Back from Lake Atitlan, we had a few days to explore Antigua before flying on to Costa Rica. We checked in to Palacio Chico, a classic colonial hotel from 1850 on the historic registry. In Antigua there are no yards -- the buildings front right onto the street. There are barely any sidewalks even -- maybe a foot of bumpy cobblestones. When you meet other pedestrians, someone usually has to step down onto the street in order to pass. But when you walk through the front gates of the buildings, you enter beautiful inner courtyards, and our hotel had a large and lovely one - a peaceful retreat from the bustle of the streets, with tropical plants and birds chirping. It was always magically cool in the courtyard too, even if it was hot and sticky outside.
The highlights of our time in Antigua included finding good places to eat (of course), a tour of a school run by Los Ninos de Guatemala in a nearby Mayan village, and a morning climb up Volcan Pacaya followed by an afternoon at a geothermal spa.
The Worry Doll Tour
The school tour was called the Worry Doll tour because we learned how to make little worry dolls as part of it. Our guide was Daniella. She first led us through the streets of Antigua to the “Good Hotel”, a modern European style place that contributes its profits to the Los Ninos organization to support the three schools they now operate. Apparently, in Guatemala, anyone who can afford it sends their kids to private schools and the public schools, where they do exist, are typically lacking in equipment, supplies, and qualified teachers. Los Ninos is one of many outside organizations trying to fill the gap, as is the CECAP organization we visited in Santa Cruz on the lake.
From the Good Hotel, we set off through the streets again to catch one of the colorful “chicken buses” to San Lorenzo, a village of about 7,000 people about 20 minutes in the hills outside of Antigua.
Riding the bus with Daniella was kind of a treat as we would never have been brave enough to try it on our own, but they provide the transportation network among all the rural communities of Guatemala.
In San Lorenzo, Daniella led us through the streets and up a dirt path to the school. Unfortunately, we were there during their Christmas vacation so we didn’t get to see it in action but it was easy to imagine children laughing and playing in the courtyard and studying in the classrooms, Daniella explained how school staff provide a complete curriculum including English and an indigenous language as well as Spanish, computer literacy, and gardening. The school also has psychology and social work staff who do outreach with the parents, many of whom are young and inexperienced. They help them learn parenting and positive discipline skills and how to manage their resources.
Next, we were welcomed into the home of one of the school families who have benefited from the school’s services. They have a home industry of making worry dolls that they sell to hotels and the mother and her niece taught us how to make our own.
We were very proud of our creations and bought some of their dolls as well to make a whole family of worry dolls. Now, whenever we have troubles, we can tell them to the little dolls, put them under our pillow at night, and “poof” by morning those worries will be all gone.
Volcan Pacaya
A 6:30 am departure the next day and a couple of hours in a shuttle van driving up, up, up increasingly narrow roads through tiny towns, and we arrived at the Volcan Pacaya national park. Getting out of the van, we were assaulted by a shouting crowd of kids wanting to sell us walking sticks, We bought one thinking Susan would need it. However, once we started up the hill, she quickly switched to riding one of the horses that was available (a taxi natural) for hire and David used the stick. The ascent was long (1000 meters), mostly steep and rocky.
Once we reached the top we enjoyed amazing panoramic views. We were still about 500 ft. below the crater but it is an active volcano, occasionally roaring and spewing out clouds of ash and leaking fiery lava down the side. So going near the crater would be extremely foolhardy - apparently people die just from the poisonous gases up there.
[photos of views from the volcano]
The descent wasn’t any easier than going up, harder on the horse actually as you have to brace your whole body backwards to keep from going over the horse’s head. By the time Susan got off the horse, she could hardly walk for a few minutes. So we were really glad that we were headed for the geothermal spa.
At the Santa Theresita spa, which is also a hotel and restaurant, we were guided through a series of experiences. First, ten minutes each in 4 different temperature pools (hot, cool, warm, warmer) designed to open pores, cool your muscles and get you ready for the steam room. We had an hour, alternating time in a very steamy steam room with cold showers and a hot, hot bath. Aaahhhhh!!!!
Then we had a couples massage to finish us off! What a day.
Next day -- off to Costa Rica.
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