Today was both adventurous and eye-opening, starting with an early morning to catch the sunrise. I woke up at 6:00 AM, along with Reagan and Morgan, we went up to the rooftop of our hostel to watch the sun rise over Antigua. It was a peaceful way to start the day, and we had coffee while taking in the view. It was a perfect moment to appreciate where we are. After we watched the sunrise and got ourselves dressed for the day, we met up with the group at 8:15 AM for our walk to breakfast. Violetta, the amazing woman who prepares our food for the trip, prepared a delicious breakfast of oatmeal, eggs, beans, and muffins. Everything was great, and we were ready to start the day.
Our first adventure for the day was a hike up Cerro de la Cruz, also known as the “Hill of the Cross.” The hike itself was about a mile long, walking up a long, windy staircase that was surrounded by trees. The view at the top made the climb worth it. Once we reached the top, we saw a large cross that symbolizes religious tradition and offers hope and protection to everyone entering Antigua. The view was beautiful, you could see the whole city laid out below and the volcanoes in the distance.
After taking in the view, we walked over to Casa Santo Domingo, a place with a lot of history. Professor Cadwalader, our personal “tour guide”, shared that Casa Santo Domingo dates back to 1538 when the Dominicans arrived in Guatemala. The original monastery was destroyed by the 1773 Santa Marta earthquake, but part of the ruins have been transformed into a hotel. Hotel Casa Santo Domingo is also home to a chocolate factory where some of us got to try Guatemalan Fine Chocolate and I have to say it was by far the best chocolate I’ve ever tasted.
After exploring the hotel and the chocolate factory, we headed to Cafe Estudio for some needed coffee. I’ve realized that coffee here in Guatemala is something else and I’m going to miss it when I’m back home. We walked back to the hostel for lunch, and Violetta had prepared a simple yet very good meal which consisted of hamburgers, apples, and bananas. After we ate, we had some downtime to relax before heading out again.
The sightseeing wasn’t over yet. We then headed over to San Francisco el Grande, a church. This church has been rebuilt several times due to the many earthquakes. The most recent reconstruction began in 1960 when the monument was turned over to the Franciscan order, and they used iron and concrete to build the structure. As we stood inside, I read that we were stepping on the same ground where a saint once walked. This church is only a quick walk away from our hostel. Lastly, to end the day we had dinner at Pollo Campero which is almost like a Guatemalan version of KFC. We also grabbed some dessert and walked around before we made our way back to the hostel. We had a quick meeting and all dispersed to get ready for the next day.
Next, we headed to the Mercado, which is the local market in Antigua. Wandering through the market was a true experience. It was chaotic and lively, and it gave me a deeper look into the side of life here. The market is the place where locals shop for everything from fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish to clothes and shoes. It was eye-opening to realize that this is where people do their grocery shopping, compared to the way we shop in the U.S. It felt so much more personal like the market was a lifeline for the people who live here.
After the market, we visited La Recolección Architectural, a church that was built for the Recollect friars. Sadly, it was also destroyed by the 1773 Santa Marta earthquake. We were able to walk through the ruins and even climb around the piles of masonry left behind. Seeing this and hearing about the church’s history made me realize even more Antigua’s vulnerability to earthquakes.
