Wednesday, March 3, 2010

La Antigua

Another fountain picture for mom. There is a fountain in (so far) every Park Central I've seen in Guatemala, as well as in the smaller parks throughout cities, at roadside stops, in courtyards of restaurants and hotels - the list goes on. This one though is in the Park Central of La Antuigua -which before being flattened (for the second time) in 1773 was the capital of Spain's Guatemala.


The city is literally full of churches - the main ones have been partially restored, but many have been left the way they were, giving one the feeling of walking through history. It is possible to take tours of the non-restored ruins of at least a couple of the churches, as well as a monastery that we visited which was somehow built to be earthquake proof, and therefor remains in it's original state (for the most part).


We had some time to wander in the afternoon/early evening before dinner, and Jeff (another group member) and I were fortunate to catch a religious procession done in the weeks leading up to easter - I can't explain it, so here's a short video I shot.

6 comments:

  1. Hi - Haven't read this one yet but will for sure. Kathy's here to show us how to post a comment as we couldn't seem to make it work.
    Really enjoying your Blogs and are still printing them out for a folder.
    Love and Blessings - Grandma and Grandpa

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  2. We were quite overwhelmed by the parades, the "carrying of the floats", the colour purple everywhere, and the most beautiful floral carpets constructed on the streets in the path of the parades. We were also there in March, and apparently the Semana Sante frenzy builds as you get closer to Easter. And of course, the city gets absolutely filled with tourists.. Somewhere La Merced there's a cafe called Fernando's where we ate "tipico" breakfast when we were in Antigua (and learned to love expresso). If you get a chance, hope you can check it out -- isn't it neat how behind the doors on the streets there are such beautiful gardens?
    I know I'm supposed to be commenting on what you're writing, so I apologize for the ramble but your pics & stories are taking me right back there -- what a trip!! Glad you could get there. Thanks again for the memories....
    Kath

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  3. The video is very cool, with music too!! but I really love this fountain! Glad to hear there are lots of them ... they make a city much more friendly, don't you think? They make an ordinary spot special and give people a reason to sit down, rest and maybe chat with somebody or just enjoy the rushing water.

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  4. Yeah, sit down, rest, chat - or set up a maze of thousands of small shops and displays and have the half the city come down and barter and yell and play with snakes . . .

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  5. What, real snakes? What kinds? Great video; you're either standing above everyone else or you have a much steadier hand than I do. I love all the colours - oddly, it kind of reminds me of India.

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  6. Yeah, real snakes and some process involving different colored water in little cups while yelling into a microphone. I was standing on a ledge, balanced against a kind of barbed wire fence thing they put around the grassy areas.

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