Antigua, Guatemala--Puerta Quetzal

Puerto Quetzal is the jumping off place for the city of Antigua, Maya ruins at Tikal and Yaxha, as well as scenic tours of coffee and banana plantations.

I chose to go to Antigua, the main icon of the Spanish Colonial heritage in this country. Founded in 1552, it served as the Capital of Guatemala for over 200 years before being destroyed by a series of earthquakes. Three volcanoes can be seen from the city square and are featured on the Seal of the City.

 

Antigua is famous for its unique Spanish Mudejar-influenced architecture that has made it a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. For example, the Cathedral of Santiago was built in 1542.

 

Many buildings that once were monasteries and convents are now used for different purposes. For example, the old University of San Carlos, founded in 1672, was first a monastery but is now a museum.

 

 

When you walk down the walled- off streets that lead to the central square, you think they are deserted.

 

 

But, if you peek inside open doors or through windows barred with wrought iron, you will discover beautiful art galleries, shops and even an internet café.

 

 

 

 



Along the streets are many vendors trying to sell you flutes and little drums, or textiles with the well known Guatemalan tribal patterns, or just some fruit, or who knows what this woman is selling.

 

 

I had attended two lectures on-board about the jade of Guatemala and learned that the geologist who rediscovered Guatemalan jade (it’s an interesting story) operates a museum and shop in Antigua. So I went to hear Mary Lou Ridinger’s story and the story of jade.

 

 

After returning home, I found this CNN interview of her.

 

 

 

Here’s a photo of her and her husband which was featured in the National Geographic (September, 1987). Her jade factory and shop has earned her mucho dinero over the past 30 years.

 



 

I saw this craftsmen cutting the jade at her factory.

 

 



I succumbed and bought a lovely ring.

Textiles hand embroidered by the various Mayan tribes (over 30 still with their own languages in Guatemala) are still being made, though it is becoming a lost art and replaced with machine embroidery. 

 

An American textile expert gave a lecture on this art/craft on board and said you could still find some of these hand-embroidered garments in Antigua (not the stuff the street vendors were hawking).

This woman is wearing a ceremonial dress (probably for a wedding) which is beautifully decorated.