Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala was once the capital, before it was decimated by an earthquake in 1773. The ruins of old churches are now protected, and the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Centre, recognizing its Spanish colonial architecture and city planning. Volcán de Fuego sputters every few minutes in the background, and with its last eruption in 2018, it's hard to imagine living in its shadow.

A few of us took a bike tour around Antigua and the surrounding villages, navigating the cobblestone streets on mountain bikes. It was fun to ride through the small village markets, see the coffee plantations, and pass some of the preserved ruined churches, but the ambient pollution and blasts of diesel from passing buses, combined with the heat and incredibly uncomfortable bike seat, were unwelcomed challenges.

One stop was a macadamia nut farm, where we saw the two types of trees they grow, and learned how they collect the nuts that have fallen to the ground. They dehusk these, let them dry out, then sort them by size before cracking them open to dry out the nut inside. 

Our reward was a nice evening out at the Antigua Brewing Company,  listening to live music and sampling a flight of local beer!

Antigua is a very cool city, with lots of interesting little coffee shops and unique restaurants. It's colorful and vibrant, lined with trees and vines, and the best activity is to just wander around the narrow streets and explore.

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