We stayed at Club Premier at Soleil resort in Antigua from October 2-9, 2010. When we booked, we didn’t really know what to expect, but were we in for a pleasant suprise! It was an easy flight into Guatemala City, overnight at the Princess Hotel then pick up rental car the next morning to drive the fairly short distance (about 30 miles) to Antigua. What a delight this one-kilometer square of antiquity is! the cobblestone roads, the wonderfully painted buses, the neat and tidy houses all painted in hues of gold, rust, amber, and the people …… almost all show signs of their indigenous heritage, with their blue-black hair, most wearing the beautifully embroidered traditional clothing.
The market in Antigua was a feast for the eyes and tummy!
Some street scenes …
The buses …
The beautiful people …
And then we took a couple of road trips. The first to Lake Atitlan, a 3+ hour drive on what would normally be a good highway, however, due to recent severe mud-slides, many portions of the road were reduced to one or two lanes only.
Lake Atitlan has to be one of the most serene and scenic lakes, surrounded by three volcanoes.
Our other trip took us to one of the most famous markets in Central America in the town of Chichicastenango (aka Chichi). I was expecting to see hordes of tourists, but scarcely saw more than a couple. The market, however, was teeming with locals. I almost OD’d on the colourfully embroidered fabric and the fascinating people.
Antigua has a lovely tranquil square surrounded by beautiful colonial buildings. Surrounding the town are several volcanoes, which just add to the beauty of the place.
Ohhh! we had a wonderful time.
