Antigua

The Internet has been fairly unstable and during the times that it’s working, I had to use it wisely. I do find that the Internet is most stable in public areas rather than at my accommodation, where I actually pay to use the internet. This, I suppose, is another of one of life’s biggest ironies!

Right now, I am actually in a Pollo Campero, Guatemala’s answer to the western world’s KFC. I’m waiting for my chicken to cook, hence the time on my hands. I have been busy over the past two weeks, since being here in Antigua. The first two weeks were spilt evenly between volunteering at a rural clinic and having Spanish lessons in the afternoon. Then at the eleventh hour (I kid you not), I was informed that a camping cum hiking trip to the volcanoes was scheduled to go ahead the very next day, and so that was where I found myself (more elaboration later). Now I’m back, and have moved out of my home stay into a hotel where I can get some alone time, and some reflection time before I am due to start work next week. I can’t believe how time flies. Tomorrow morning, I am actually leaving Antigua to head to Guatemala city where I will stay for a night before flying back to the Workland.

I really love Antigua. It is a beautiful place. Where else can you find a small gorgeous town set against a beautiful backdrop of the majestic volcanoes? Every day when I wake up to get to the Spanish school, I see this beautiful volcano (Volcán Agua), and I feel so happy inside. There is never a bad day, never any Monday blues. I can even see the beautiful volcano smiling at me from the window of my classroom.

When I went to Japan, and the view in Toyama blew me away, i understood that life is much bigger than me and there are so many beautiful things out there waiting for me to discover. Guatemala just affirms this. This land is so beautiful, the rolling hills, the great volcanoes, even an active one that erupts every few minutes (volcán Fuego), the pretty cobblestone streets on Antigua, the closeness of the houses and the bright colours of the clothes of the local people. Every house, every shop and every restaurant I went to, they always had paintings of the beautiful sceneries of Antigua. The painters are talented, they replicate the beautiful street scenes of Antigua. So how can I resist? I bought myself 4 beautiful paintings of Antigua. I know I will hang them up in my home, and every day I will reminisce about this beautiful town in a far flung part of the world then I decided to visit on a whim.

Beautiful Antigua.