Antigua

From Lanquin, we got an 8-hour mini-bus ride to Antigua. The bus ride was cool because we'd already travelled with some of our fellow passengers. So we could exchange tales and recommendations. The lowlight was struggling through traffic in Guatemala City while we gaped at all the American businesses and big city-ness. We'd all come from lovely Tikal and Lanquin, small places with no huge businesses, let alone McDonalds or suchlike. We were all glad to whiz through as quickly as the traffic would allow!

Upon entering Antigua, a few of us remarked that it was like being back in San Cristobal, Mexico. It's very picturesque: lots of cobbled streets, alleyways, plazas, old churches, and colourful little buildings. Plus there are huge volcanoes looming over the city, very dramatic. We walked around a fair bit with our packs on before we found a hostel with rooms available. Then we found a restaurant that a fellow traveller recommended; she mentioned it has the best brownies, so I had to verify this for myself!

Halfway through our dinner there, I started to feel unwell. Cue three days of sickness for me! I reckon it was the mouthfuls of water I took in when I jumped into the river from the swing in Lanquin. No matter, it was past time I got sick in Latin America. Luckily Chris didn't. I was stuck in our hostel room nearly the whole time, but he managed to get out for dinner a couple times with some other travellers we'd met in Lanquin. Our final night in Antigua, I felt well enough to return to that restaurant and have that brownie. I can report that it was excellent. I could only eat a few bites of it (that proves how unwell I was!), but it was heavenly. Plus a band was playing while we were there, and they were amazing. These guys could each play panpipes and various guitars at the same time and switch to flutes or whistle or sing when required. We left feeling very happy.

The next day we had to make our way to San Pedro la Laguna, on Lake Atitlan. We didn't see nearly enough of Antigua, so we plan to return at some point. If nothing else, we need to climb the active Pacaya volcano there. Bring it on!!!

I can't finish this post without mentioning the extreme kindness of our Antigua hostel owner. She was terribly sympathetic and kept offering me tea and bread to calm the stomach. I wound up having some of the tea, and sure enough it was soothing. So after nearly 34 years of not drinking tea (not counting the herbal kinds), I became a tea-drinker in Antigua! I have her to thank for that, for watching over me, for checking on me when Chris was out for dinners, and for talking to me in Spanish nice and slowly. ¡Muchas gracias, señora!