It’s the second day of our trip, and already, it feels like
we’ve been here for ages. We woke up to a lavish breakfast of an oatmealish
dish, scrambled eggs, and grilled plantains. There’s nothing better than the
organic, fresh taste of Guatemalan cuisine. As far as beverages go… it’s been
an adventure. Our first day some of us sipped a native drink to Guatemala
called, horchata, a milky, white, and cold drink topped with a pinch of
cinnamon. Others enjoyed the coolness of a hibiscus derived drink called,
Jamaica.
Later that
morning we set off to see Casa de Popenoe, a classical antique house with
beautiful, ingenious architecture. Our guide, Alberto, told us about the
research he had been conducting to create an accurate representation of a true
Guatemalan home, differentiating between the authentic and modern styles. It
was absolutely stunning. The tour began on the rooftop of Casa de Popenoe where
we had a clear view of three volcanoes, one of which spewed wisps of smoke. It
was interesting to see all of the rooms with high ceilings and century old
furniture. A small music box sat on one of the dressers and to our surprise,
still played melodious music. Houses in Antigua incorporate an indoor yet
outdoor nature with spacious patios and courtyard gardens. With the beautiful
weather in Antigua that day, the indoor yet outdoor spaces were illuminated by
warm sun, briefly defraying the chilly dew of the early morning. Alberto amused us with his catchy phrase,
“It’s curious that…” followed by interesting pieces of knowledge. He mentioned
the significance of chests to the Guatemalan people, as those who were
wealthier had many. He brought our attention to secret, hidden compartments
useful for transporting valuable items.
After
leaving Casa de Popenoe, we decided to explore the convent, another historical
site within Antigua. We goofed around, taking lots of pictures and wandering
the ruins. Some of us took a trip to what seemed like a dungeon, the purpose
still unknown.
Our next
stop, the markets! The first one was overwhelming, as we were bombarded by
vendors eager to make a sale. We had little experience with haggling and this
resulted in lots of impulsive buying. Honestly, it was hard to say no,
and most of us blew many of the Quetzals we had recently exchanged (some of us
later discovered that the Quetzal is also the national bird while we were
looking for Quetzals in the forest… not money). The events at the market
prompted us to take another trip to the bank. It was shocking at first to
realize that we had spent so many Quetzals in one place, until we got used to
the exchange rate of one dollar to approximately eight Quetzals. They were
great sales persons. Not only did we see the hand made bags, bracelets, and key
chains, but we were also impressed by their natural ability to make a sale,
often remarking, “business is business… what is your price?... it’s no problem
for me.”
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