Guatemala mountain trip

During a brief stop over in Guatemala we befriended a lovely local man who was only too happy to show us around his home town and nearby mountain city of Antigua. During the 2 hour journey the road wound up higher and higher, gaining altitude that caused a sharp drop in temperature which came as a surprise after the heady humid air at sea level. He pointed out a red flower that grew along the roadside which has sedative properties as a juvenile and is a deadly poison in full growth with no known antidote. We saw several family groups walking up the road carrying impossibly huge bundles of firewood on their backs which were apparently so heavy that each person was bent over double with the effort. Even the youngest child, who could have been no older than six years old was carrying a bundle of wood that was almost the same size as her. They were dressed in bright traditional local clothing which is essentially Mayan, and hand-woven with blinding speed and skill by women using an ancient method that involves a wooden frame, a body harness and a conveniently located tree trunk or post. As I am lacking any photos of this process I'll leave the visual images to your imagination.

Antigua appeared, finally, after a bend in the road and lay sprawling in the valley between the mountain ranges at approximately 1700 metres above sea level. It really is a gorgeous city, with a rich history and superb architecture. The central plaza has a beautiful garden at its heart, and is surrounded on four sides by cobbled streets, elegant balconies and a church.

Antigua appears to be a hotspot for back-packers and independent travelers. The streets are filled with young skinny 20-somethings wearing beads and bandanas, intermingled with smarter, older visitors who relax on park benches and wander around the stunning church interiors in revered silence. This city has "The Lonely Planet Guide To Central America" stamped all over it; the hotels are intimate and stylish, the bars are surprisingly cosmopolitan and cool, internet cafes are abundant, and the street vendors are as tenacious as they get. All of these developments have not had a detrimental effect on Antigua...yet. It is full of romantic charm and old-world beauty, and definitely on my list of places to return to one day if the backpackers don't get it first!