3/16/2024 0 Comments Leyenda del colibrí mayaIf you take the time to sort through the scattered piles of hupiles (Mayan blouses), skirts, belts and wall hangings, you will probably unearth some bargains. This enormous emporium of Guatemalan crafts (5 Avenida Norte, #29) sells everything from used hand-woven garments and textiles to masks, books, chocolate and posters. These ornately repainted American school buses were given this name because they pack their customers in “like chickens” and may carry livestock inside or on the roof. The documentary on Guatemalan “chicken buses” was most insightful. They offer a bunch of bagel sandwiches, good coffees, smoothies and, if you time it right, free movies. Another good spot is the Bagel Barn (5 Calle Poniente, #2). Nothing fancy but terrific beans roasted and ground right there. I like The Refuge (7 Avenida Norte, #18A). There are lots of coffee shops in Antiqua in fact the town is surrounded by coffee plantations. Most rooms have a small fireplace, which in this highland altitude is a cozy treat on cool nights. ![]() The location is ideal and the staff (most of whom speak English) is helpful and friendly. You can take the (included) continental breakfast or a dip in a small pool on the rooftop second-floor terrace. Steps from the central plaza, Hotel D’Leyenda (4 Avenida Norte, #1) has six rooms off a central courtyard. ![]() Colibri sells hand-woven textiles crafted on back strap looms in the homes of more than 500 Mayan women in 25 small villages. In 1984 Vey Smithers started her store to help various groups of indigenous women who became widowed during the armed conflict in Guatemala. ColibriĪlthough it’s tempting to haggle with the many vendors selling textiles on the streets, at Colibri, (4 Calle Oriente, #3B) you’ll get high quality products and your money goes to a good cause. Tartines Tartines (4 Calle Oriente, #1C), located at the heart of Antigua, has a charming terrace with spectacular views of the Ruins of the Cathedral, the Archbishop’s Palace and the Volcanoes. Try the sea bass meunière or adobo chicken. There are twelve exquisitely decorated rooms on two floors situated around a garden courtyard. The vaulted ceilings and antiqued patinas give it a 16th century ambience. You would never guess that this luxury boutique hotel and restaurant are just over two decades old (5 Avenida Sur, #19). If your clients have a desire to be there during Easter, they’ll have to make hotel reservations months in advance. ![]() It’s also the most important place in the world where folks come to witness the many processions and ceremonies between Lent and Easter. With the combination of pastel Spanish Colonial facades, a profusion of flowers indoors and out and the multi-coloured hand woven textiles worn and being sold by the local Mayan vendors, Antigua is colour on steroids. The streets and avenues, set out in a grid pattern (like New York) from the central square and 16th century Santiago Cathedral, unfold beneath three volcanoes. Depending on traffic from Aurora Airport in Guatemala City, the drive will take about an hour. The former capital of Guatemala and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, Antigua should be your first stop. Here’s my insider’s guide on where to pinch Quetzals or indulge in all three places. If your clients decide to visit Guatemala, the top three destinations are the beautiful colonial city of Antiqua, the Mayan ruins at Tikal and unforgettable Lake Atitlan. I never forgot the beauty of the lake, the fascinating Mayan people and their kaleidoscope of colourful costumes and customs. We rented a mud hut and hung out for about a month on Lake Atitlan. My professor’s son and I drove a station wagon from Toronto through Mexico and into Guatemala to join a dig. : My recent trip to Guatemala was a “sentimental” journey as I was there as a hippy archaeology student in 1972.
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