Ruins

I can’t help but wonder what my experience in Guatemala would be if I lived in Antigua. The original capital of Guatemala, this quaint town is full of energy, spirit, and internationalism. Brian and I went to explore the quiet air of the town last week. Its immediate charm, cobblestone streets, plaster-covered buildings, and Spanish tile roofs captured our attention. But more than everything, the mysteries and intrigues of this World Heritage Site attracted me.

Destroyed several times throughout its early history, Antigua still teems with relics of its governmental and religious centers. Walking down the narrow cobblestone streets ruin after ruin of ancient churches filled our eyes. The tall arched roofs now fallen in, these majestic buildings seem perfect for ghosts, haunted houses, and Halloween mysteries. We walked through the aching buildings, noting plants taking over the intricate structures. Into the crypt we walked to discover remains of priests, nuns, and monks, smoke-blackened crucifixes, and hollow empty rooms lit by singular windows overhead.

Santo Domingo stood out most for us both. This building belonged to the Dominican friars, who once belonged to the most opulent monastery in the town. Destroyed largely in the 1700’s, the crippled building was restored into Antigua’s most opulent hotel. The building has been transformed into hidden corridors filled with religious relics, balconies blessing hotel rooms, five-star restaurants ringed with flowering plants and all this incorporating the natural and cultural aspects of the ancient monastery.

We paid $6.00 each to explore the ruins on-site. Both of us imagined the religious finery that must have blessed these buildings. We pictured the arches towering over the chapel and soaked in the magnificent view of Volcan de Agua peaking out from behind the clouds. The ruins of the monastery remain a virtual maze of broken columns, dilapidated buildings, archaeological excavations, and museums featuring colonial and Mesoamerican art. We left awed by the time and space warp into this rich monastery and hotel. “Someday, if we ever want to return to Guatemala, we’ve got to stay here,” Brian told me. I agree completely.

The history and culture, the Guatemalan, Spanish, and international ambiance, and the beautiful mix of Spanish architecture blending nature with culture entranced me. I loved the interior patios that allow the occupant to live harmoniously with natural elements. We were fascinated by the rich, Antiguan coffee and chocolate available in various cafes. In the evening, after delicious meals of Guatemalan, Peruvian, and other global cuisines, we enjoyed listening to a local band pound out Andean rhythms. It sent me to Ecuador while reminding me of my location in Central America.

What would it be like to live in Antigua? To join in the ex-pat community. To constantly be surrounded by art, age, and beauty. Imagine what it would be like to walk everywhere and anywhere. To feel the ancient architecture soak into my bones. What would it be like to live in such a beautiful part of Guatemala? I can only imagine.