Guatemala - Antigua and Lake Atitlan - March 2012

Antigua - Part I



My most remarkable trip of the year was my one to Guatemala for a writers workshop. I'd never traveled solo to a foreign country before, and I was a bit leery. I shouldn't have been. My two weeks in the country left me with a confidence I didn't know I possessed and about one thousand pictures.

The workshop liaison warned me: once you land, exit the airport, hail a taxi, and go directly to Antigua. Don't stop anywhere in Guatemala City. I did as I was told. During the forty-five minute drive, I saw nothing that alarmed me, (not even a ton of poverty) but once we reached Antigua's city limits, I released a  nervous breath.

My first impression of this UNESCO city was the lone dog guarding the door and the horses being led down the cobblestone street. I was smitten. 

entrance to Hotel La Casa de Don Ismael

Hotel La Casa de Don Ismael is
at the end of this dead-end street

The taxi driver took me to Hotel La Casa de Don Ismael (a little difficult to find) down a dead end street.  This is definitely not the kind of place where I generally stay. I prefer Marriott hotels, resorts, something a little more luxurious.                   But I reminded myself, this is Guatemala. This is a new adventure. This is about $25/night including breakfast.

Mr. and Mrs.

walkway to my room

courtyard where I had breakfast

room

daily breakfast

My first impression of the room: sparse. The walls looked like someone had put dirty feet/shoes on them. The bedcovers were faded. The artwork hung quite high on the wall. It looked like a place I might have stayed in when I was newly married and had no money or as a traveling college student. No, Hotel La Casa de Don Ismael was not the type of place I would generally stay, but the owners lived on site, they spoke broken English, and were willing to help me find the post office, tourist sites, and recommended restaurants. The room (mine had a private bathroom--some rooms share a bath) was cleaned daily. The only inconvenience while there: a big hairy spider that I had to kill all by myself. But it was good training. I would have to get use to spiders as there are a ton in Guatemala. Non-poisonous. I stayed three nights here before moving to Hotel Los Pasos--which was included in the writing workshop fee at five times the price of La Casa de Don Ismael. The workshop was held on Lake Atitlan. I spent seven nights in a little lake village, then returned to Antigua for two nights. I could have stayed at the nicer, Hotel Los Pasos, but why should I? I had everything I really needed at Don Ismael's.

Fountain in the city's main park

Guatemala exhibits a ton of character. Lots of historical buildings, amazing ruins, and many tasty restaurants. One of my favorites: Hector's. The day I was there, they made fresh pasta and it was hung out to dry. A colander of limes sat on the counter. Hector's is small--only a few tables inside and two (maybe three) bar tables in the entry. The chicken pasta dish I ordered: excellent.

My first day of exploring the city, I found the city's main park where everyone congregates. That includes vendors: ladies selling colorful jewelry and table runners and blankets; young lovers sharing red heart-shaped suckers; family musicians--the youngest tired from shaking his four maracas and yawned during the performance. A large fountain sits in the center of the park. When I looked closer I saw that the water squirts from the women's nipples. No one else seemed as enamored with this piece of art but I took picture after picture, not sure if I saw clearly. But yes. Yes, I did.

high schoolers eating heart-shaped
suckers

family musicians

tired little boy

city wash

One afternoon, I happened upon this outdoor wash. Townspeople brought bags of laundry to the women, who washed the clothing in this outdoor facility. I don't know why this place fascinated me, but during my time in Antigua, I visited and revisited it many times. Once I found a mother had placed her little girl in a pile of clothes while she scrubbed away.

the woman do launder for money here

the washer women's children sit in laundry

The local signage fasciated me too.







And the fresh fruit stands. This man had a cart. But most vendors sell from a basket that sits on top of a plastic crate. The luscious fruit is so vibrant, it is hard to resist. I tried juicy watermelon  slices that were the sweetest, freshest of any I can remember.

Fresh tortillas are made outdoors, throughout the city. I loved the way they smelled...I never tried one from a street vendor--one of my biggest Guatemalan regrets.

Colorful textiles sold in one of the local stores

Cerro de la Cruz

Above the city is a shrine: Cerro de la Cruz. I wanted to walk to the top of the hill because from the top, you can see the                 entire town and Volcano de Agua. The hotel owners warned me not to walk to the shrine alone. They said that local police escort tourists there everyday at 3 p.m. So I trekked to the police station. Normally, an officer guides the group through town on foot, then to the top of the hill. However, the day I was there, only four people waited for an escort. They loaded us into the back of their police pickup truck and drove us to the top, waited while we took pictures, and returned us safely back to town. Apparently, going to Cerro de la Cruz alone is not encouraged. And the later in the day a person goes, the greater chance of an attack.

Although I was warned about walking up the hill alone, walking in town during the day was fine. I never felt anything except comfortable and safe.

