Antigua remains far more than a tourist attraction. A place of rare beauty, major historical significance and vibrant culture, it is the country‘s one must-visit destination.

Tikal is a real noisy place – especially when the jungle wakes up. But the different sounds are just fascinating and we enjoy it. Unfortunately there is no Cappuccino nor fruit juice since there is no electric power at the moment. The shocked webmaster realizes that also means no uploading of the updates. Sorry folks!!

At 08.00h our driver picks us up and we drive the hour back to the airport. Again easy departure procedures and we take-off at 09.30h. A short flight to Guatemala City and a nice landing by our pilots. We have the impression that the people in the tower don‘t have the best English and don‘t really understand us. After being guided around the airport to different places, we finally find our parking position and the handler apologizes for the guys in the tower.

We get picked up by a real stretched limo and drive the half hour to Antigua. The hotel is a bit off the beaten path and boutique style; but very nice. Drop our luggage there since the rooms are not ready yet and the owner books us a city tour for 14.00h. We walk into town for lunch which is excellent and join our guide at the central square.

A former capital – the seat of government was relocated to Guatemala City following several major earthquakes during the colonial period – Antigua boasts an astonishing catalog of colonial relics in a magnificent setting. Its streetscapes of pastel facades under terracotta roofs unfold amid three volcanoes: Agua (3‘766 m), Fuego (3‘763 m) and Acatenango (3‘976 m). Designated a Unesco World Heritage Site and with an ideal climate it‘s a splendid place for walking around; and that is what we did for 3 hours with our guide.

While many old ecclesiastical and civic structures are beautifully renovated, others retain tumbledown charm, with fragments strewn about parklike grounds and sprays of bougainvillea sprouting from the crumbling ruins. An excellent example of this is our hotel; and the owners are very friendly and helpful!

Perhaps the real miracle of Antigua is the resilience. Despite the destructive forces that have conspired against it – earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and floods, followed by virtual abandonment and centuries of neglect – the town has reemerged with a vengeance, buoyed by the pride of its inhabitants.

Back at the hotel, the website gets updated and hopefully uploaded. The Wifi is not too fast here. But there should be enough time while we have dinner in town. The meal and wine at „Cinq“ were excellent. Afterwards the owner of the hotel picked us up personally at the restaurant to bring us back home. Perfect service – thank you Ricardo.