Friday, Day 132 - May 18 - 9 to 7, Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Guatemala has much to offer the traveler. Drive into the mountains to beautiful old Antigua, once the country's colonial capital, and discover its lovely bougainvillea draped buildings and breathtaking views of emerald volcanoes. Travel to famed Lake Atitlan and step back in time encountering the indigenous people in all their finery still living along the lakeshore. Fly to Flores and experience the magnificent and enigmatic Mayan temples and palaces of the Tikal complex, surrounded by jungle. Visit Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the capital of the Captaincy-General of Guatemala. The city was founded in the early 16th century. Built 1,500 m above sea-level, in an earthquake-prone region, it was largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 but its principal monuments are still preserved as ruins. In the space of under three centuries the city, which was built on a grid pattern inspired by the Italian Renaissance, acquired a number of superb monuments including the Palace of the Captains General, the Casa de la Moneda, the Cathedral, the Universidad de San Carlos, Las Capuchinas, La Merced, Santa Clara, among others.

This is a new port and country for us.  So today we are doing an all day, free ship’s tour to the UNESCO site. We spend the day discovering the jewel of Guatemalan colonial urban development and architecture, La Antigua. This marvelous city served as the capitol to all of Central America from 1543 to 1773 until it was destroyed by an earthquake and the capitol was moved to its present location of Guatemala City. Amazingly, this historical city has preserved its original features as though time has stood still.

We do the free ship’s tour, "Casa Santo Domingo and Colonial Antigua," starting at 9:30AM for eight hours. It is a 90-minute drive to this World Heritage Site, named such in 1979 because of its immense historical and cultural value. Draped in bright bougainvillea and having breathtaking views of emerald volcanoes in the background, the ruins provide inspiration for artists. We visit Casa Santo Domingo, a Dominican Monastery, destroyed in 1773, and now restored as a Five-Star hotel, have lunch at the hotel, do a walking tour seeing some of the important sites such as the the central park with a mermaid fountain in its center bound by the Palacio de los Capitanes built in 1549 and reconstructed in 1735, the Municipal building which dates to 1743, and the Cathedral, constructed from 1543 to 1680. We also have a little shopping time.

Since our tour does not meet until 9:15AM, we have our usual breakfast. Then, tour bus tickets in hand, we head off the ship to Bus #7. It is a 21 passenger bus, plus the driver, but we luck out and only have 10 people on board, plus the driver and guide.

We rapidly discover the good and the bad for this tour. There is always bad but sometimes a little good is thrown in to even things out. The bad, not readily apparent at first, is that the bus is idling with the AC blowing but there is no cool air.  Maybe the AC just does not work so well when idling! NOT!!

The good is our guide, Lena. Lena is blond, blue-eyed, 36 years old and is from Lithuania! She moved here after marrying a man from Guatemala whom she met while living in Spain. She speaks English well and is fluent in Spanish.  Who knows what other languages she speaks?

Loaded up, doors closed, heat building, we head out right on time at 9:30AM.  Our drive takes us on a very rough, poorly maintained highway, north out of the port area to Esquintla in the hot humid coastal savanna region, where sugar cane is grown, and then we pick up N14 into La Antiqua.  N14, a two lane road, heads up into the central highlands, the area of coffee plantations, and climbs some 4,000 feet to La Antigua. We pass an area where farmers sell their produce. The guide tells us the country does not import any fresh produce. They only eat what they grow locally and export what is not needed. There are heavy trucks struggling up hill and, believe it or not, they put axle-breaking speed bumps every few hundred yards!  They are so tall that they must be taken at a very low speed and then they still give us a neck stirring jar!  We grind up the hill, unable to pass for miles due to the oncoming, downhill traffic. Finally we do breakout and achieve some degree of speed. By now, it has been established that the AC is definitely not working and Lena calls her company to bring us another bus to which we will transfer in La Antigua.  One interesting landmark on our route is the profile of a woman cut into the face of a huge boulder at the top of a rugged peak. The profile is definitely that of an indigenous woman. Lina says that it is man-made and is estimated to be some 1,500 years old. Unfortunately, it is a very hazy day, with building low clouds, so we cannot get a good look at the three volcanoes which surround La Antigua.

We stop in a park area and change to our new bus, which is really a large SUV fitted out for 15 and it provides very tight quarters.  We then proceed to Casa Santo Domingo.  This trip is only a few blocks but the driver fails to get the AC working! We think it may be operator error and certainly hope that it is. Lena is again on the phone looking for AC help.