Another day, as I explored the city, I happened upon an historical site: San Jeronimo. The ruins were just blocks away from my little hotel/hostel. 

entrance to San Jeronimo

Inside the walls of San Jeronimo

flowers through a window
inside San Jeronimo

Lush foilage/flowers decorated the interior of San Jeronimo. Portions of the site had been paved and the lawns were nicely manicured. I wandered through the historical site taking pictures and enjoying the peaceful quiet inside the walls. I felt this was worth the entry fee (about $4.00).

horse transported by pick-up

Arch of Santa Catalina

Every time I turned around there was something to photograph. I loved the horse in the pick-up and the famous landmark: Arch of Santa Catalina.

My pedometer showed I walked between seven and ten miles a day while exploring Antigua. Once I walked to the nearest town: San Felipe--about one and a half miles away--and never felt unsafe. I always stayed in areas where others were present.

There was one moment when I felt uncomfortable. It is common for guards to stand outside the banks and stores with armed machine guns. Until I got used to it, the sight left me feeling apprehensive. One morning, while walking down a road, I came upon a parked Coca-cola truck. I passed the truck to find an armed guard. I turned and walked back toward town. Later I learned that most transactions in this country are done in cash. While one person delivers the product and collects the money, a guard protects the truck. After that, I felt a bit more comfortable when I happened upon an machine-gun totting guard.

When it came time to attend the writer's workshop, I moved to this lovely little hotel on the other side of town.

 

Hotel Los Pasos

bathroom at Hotel Los Pasos

Hotel Los Pasos room

Yes, Hotel Los Pasos was much closer to my preferred accommodation standards. Maybe I'm a hotel snob. I admit it, I like nice.  Here everything was perfect. The breakfast (included) had more choices, the bathroom seemed luxurious, and the grounds were expansive, with all sorts of gorgeous plants. Both properties had free Wifi. Yet with all this luxury, I still returned to Hotel La Casa de Don Ismael at the end of my trip. Maybe it was because of the huge difference in price. Or maybe because Don Ismael's place had lots of character. Maybe because staying there gave me a few more stories. Anyway, it was something different for me.

outdoor dining at Hotel Los Pasos

rooftop dining at Hotel Los Pasos

Hotel Los Pasos rooftop was where I ate my breakfast and checked my internet. Many of the hotels/restaurants in town have rooftop dining. Ask at your hotel or (around). Tartine's was one of my favorite rooftops, but there were others with even better views. Tartine's overlooked the ruins of Catedral de Santiago. Later, I toured this historical site. If you would like to see more photographs of Antigua, please check out my Shutterfly photo album below. At first glance, many of the storefronts/restaurants/shops don't look like much. But look in. Go in. You'll be amazed what you will find if you take a few steps into a building. Most have corridors that expand into lush courtyards. What doesn't look like much outside, may turn into a colorful, exciting interior.

Resurrection reenactments 

Last, I was there near Easter. For several weeks before this religious holiday, the city has amazing celebrations with marches throughout the streets. Many pictures appear in the album below. Antigua is an amazing city. If your travels include Guatemala, then by all means, visit this incredible place.

Inside Catedral de Santiago

If you would like to see more amazing pictures of Antigua, click here to go to my Shutterfly album.

France - September 2011 - Part VI

My husband had serious reservations about going to Paris. Friends told him horrible things about this busy city: it's crowded; the people are rude; food's expensive; it's dirty; there are lots of scam artists. Fortunately, we found none of these warnings to be true.

living area in the Traversiere apartment
 in Paris

I tucked something special up my travel sleeve--a rented apartment from Paris At Home.  The Traverisere Apartment is conveniently located a few blocks from the Lyon train station. If you are a walker--it's an easy stroll. 

The owners, Joel and Nicolas created a welcoming atmosphere: a vase of fresh flowers sitting on the kitchen table; fresh baked baguettes on the counter; homemade marmalades; butter; orange juice; and coffee. The bed was comfy, the free WiFi, an unexpected treat. Even ice cube trays in the mini freezer!

view from our 5th floor apartment

A walking trail above the city, near
the Traversiere apartment

The Traversiere apartment is small, aka: cozy. It is on the fourth floor. Two large windows overlook the street below. We watched people heading to work, coming home at the end of the day, and walking by with bags of baguettes. We dined at the local sidewalk restaurant across the street where we had two of our very best steak meals ever! John was skeptical that anyone could cook a steak in France just the way he liked it--but the peppercorn and mushroom sauce the chef drizzled over the top had John wanting to go back a second time. At the end of our road, above the busy streets, we found a walking trail that was quiet, private, and lead to another park with more sculptures. We tried to walk this several-mile-path as often as possible.

