Mark has been going to Guatemala with a HELPS, a nonprofit that provides medical care in rural areas, for several years. He finishes each mission with a few days in Antigua. This was my year to join him...
Guatemala
Guatemala was part of the Mayan civilization that included México, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador from the years A.D. 250-900. Antigua is a small city surrounded by volcanoes in southern Guatemala. Antigua is a UNESCO world heritage site, because of its Spanish colonial architecture. Many of these buildings have been restored following a 1773 earthquake that ended Antigua’s 200-year reign as Guatemala’s colonial capital.
Good Friday Procession
The Good Friday Street Procession is part of Semana Santa (Holy Week) that began in Spain, but is a tradition in many countries, including Guatemala. Families and businesses work for up to 24 hours assembling their rugs to be ready for the Good Friday Procession. “With each step, the carriers of the procession send the carpet’s sweet aromas into the air, leaving only traces of its fleeting beauty between the cobblestones. The splendor of the carpets endures only in memories and photographs.”
I had heard about the Central American tradition of creating rugs out of dyed sand or sawdust to line the path of the good Friday parade, but I never thought I would actually see one. I saw two! Hotel Porta had two ‘alfombras’ in the front entry. They were so perfect and there was no indication of what they were- except for some stanchions to keep people from walking on them…. I thought they were really handmade rugs. They remained the first three days of my stay, before being swept up.
Santa Catalina Arch is an iconic landmark in Antigua. It is on 5th Avenue, right up the street from our hotel. Mark pointed it out to me to try to make sure I could remember how to get back to Hotel Porta. This arch was built in the 17th century to connect the Santa Catalina convent on the right side of 5th Avenue to a school on the left side. There is a stairway and walkway so the nuns didn't need to walk on the street.
There are life size statues depicting the stations of the cross that are part of the God Friday Parade. I saw them! They are stored outside in a side yard, adjacent to the Catalina Arch, behind a locked gate.
Fountain at Hotel Porta
Hotel Porta
Hotel Porta was a realy cool hotel. It began as Hotel Antigua in 1948. Porta has its own water filtration system, and has special vessels in the rooms to keep their guests amply supplied with “Agua Pura”. The staff are almost doting. Jessicaa, concierge, secured a reservation to the popular restaurant Por Qué No!
The restaurant staff mostly dress in traditional Guatemalan dress and keep your coffee filled with Cafe Con Leche. (Don’t try to fill your own coffee, Mark). They make homemade tortillas while you watch. And the fruit at breakfast was sooooo good.
But my favorite part of the hotel was the macaws. Tropical birds have been a part of the hotel since a guest gave the birds to the hotel as a gift. The macaws in my video are estimated to be 70 years old. They tried to move the birds to a farm, thinking they would be happier, but they did not do well. The veterinarian suggested since the Hotel Antigua (now Porta) was the only home these birds knew, they should remain there. I went to visit them several times a day during my stay. I am pretty sure they are missing me RIGHT now.
Scenes Around Town
There were many well behaved street dogs. But there is also a trend to “adopt” (ad spay) them.
There were several yoga classes to choose from. The one I did was held in an art gallery of a nearby hotel. My class was taught by an American, Ginger, who has lived in Guatemala since 1989.
Mark will work at this Franciscan hospital for a week in October...he might have a roommate....
Typical street scenes, with the cobblestones, motorcycle, power lines above….and the volcano in the distance
Starbucks was in a colonial home that dated back to the 1700’s. It had a beautiful courtyard with a living wall. I spent a lot more time there than I should have, but you know how I am abou my Cafe Con Oat Leche Frappes…..
I am climbing the "stairs" to our table at Por Qué No - the restaurant I mentioned. The restaurant seated MAYBE 20 people, was as big as a moderate ice house (lofted) and the food was delicious!