except Jewish or Muslim.  For some reason, I found this surprising. 

Most churches in Guatemala are either dove white or brilliant yellow-gold.   The architecture was sensational of course and the churches instantly became a focus of my attention for numerous pictures.  Here are some of my favorites. 

Here is Xela’s centerpiece, Espiritu Santo.

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