Antigua Guatemala - MyShadowProductions # 122

 Hola Amigos !!

Well, I made it to Antigua Guatemala with no problems. Basically a full day of travel. Left my Apartment in Denver around 7 am, Uber to Union Station, train to DEN airport, 10 am DEN to IAH (Houston) about 2.5 hrs, change to Central time from Mountain, 4 hour layover, flight to GUA (Guatemala City) about 3 hours, quick walk through airport to Immigration, get Guatemalan Quetzales (money $$) at ATM, exit airport and just outside by Cafe Barrato (cheap cafe) find taxi driver holding a sign with my name. It is about 8:30 pm at that time so it is dark for the drive to Antigua. It took about 45 minutes to an hour. Guatemala City is the largest city in Central America (Mexico City in Mexico is larger but Mexico is not part of Central America). That being said it took most of the time through curves and hills and speed bumps and rumble strips and bridges and tunnels and considerable traffic of cars, trucks, buses and motorbikes. Are you dizzy yet?

Then, after an exit, the road turned to cobblestones and the young driver proudly said “Bienvenidos an Antigua” (welcome to Antigua). About 10 minutes later we pulled up to Las Farolas Hotel for Check-in about 9:15 pm Central Time.

A few photos of airports, Hotel lobby and room:

Someone had left this book behind @ Houston Airport. It was fun watching people walk by and their reactions and thoughts about maybe picking it up :) Finally a cleaning guy picked it up with a big smile as he read the title and back cover :)

                          Path to Immigration at GUA

                Hotel Lobby, it is not a Seminary :) I just liked the table.

When I was checking in to Las Farolas (street lights) Hotel the girl at the Reception said she was trying to find a room that did not back up to the street ( I assume those rooms have a little street noise?) She said she could give me a better room but there was one problem, it didn’t have a hairdryer :) That will probably be the easiest decision of the Trip/lifetime, lol.

Here are my first sights of Antigua in daylight, right outside my room and at breakfast:

       Desayuno Chapin (pronounced cha pean) Nickname for Guatemalans.

    Scrambled eggs, Fried Plantains, Sausage, Beans, Bread, Cheese, Fruit Juice

After breakfast and a shower it was time for MyShadow to take a walk around Antigua. The hotel provided a basic but good map to help.

         MyShadow looks a little timid holding the phone camera, lol :)

Here is the expected weather for my days in Antigua :)

There are three Volcanoes around Antigua; Volcan de Agua, Volcan de Fuego and Volcan de Acetenango. You will see them in the photos.

Click Here for a movie/video created from my photos in Antigua Guatemala.

If you check the Comments in my previous post, click here for that, you might notice from the movie/video that I was able to check off a few items on the Photo Scavenger Hunt. Items like; Dog, Guatemala Flag, Jade Jewelry, Open Market Shop, can you spot them in the movie/video?

Interesting city so far, with some similarities with San Miguel de Allende in Mexico but less gentrified and much less Canadians and Americans.

Buenas Noches for now!