Antigua Guatemala

Antigua is awesome. Lesson learned within a mere 20 minutes upon arrival.

Arriving to Guatemala City a week ago the fear was immediately instilled in me about the capital. From the driver at the airport to the owner at the hostel, any person I chit-chatted about Guatemala City was sure to advise me to take extreme precaution. Certainly appreciative of the warnings and glad that people were looking out for new visitors to the city, I took their warnings seriously, but at the same time I wondered if all this worry was necessary. However, I am not yet willing to test the waters regarding how lax one can really be while traversing La Capital.

As such, pulling into Antigua was a breath of fresh air from the first second I stepped off the Chicken Bus. The cobblestone streets and colorful houses lining them immediately jump out at you and make you feel like you really are in “Old Guatemala,” as the city name translates to. I caught up with a future housemate and co-worker, Colin Hobart, who has been in Antigua for roughly 4-5 months. Colin is a free spirit as immediately exhibited by his long, straight blond hair that goes beyond his shoulders. He looks a bit like Layne Staley (RIP) had he kept the long locks and his easy going nature reminds me of what I feel like Layne would have been like (minus the heroine addiction). Colin and I immediately hit it off as he gives me a quick tour of the house in which I am to be taking a room in and then later of the town.

Layne Staley 

House ("La Cabania") 

Making our way through the streets of Antigua I begin to realize why this is the top tourist spot in the country as the perfect 75-degree temperature in the middle of January helps remind me of the snow I am leaving behind back home in the US. Antigua is clean, easily navigable, and welcoming. The Central Park is lush with trees that are illuminated during the nighttime, well populated with locals enjoying the day and indigenous Maya selling handicrafts , and an impressive fountain spouting water from the breasts from the female statues circling the fountain pool.

Original worries that the town would be “too touristy” were quelled as we ventured through the local marketplace.  Frequented by locals for their fruits, vegetables, and an eclectic assortment of your usual necessities, the vibe of the mercado is exciting and very raw. Certainly the town has its share of language schools with backpackers and those passing through on vacation, which serves as a constant reminder of the great presence of tourism in town, but overall the town embraces an exciting atmosphere of this mix rather than any sense of separation.

Central Park Antigua

The nightlife in Antigua is alive with restaurants, bars, and nights clubs. Unfortunately the bars close at 1 AM in Antigua, which is an interesting change of pace from the late nights in the US, but it is possible to find underground places that will close their doors and keep the party going until late into the night. Walking the streets home at night are safe, which is a welcomed change from the capital and you can even find late night food vendors for your post-bar quesadilla craving.

After a few days of vacationing in Antigua, I’m back in the capital city until we officially make an office move to Antigua. Comparing the two cities, I could not be more excited and ready to move to Antigua, but first I need to survive my first week of work in the Habitat office starting tomorrow….