Antigua... no, the OTHER one

i realize it's been months that i've been blog-delinquent. my apologies. here are some highlights from my life of late...



i recently took a trip to Antigua. not the Caribbean island, but the Spanish colonial town and former capital of Guatemala. founded in the 1540's, it served at the military capital of Spain's colony of Guatemala, which included almost all of present-day Central America.

it is famous for its Spanish-influenced baroque architecture, and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Antigua lies in a valley, surrounded by three volcanoes. it has suffered a series of devastating earthquakes that have leveled the town numerous times. its streets are lined with ruins of colonial buildings that have been left standing. the town's cathedral boasts an impressive facade facing the east end of the town's main plaza, behind which lay the remains of what was once an impressive structure.

the region is populated largely by Maya Indians. many of them dress in traditional clothing, and colorful Maya textiles are to be found for sale around every corner. bargaining is definitely expected, and i found that i didn't have to work too hard to do so. i'd be offered an initial, highly inflated, price, before being asked, "what would you like to pay for it?" a perfect situation for those of us who hate to haggle...

Antigua is also well known for its elaborate religious celebrations, starting at the beginning of Lent, and culminating in a grand Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebration. Janine and i decided we didn't want to deal with the immense crowds (and inflated prices) of Semana Santa, so we went a couple weeks beforehand. but we were still treated to a weekend procession that began outside of town at 6am, wound through town, past the cathedral and back to the starting point.

it was a full day event, and the whole town was thronged with visitors and processors dressed in long purple robes. young children dressed in black and white (the girls wearing lace mantillas) led the procession, swinging censers of smoking incense. they were also employed to shoulder platforms carrying life-size statues of religious figures (the smaller ones, at least). the whole proceeding was accompanied by live brass bands playing solemn processional music. Janine said it sounded like the Grim Reaper's theme song.

another famous aspect of the Semana Santa celebrations is the colorful street carpets. i saw two different varieties, one made from dried flowers arranged on a base of fresh pine needles, and the other an elaborate geometric pattern made of brightly colored sawdust. they're reminiscent of buddhist sand paintings - just as time consuming to create and just as temporary. and they line the cobblestone streets along the procession route.

aside from the shopping and the processing, Antigua is a haven for good food and drinks. the place is bursting at the seams with charming restaurants, bars and cafes, and come evening the whole town is moodlit. i've never seen so many candles! these two little girls are getting started early at Cafe No Se, just across the street from our hostel...