Stylish Antigua
Trip Start
Jan 15, 2006
1
50
52
Trip End
Sep 05, 2006
Antigua,
Guatemala
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
We only drove through Guatemala City, but find it hard to imagine there is any reason to visit. The main thoroughfares are packed with as many fast food joints as you would find in any city in Ohio. (This bothers us far less than other tourists
01 -Central Arch
. After a few meals of Bolivian Chicken-Foot Soup you too might long for a Big Mac, clean restrooms and toilet paper.) Despite being a large, modern metropolis, Guatemala City still lacks road signs. (This really becomes a problem when you don't have a good map. Your intrepid navigators, however, made it through, twice.) I view this as another form of Latin machismo. In the USA, we think we are real men because we don't ask for directions. Latin men don't even need road signs. Take that.We spent three nights in Antigua and recommend it as a must-see on any Central American itinerary. Antigua was the Spanish colonial capital of the region until it was abandoned in 1776 for Guatemala City because of frequent earthquakes. In the past few decades the city has been revitalized as a tourist center. The buildings are entirely vintage and all the streets remain cobblestoned. There is a large excess supply of churches and a few have been left in beautifully landscaped ruins. Our hotel was carved out of the ruins of an old monastery and was one of the most beautiful places we have stayed. Many of the walls were original and the new construction was tastefully incorporated. Each evening, the staff would light hundreds of candles that were placed throughout the facility.
I read the hotel literature and it turns out that Madeline Albright stayed there in 1998, followed in 3 months by Hillary and 3 months later, by Bill. (Several restaurants in town have 'Bill ate here' photos. The guy didn't miss many meals.) Is this how foreign policy is conducted? "I just got back from this really cool place in Guatemala. Bill and Hillary, you should check it out." "That sounds great. What should we talk to the Guatemalans about?" Do presidents ever visit Paraguay, Azerbaijan or the Congo?
Antigua is absolutely packed with art galleries, clothing boutiques and cute cafes
02 - Garden
. Not surprisingly, this seems to be a magnetic attraction for young women who decide to 'go to language school' after graduation or between years at grad school. If you are a single, 25-year old guy, this would be the dating equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel.We visited Tikal, the Mayan ruins in the jungle of northern Guatemala. The Mayans developed an impressive civilization that petered out around 800 AD. (Cortes conquered the Aztecs. The Mayans were long gone.) Although the surrounding jungle appears to be virgin forest, it was entirely cultivated in ancient times. The ruins were impressive, but, for us, paled in comparison to Machu Picchu. On the other hand, the crowds were a lot smaller.
We are driving through Belize and then making a beeline for Oaxaca, Mexico.
Comments
Jeep
How did you guys find a Jeep in Guatemala. Are there Jeep rental places. Just wondering. Planning a trip to El Salvador in November and a Jeep fan myself.