Ruins and Cathedrals of Antigua

This morning there again was Hugo at 9 AM ready to pick us up and take us on a tour of the main cathedrals and ruins in Antigua. In just a few hours we were able to see Casa Santo Domingo (also a hotel), La Merced, San Francisco church, Santa Clara, and San Jose. It is amazing to think first of the sheer number of churches in the 10 x 10 block sized city, but then to see some of them still in ruins (mostly due to earthquakes), whereas others have been restored is such a fascinating contrast. Combined with the colors of the buildings, the cobblestone streets and the churches on every few blocks -- one really does get a good sense of the colonial feel to the 15 and 1600s when it all began. We toured many ruin sites, and were able to climb around in the catacombs of some as well. After lunch at a quaint cafe, La Condesa, we said good-bye to Hugo and thanked him for everything (and tipped him well)! Then again, we parted ways. We then went back to rest a bit before having Luis, join us to take us to meet his family. We were able to meet his girl and boy, and some others of his extended family. His kids were so terribly cute, and I was very grateful for the chance to meet them. Later on, we returned to Antigua and went out again in search of dinner. The interesting thing about Antigua is that the city is almost busier at night than it is during the day. One of the main draws to the city is its abundant nightlife -- which is available all over the city! Being the boring folks we are, we returned to our hotel and turned in for the evening, our last night in Guatemala.