We never planned to spend a month here but as we drove into town and took a look around we said to each other, "Let's stay for awhile." We've both loved all of the colonial areas we have been in and to combine it with comfortable temperatures has made this a perfect place to rejuvenate.
We are definitely in a tourist town. We hear as much English as we do Spanish. There are bizillions of hotels, restaurants and tourist agencies. At every corner someone is either trying to shine your shoes or sell you the local textiles. The difference here though is that everyone is low key - no one is pushy, not very much, anyway. There are horse-drawn carriages, musicians playing in the street and a massive center square. There is even a McDonalds here which all others pale in comparison to. Of all the McDonalds we have been to around the world none beat the setting of this one. Yes, I think we eat there too much!
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| eating our egg mcmuffins with a killer view (pardon the pun) |
We've been practising our Spanish with the locals. Something seems to of clicked lately and we are understanding so much more. It still takes loads of brain power and super human concentration but we seem to be getting it. They do speak slower here and our conversations are very simple but still it feels good. Whenever we make a mistake they correct us, its like having Spanish teachers wherever we go.
We originally had a lot planned for this area but to be honest we've been really lazy. Everyday we sleep in, walk into town for coffee, people watch inside the square and find new areas of the city to wander around. I'm sure we've covered every inch of this place. We have felt so comfortable and relaxed here all the stresses of driving have melted away. The most difficult part of the day is crossing the streets - its like being in the old video game frogger.
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| market day |
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| traditional textiles |
Antigua is full of crumbling churches, monasteries and convents. We've spent hours wandering through the rubble. This is a major seismic zone and Antigua has had its fair share of devastation. We've been told that they're not going to restore the structures but they are just trying to ensure they aren't damaged further.
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| in the spooky crypt |
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| the convent |
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| the monastery |
We've really been enjoying our time up in the mountains. Its so different here than what we have become accustomed to. The bugs are smaller, the temperatures are cooler, theres storms almost every night. Its peaceful and quiet. We are soaking it all up because we know that when we leave here we are going to learn what the rainy season is all about. We still have some time left here and we're planning on seeing more of the area outside of Antigua.
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| walking in the rain |
