This trip, the stay in Antigua was more about relaxation and tourism as a cap to our service work in Chichicastenango and Panajachel / San Jorge.

When we arrived in Antigua on Sunday afternoon, it was too early to check in at the hotel so we stored our luggage in the hotel office and then seized the opportunity to explore the hotel and walk around Antigua.  The hotel we stayed at was Hotel Los Pasos near the southeast corner of town.  While Sarah was a little disappointed that it did not have a pool, she was equally thrilled with the comfy furniture on the rooftop terrace!  We enjoyed going up there to dine, to relax, and to witness the beautiful sites and sounds of colonial Antigua.  Here is a brief video that shares the charming sound of nearby church bells.

We decided that we would take the map that the hotel provided and use it to find our way to the central square:  Parque Central.  It wasn’t too long of a walk, although the cobblestone streets were not a treat to those not wearing comfortable shoes.  At least it is flat there!

When we got to Central Park, it was fun to just sit and people-watch.  There were a lot of young families there on a Sunday afternoon, and there were some adorable little boys blowing bubbles and then running after them.  We took some photos of the buildings and businesses that line the central square and then made our way to the famous Santa Catalina Arch.  Something amazing took place that afternoon… a group of young upright bass players were playing John Lennon’s Imagine underneath the arch, and many stopped to listen.  I took a video, but the street noise (and my daughter talking) makes it somewhat difficult to hear:

By the time we stopped at a couple of shops and made our way back to Central Park, it had started raining lightly.  There were a few opportune vendors that sold umbrellas, but the park was mostly vacated.  I stopped to get this pretty picture of the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales and then continued on back to the hotel.  When we arrived, our rooms were ready and we were able to check-in.

Later that same evening, we heard what sounded like an orchestra playing in (or very near) our hotel.  Since most hotels in Guatemala include open courtyards, it is very easy to hear what is going on around you.  Ironically, after playing songs by Queen and Elvis and Michael Jackson, the orchestra started playing Imagine again, so I think it was probably the same orchestra that had been playing a mile away under the arch just a few hours prior.  What lovely music to relax to at the end of the day!

*****

Our first night in Antigua was restful, and when we awoke on Monday the 14th, my family separated from the rest of the group for a personal visit with Scott’s foster family.  For this meeting, we chose McDonald’s, a place that we could have an extended visit without interrupting others and that offered something for the kids to do if they grew bored of “sitting around listening to adults talk”.  The McDonald’s in Antigua is one like I’ve never seen before, but based on photos I’d seen online and recommendations from others, I wanted to give it a try.  Besides, since we volunteered to pay for the taxi that drove the foster family from Guatemala City all the way to Antigua, wait, and then drive them back, we were looking for a cheaper meal to which we could treat them.  McDonald’s ended up being a nice choice.

The food at this McDonald’s wasn’t much different from what we could get at home (with the exception that refried black beans and jamaica are both on the menu) the atmosphere and decor were different.  Much of the restaurant is actually outside!  In the courtyard there is a beautiful water fountain (Sarah decided she wanted to draw it in her journal) and a bench with old Ronald himself.

We had a lovely visit, and really enjoyed hearing all the stories that were shared about Scott.  (I will refrain from mentioning them here, so as not to embarrass him, but let’s just say that he was lovingly doted upon as a baby and endeared the entire Monterroso family.)

After our McDonald’s brunch, we did some more shopping, with stops at Choco Museo (and the jade store that is contained within) and NimPot.  We came back with lots of souvenirs and also some things to use as fundraisers!  I took several pictures of the Franciscan church near our hotel, just because of its beauty.  Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur (Santo Hermano Pedro), missionary in Guatemala of Spanish origin who was beatified in 1980 and canonized in 2002, is enshrined at this site.