Antigua

During the second portion of our trip, we stayed in the beautiful and historic city of Antigua Guatemala. The photograph above shows the view from our hotel room. 

This ruined church was next door to our hotel. 

Vendors near the Artisan's Market. 

A city ordinance mandates that all buildings in Antigua maintain the original Spanish colonial style. As a result, we encountered fast food outlets, like McDonald's and Burger King pictured above, built in the old style. In this regard, Antigua is a city of contradictions. It keeps an old, traditional exterior, and yet we found more modern conveniences in Antigua than in most other places in Guatemala.  

A mime in the city park. 

Dakota and Rhonda in the central park. 

The cathedral

Another view of the cathedral. 

Antigua Guatemala was once the capitol city, but it was destroyed several times by major earthquakes. As a result, the capitol was moved to its present location in Guatemala. City. But also, the entire city is filled with the ruins of churches, cathedrals, and convents from the 1500s.  

Inside the catacombs of a ruined church. 

Antigua is home to Europeans and Americans, along with Guatemalans.