Casa Santo Domingo is a beautiful oasis of pleasant gardens, fountains, open air dining, etc. It is built from, on and around the ruins of the Santo Domingo Monastery and church complex. We enjoy a stroll through the complex where signs in both Spanish and English explain what we are seeing. It is very well done. There are three museums of church artifacts gathered from all over the country that are very interesting. The ruins of the cathedral have been stabilized, covered and are in use. There is a bell system that is ringing with soft melodic chimes while we are there.

Carolyn is attracted to some Mayan ladies selling all sorts of fabric products while they use a lap loom to produce more of their beautiful weaving. Money and products change hands!
Standing around is no longer on Dick’s list of things to do so we find a table and enjoy the Toucans, the cool breeze and the scenery as we wait for our group.  Dick visits with a man from Raleigh, NC who is with a church group who have been on a mission trip and are spending their last day in La Antigua before heading home.

Lunch is buffet style. The tables are covered in very nice, white, tablecloths with a hand embroidered design. Food consists of plantains, rice, re-fried black beans, blue corn tortillas, chicken and/or beef pieces with a flan for dessert.  The food is delicious and a welcome change from the ship’s food.

We board the SUV, the AC is blowing cold, and drive to the central plaza where we get out for a walk in the area; about four blocks. The buildings surrounding the plaza date to the 1700s and appear to be in good condition. The plaza is teeming with tourists and locals hawking their wares. It is sort of fun but how many times do you have to politely decline to buy a whistle or bamboo drum?  We proceed off down a side street, trying to walk on the cracked sidewalk as the street cobbles are very rough and promise a turned ankle if one is not very careful. We stick our heads into the courtyard of another hotel that was a home at one time to see how a house of the colonial period would have appeared. Basically, the houses were small forts with blank walls and few doors facing the outside world.  They are built right up against the street. Inside were a series of peristyle gardens surrounded by large, long rooms. The whole town reminds us of Santa Fe, NM and how much we like that lifestyle and architecture.

After much, too much walking for some of us we finally arrive at La Merced church, built in the Guatemalan Baroque style and go in for a quick look. 

Boarding the bus, the AC is still working and our British friends are now complaining about being cold.  The rest of us rebel at the thought of turning it off. We drive to Mayan Jade for the required lesson on jade, its history and, by the way, would you like to buy some!  It is not required if you don’t go in and Carolyn proceeds across the street to the Hotel Monasterio where she has spied a woman selling more woven fabrics and clothing items. We are pretty much out of cash but we can use VISA at the hotel desk to pay so the sky is the limit. As previously, money and products change hands. Only the bank account is hurt in the making of this deal. Dick goes back to the jade place to sit down and Carolyn heads off down the street to look at the ruins of La Conception Church and some of the other neat architecture before heading back for our gathering time.

It is now 4PM and the clouds are down on the deck and threatening rain. We load up and it does start to rain as we head out of town and back down the mountain toward the ship. On the way out of town the driver has a huge argument with Lena because he does not want to drive all the way to the port...new vehicle means a new driver. The guide says that’s his problem, we don’t have time to change, and to get moving!!  It does not take quite as much time to get down the mountain as up but they have not removed the speed bumps and it is a jolting ride.

Now the next problem arises.  Our new SUV and its driver do not have the required paperwork and permissions to enter the port.  Also, Lena’s cell phone has run out of power since she has been on it so much with the AC problem and the driver’s phone is out of minutes.  Lena wants to call to have one of the authorized buses meet us at the gate and we stop no less than three times before the driver manages to add phone time to his cell.  Lena is offered the use of several of the guest’s phones but declines and finally, just as we reach the gate to the port, makes the necessary call.  After a 15 minute wait, we board our third bus of the day and proceed to the ship, arriving at 6PM, all aboard time. We are the last guests to board.

In truth, Lena has been the best tour guide of the trip and has handled a difficult day with aplomb and skill.  We wish her well and proceed onto the ship as they finish dismantling the gangway. The Captain is in a hurry!

Without cleaning up we had to the Galileo Lounge for a drink or two and some hot snacks. Dick is not hungry and all Carolyn wants is some scrambled eggs to we head back to the room where Dick gets a bath and is in bed asleep by 8PM.  Carolyn orders room service as planned.

Antigua is definitely worth the effort!!