The scariest part of our visit to Paris: driving! We had rented a car for our travels throughout France and intended to drop it off at the rental company as soon we arrived in the city. But we didn't see a gas station close to the city before we were actually in the city limits. At that point, trying to find a station in the city limits became challenging. The first one didn't accept our credit card because it lacked a chip. Gas stations are not large, sprawled out properties in Paris. They are tucked between buildings and you barely notice them. I had a GPS, but still, it took over an hour to find a station open on Sunday afternoon, increasing our already high stress levels. The rental agency was near the Bastille. It seemed like at least thirteen streets merged into the circle surrounding the statue. It took a great deal of determination and assertive driving to make it through the mass of vehicles. 

Our first night in Paris we watched dance
 lessons along the Seine

After we dropped off our car, the remainder of our time was spent exploring Paris by foot or public transportation. The apartment was located very close to the overwhelming Lyon train station, but we preferred the Austerlitz--a much smaller, easier station to maneuver. Besides, it gave us an opportunity to walk across the Seine. If we stood on our tippy toes, we could see the top of the Eiffel Tower from the bridge.

Across the street from the Austerlitz train station was the Jardin Des Plantes. John and I spent one morning strolling through the gardens, taking pictures, enjoying the sunshine and the small zoo (a huge surprise!).

A little structure inside Jardin Des Plantes

Another small garden along the Seine

The plaque referenced in the book: Sarah's Key

The morning we found the plaque on the wall in the Jewish district--the one referred to in the book Sarah's Key. We wanted to visit the Holocaust Museum near this subdued memorial, but it was closed both times we tried.

Unique signage for the metro

Arc de Triomphe - a rare few with only a couple cars

Of course, a trip to Paris must include at least one visit to the Eiffel Tower. We visited the first morning and then the last night. What an incredibly sight--both times. In the evening, they turn on the lights and they sparkle--twinkling on/off under the dark skies.

One of my favorite days was when we found ourselves at the Arc de Triomphe. Hundreds of cars filled the roundabout encircling the monument. Suddenly, the area calmed and I captured this picture with only a few cars. John and I climbed the steps to the top of the Arc and boy, were we glad we did. What a view! Spectacular one of the city in all directions. There is a charge to go to the top, but for us, it was worth it. After the Arc de Triomphe, we walked toward the Louvre, through the Jardin des Tuileries.

Walking toward the Louvre through the
Jardin des Tuileries

Snapshot of the Mona Lisa
in the Louvre

Participatory Art in the City

Quaint shop in the Saint Louis neighborhood

sleeping doggie

There are many small localities throughout the city. Behind the Notre Dame is Saint Louis, a wealthy neighborhood. After lunch, we strolled along the street, window-shopping and enjoying a dog at rest, a street artist playing an accordion, and the quaintly painted La Cure Gourmande.  They specialize in biscuits, chocolates, and confiseries (whatever that is!).

Two other highlights of this city (for me) were the Rodin Museum and the Luxembourg Gardens. The Louvre is so big and overwhelming that we ended up staying for only a couple hours. We found the Mona Lisa, took a photo, and left. But at the Rodin Museum, the grounds and sculptures captivated me. We wandered through the works of art, enjoying his work.  

The Thinker - Rodin

Luxembourg Gardens seemed like hundred of acres within the city limits and is decorated with statues andmanicured shrubs and places to sit, read, and relax. A person could spend a morning, an afternoon, or an entire day in this park. Even though we were in Paris late September, early October, the weather cooperated. We had seventy degree days--comfortable for walking and enjoying colorful blooms before the season changed to fall.  

At the Luxembourg Gardens

At the Luxembourg Gardens

One of the ceilings in the Palace of Versailles

A piece of hand-painted art in the Palace

Everyday was my favorite day while we were in Paris. I tend to be that way anywhere I travel. One day we took the train out to the city of Versailles to see the Palace. I'd been there in February 1996 and loved the artwork on the walls and ceiling within the Palace of Versailles. For some reason, I wasn't aware that there were other grounds that could also be explored: Trianon Palaces and Marie-Antoinette's Estate. 

When we walked from the main Palace grounds to Marie-Antoinette's estate (quite a trek by foot), we passed horse pastures, sheep pastures, and the picturesque scenes. Exactly the kind you expect to see on a royals property. The exterior gardens were flowering with color. Huge lavendar plants and shrubs and fountains graced the grounds.

Marie-Antoinette's garden

I was sad when it was time to leave this beautiful city, but after three weeks on the road, it was time to go home. If you stay at the Traversiere, and you have a lot of luggage, you may not want to take the train to the airport. My understanding was that you had to change trains once. We found that a bus left the Lyon station every half hour, traveling directly to the airport. The price is a bit higher than taking the train, but my husband felt convenience was worth the little extra $$$ not to have to worry about juggling luggage. And we arrived at the airport stressfree. Bonjour!

If you would like to see all my France photos, check out my shutterfly photo book at: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZNWzZy0YsWT2w .