worldaltem: Antiqua, Guatemala 12/28/2017

Thursday, December 28, 2017 Arrived in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala and traveled by bus about two hours to Antiqua, Guatemala. Antiqua is an historic and cultural center. Antiqua is one of the best preserved Spanish colonial cities in the Western Hemisphere and was the Spanish capital of Spain's Middle America colonies for 200 years. The high temperatures are in the 70's and the low temps are in the 50's. Average precipitation is 42 inches for the year. The highway was quite rough in the beginning. There are no railway lines in Guatemala. All goods are delivered by truck resulting in rough roads.

Guatemala is another country dotted by many volcanoes. Several of those volcanoes are active and we watched the smoke spewing from Pacaya as we drove along the highway to Antiqua. Pacaya is reported to be 23,000 years old and has erupted 23 times. It's last eruption was in 2014. Pacaya is a popular tourist destination. The area around Pacaya is a National Park in an effort to keep people safe. It is 2,552 meters/8373 feet high. It was dormant for seventy years, until 1961.

The scenery was very interesting. Guatemala has 14-33 different ecosystems due to the various elevations throughout the country. As the elevation changes, the crops change. We saw the savannah. The banana plantations were using the same blue bags from Costa Rica to protect the bananas. Sugar cane crops were being harvested. They burn the sugar cane prior to harvesting to drive the snakes out of the fields. There are two sugar cane crops each year. Another major export is coffee. We saw the Arabica coffee plants growing in the shade of another taller tree at a higher elevation.

We visited a Jade factory. Guatemala is 3rd in the world for jade mining behind China and Vietnam. We went to Old Town Antiqua and walked around the downtown area. Antigua Guatemala Cathedral/St. Joseph Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church. Built around 1541. Several earthquakes have impacted the building and the first church was demolished in 1669. An earthquake in 1773 caused destruction, again. After the 1773 earthquake, the church was a makeshift cemetery. Tunnels have been discovered underneath and their purpose remains a mystery. After 1773, the capital and main church was moved to the present-day Guatemala City. There are many colorful buildings along the streets.

Guatemala's government has had corruption issues including bribery over many years. Protests and strikes have occurred.

Lots of colorful buildings on the streets of Antigua, Guatemala.

Lots of security around town today.

Christmas tree in a hotel courtyard.

Picaya- an active complex volcanoe in Guatemala. 23,000 years old. 23 eruptions. 2,552 meters/8373 feet high. Dormant for seventy years, until 1961.

Lava flow bed.

Antigua Guatemala Cathedral/St. Joseph Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church. Built around 1541. Several earthquakes have impacted the building and the first church was demolished in 1669. An earthquake in 1773 caused destruction, again. After the 1773 earthquake, the church was a makeshift cemetery. Tunnels have been discovered underneath and their purpose remains a mystery. After 1773, the capital and main church was moved to the present-day Guatemala City.

Only the main entrance was repaired as the local government did not have the funds to do more. The Saints are missing hands. While colonial-era artists created the sculptures, modern sculptors could not replicate the hands.

Professional photo found on-line

There is a park with buildings which one can follow to do the Twelve Steps of Ascension.

Step 7.

Another Step to Ascension

Mermaid Fountain- Plaza Central Park, Antigua, Guatemala. Built by Diego de Porres in 1739. Mermaids were one of Porres' signature designs. Look around the city for mermaids.

Antigua, Guatemala

I snapped this picture as we drove past a cemetery. Guatemalans believe that the more colorful a grave, the happier the person will be in the afterlife.

Old Town Antiqua is at the base of the hillside. You can see the patchwork of nearby fields above the town.

Antigua, Guatemala

One of the buildings around the park

Palace of the Captains was constructed in 1558 and was the first two-story building. All government, administrative and military offices worked there. It housed the Royal Tax office, jail, Army headquarters, horse facilities and warehouses. This building has been damaged by earthquakes over the years including 1751, 1773, and remained stripped until the late 19th century. In 1976, a 7.5 earthquake severely damaged the Palace. It is a UNESCO site.