If Guatemala has a reputation for violent crime, gangs and other mischief, we have landed in the epicentre of it: Guatemala City. While being hustling and bustling during the day, it is supposed to a jungle at night. And not the cosy Disney-version. Even local residents avoid certain areas and certain means of transport for safety reasons.
And how did we manage? The honest answer is we didn't. Not. At. All. And for no other reason than that we didn't try. We skipped, we bailed, we ran. Less than an hour after arrival at Aeropuerto Internacional La Aurora, we crossed the city boundaries and made our way to the first real destination: Antigua. Or to be more precise Antigua Guatemala (since it's not the only one around in the region).
If not for 1773 we might have landed in Antigua. More than two hundred years the city had functioned as the capital of the (then Spanish ruled) region. But then fate struck. An earthquake - not uncommon - struck and left the city heavily damaged. Antigua survived, but the new Spanish governer had had his share. Reasoning that further from the volcanoes was safer, he imposed the move the Guatemala City. Reluctantly, those with enough means followed. The rest stayed behind.
Derived of it's status as a capital, part of its population and such things like art, Antigua was left to its fate. Guatemalalans however, are nothing if not resilient. Despite the odds, Antigua is a thriving city these days. The town reinvented itself and is now a hotspot full of Spanish schools. Not being a capital has also helped it to retain its former charm.
And charming it is. Though the cobblestone streets are a bitch, they fit the colonial-grandeur-in-decay
-look that is scattered all over town. Generally the story behind most of the buildings is the same: earthquakes. The ones that where built in colonial times are mostly in ruins because of it. The newer ones are kept low (one story) to make them resilient. A good example of a lesson learned is the Catedral de Santiago (fun fact: it's not a cathedral, just makes it sound more interesting). The cathedral is small, scarcely decorated and has a facade that is actually a facade. Behind it is the original cathedral, or rather what's left of it (fun fact: this was actually a cathedral). The pictures give an idea.
Antigua is not only blessed with earthquakes. That would be too easy. No, towering all around the town are no less than three volcanoes, of which Agua is the most visible, and Fuego the most active. Even during our short stay it puffed a number of times. Luckily nothing near the June explosion that killed almost two hundred. Puffing or not, the volcanoes are daunting objects, that make one feel quite small. Which makes sense, since they're huge. But also in a less literal sense. If it happens to explode, who you gonna call?
Despite this looming doom, Antigua feels alive. There seems to be a healthy mix of locals and tourists. Never does it feel overrun the way other popular places do. Though seeing a Wendy's, Taco Bell, Burger King and Dukin' Donuts in one street says enough about the essence of the not-so-local population. Luckily, Guatemalans offset this with the small 'tiendas' that make every streetcorner a onestopshop for snacks.
Generally, the city seems to be a bit of a slow starter. Even though the surrounding fields are dotted with coffee farms, the sidewalks are pretty relaxed before midday and get very cozy towards the evening. As we visited one of the coffee farms and drank a local cup, I'm not sure why this is. Guatemalan coffee definitely has a kick. Or at least the ones made by the De La Gente farmers.
Last but not least, the pictures. They say more than the thousand words (no, I didn't count) above.
The Arco de Santa Catalina, a landmark in Antigua. The sound of the bell is literally coming from the depths of hell.
Agua volcano, so called because it has been dormant for many years. Now only water slides down its slopes, causing the occasional mud slide.
Agua volcano as seen from Cerro de la Cruz. The 'Cruz' is on the right.
Catedral de Santiago as seen from Parque Central. This is the rebuilt version. The original, much larger, stands behind it.
The remains of the church that was wrecked in 1773.
At least the roof can't be on fire.
Signs of the artisanship that is now slowly fading away. The new church has been kept much simpler and suited to the current needs of the city.
Catedral de Santiago and Fuego in one shot, on the right is Parque Central.
Fuego says puff!
Iglesia y Convento de Nuestra Senora de la Merced has withstood earthquakes for three centuries.
This building hasn't.
Neither did this one.
Did this guy have anything to do with it?
Hmmm.
Mixtas! Tortilla, guacomole, chicken, cabbage and some other stuff. Way better than the nachos we had too.
The 'tienda' in its natural habitat.
