Guatemala, old city of Antigua
December 3, 2014
Not much to tell, just a day relaxing, doing nothing, walking trough the streets of beautiful 17th century Spanish Antigua, drinking Guatemalan coffees.
We slept in a old ruined Dominican monastery, which was also a museum. There was an open fire burning in the bedrooms (so we felt a bit like in Morsalines) and Haendel and Monteverdi music playing in the dining room (like in Amsterdam!)
22 churches, 14 convents and 11 monasteries (just the place for Harry), most ruined by the earthquakes, especially from 1773. So very few left from the baroque splendour and rich decoration, except the beautiful facades, in dramatic contrast with the disaster behind, fallen columns, bougainvilleas climbing over the broken walls, open to the sky, but very charming, back to the humility of the first churches.
After an Italian lunch in cafe Opera, we made a tour under the volcano, driving between coffee plantations, through indian (Mayas) villages, quite a different image than the clean restored Antigua.
In Santa Maria de Jesu, Harry bought a new green plastic tabouret (made in China!) for stepping into the cargo compartment and to replace the same red one we bought 4 years ago in Jayapura (Indonesia). Our driver was a bit surprised of our purchase, leaving behind us all the beautiful colourful (but unwearable unless you are a cousin of Frida Kahlo) fabrics.
Post by Harry Heijst | December 3, 2014 |
Wow Harry nice photos,nice description of the Dominican Monastery hotel,good choice Sophie.xox Mar.
the same torretial rain hit my iron horse and myself in 2003 in Panama.
None of the skyhigh bills however!
try a bike and Sophie can ride the sissy seat!
Gool luck to the three of you, a dandy trio! m
…….torrential….
no comment other than the two before and the two checked squares below