Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua is the former capital city of Guatemala, an hour’s drive from Guatemala City. We arrived early Monday morning after travelling most of the night from Victoria, nearly missing each of our connecting flights! After our early check-in at Hotel Ojala, the warmth of the spring air, the adrenaline rush of finally letting our guard down, and receiving a friendly welcome, the stress of the air flights quickly disappeared. Antigua is a beautiful city. We’re staying in the old town where there’s little modernization evident - buildings are low, the streets narrow and cobblestoned. Most of the activity (other than cars and motorcycles rushing down the streets) is behind closed doors of the walls lining the streets. It’s such a treat to step through a doorway into a quieter world with the characteristic cloister and courtyard full of lush plants.
Today we woke to witness one of the three volcanoes spewing smoke, something we soon learned happens frequently with no worry. It was a day of exploring - up a hilltop to a park overlooking the city, to a museum incorporating indoor and outdoor exhibits focusing on Guatemalan culture old and new.