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Cuba, the Caribbean Islands,
and Central America in 2001

Guatemala

Bec
2004-09-17 18:04:31

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February 1993 had I known I would be writing about it in 2001.

This shows Temple 1 in the background as seen from behind Temple II.

Below left, Temple I, looking east from the terrace of the North Acropolis and on the right, Temple II seen across the East Plaza. The chap in the foreground is a Spanish backpacker I met there, Alejandro Crespillo.

Antigua
After a great earthquake destroyed the old capital on this site in 1773, the seat of government it was moved to a new site in the hope it would be safer. It was a forlorn hope for the new capital, Guatemala City, was almost completely destroyed in 1917.

Antigua was gradually rebuilt keeping its traditional colonial character, architecture and cobbled streets. It was declared National Monument in 1944 and elevated to the status of World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.

My friend Mariana Landaverde and her sister Edna, seen here before the fountain in Antigua's central park, scored a hit by driving me around this place one fine afternoon.

I had spent some time here learning Spanish in 1993 so it was a double treat for me to enjoy the beauty of the town and to remember the good times I had enjoyed here.

Antigua is surrounded by three volcanoes, Acatenango to the west, Fuego southwest and Agua southeast. This one is Agua, viewed from the street between the Cathedral and the Central Park.

Candelaria
When I arrived in Guatemala City, Mariana's father Emilio and his friend Jesus had planned to visit Candelaria, a small fishing village near Iztapa on the Pacific coast. They spontaneously invited me to join them which of course I did.

In the usual order, Jesus, myself and Emilio, their friends Efigenio and José Edwin Castillo with Dońa Marta and children in front.

Don Efigenio's home, typical house of the prosperous farmer-fishermen of this area, where I enjoyed the kind of hospitality that has disappeared from over developed North America and Europe.

I had never seen such a strange fish with its alligator jaws, armoured skin and prehistoric looking tail (it looked like that of a coelacanth). The firm flesh was delicious fried in butter over an open fire.

Finally we lounged in the breeze to chew the fat on the balcony of this house Urban Urbano had built on the coast to rent to tourists and city people.

I was beginning to discover aspects of Guatemala I had not seen before.

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