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Tierra de Volcanes

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Antigua Is Surrounded on All Sides by Volcanoes

Antigua, Guatemala was the fourth capital of Guatemala, the other three being destroyed by earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Then, in the eighteenth century, it was Antigua’s turn to succumb. Today, the capital is Guatemala City.

Although it is full of picturesque ruins, Antigua is a more popular destination than the capital. (Also, it is a lot safer.) In fact, there are several shuttle services that will whisk you to Antigua from the Guatemala City airport.

One of the Ruined Churches of Antigua

Antigua was once a city of many churches. Today, most of them are in ruins. Surprisingly, they have become tourist attractions. An attempt was made to clear some of the most dangerous debris. What was left was frequently picturesque and even photogenic.

I was in Antigua for almost a week in 2019. That gave me time to visit most of the ruined churches and take pictures.

One of the Most Damaged Churches in Antigua

I frequently wondered why the churches built by the Spanish were so damaged. My guess is that Spain has not seen that many serious earthquakes; and I suspect there are no active volcanoes on the Iberian Peninsula. The resident Maya, on the other hand, were used to earthquakes and volcanoes; so they built their ceremonial centers to last. The step pyramids of the Maya were built to last. In this respect, the Spanish conquerors had a lot to learn from their “primitive” Maya tenants.

My vacation in Guatemala lasted almost a month, so I was able to see most of the sights that interested me, including the Maya ruins at Tikal and Quiriguá. I even stepped across the border into Honduras to see the ruins at Copán.

It’s OK To Be a Fool!

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When in Doubt, Use All Means To Communicate—Even If It Makes You Look Like a Fool

When in Doubt, Use All Means To Communicate—Even If It Makes You Look Like a Fool

I never took Spanish in school, so most of my knowledge of the language comes from an old Berlits Latin American Spanish phrase book. I’m pretty good at getting a place to stay, and even better at ordering a meal. What I cannot do is engage in a conversation. I will try gamely, but my Rule #1 is never ever get flustered.

Once you get flustered, the person who is talking to you will think that you are being a rude dickhead for no earthly reason. It is far better to look stupid and try patiently with your limited repertoire, including hand gestures and even written notes.

At the bus station in Cuenca, I tried hard to buy a ticket for a ride to Alausi. Although the signs on the booth indicated that Patria buses stopped there, the lady refused to sell me a ticket there. Instead she went into a long explanation which I didn’t understand. Finally, I bought a ticket instead to Riobamba, which was a major stop on the line, albeit past Alausi. I figured I could get off the bus near enough to Alausi to get there by other means—at worst walking a kilometer or two down the hill. (I knew that the buses would not stop in Alausi itself, as it was in a valley below the Pan-American Highway.)

In the end, not only did I have no trouble getting off at the Alausi bus station on the Pan-American Highway (a place called La Estación), but the conductor called a cab for me.

I think what the woman’s long explanation at the Cuenca terminal was all about was that the bus did not go into the town of Cuenca, a fact which I already knew. Although I was out about fifty cents by buying a ticket to Riobamba, everybody was a winner in this transaction.