Guatemala

We crossed the border from Honduras to Guatemala at El Florido, it could not have been more relaxed. The border staff were friendly and as usual there were plenty of moneychangers on hand and they also were very friendly and helpful. The first real noticeable thing was the amount of rainforest clearing that has occurred. There is farmland all the way to the mountain tops on slopes that you cannot imagine being able to stand up straight on let alone farm the land.
The number of landslides and landslips is very obvious, with the cliffs on the roadsides being made mainly of soil and loose sedimentary rocks, not the usual mountain, solid rock we had been used to.
After a very picturesque and interesting drive we arrived at Guatemala city (population 2 million). HMMM! We saw our first Maccas in the whole of Central America. Not a very interesting place from the inside of the bus, we drove through the city. A verry busy, smoggy place set in a large valley and continued on to Antigua.
Antigua is nestled amongst 3 volcanoes and was completely flattened byan earthquake in 1773 and has been rebuilt and in 1979 UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.
Ah!! Antigua. Another almost impossibly cute and beautiful place. The streets are all cobbled and there are Tuk Tuks ferrying people around. Plenty of people in their indigenous clothing. Very colourful yellow, brown, pink colonial buildings and churches. We arrived at the hotel. Just a big wooden door in a pink wall. Inside it was great walking into the courtyard and unloading our backpacks in our room. This place is asking to be explored. 5 minutes later we are on the streets. Everyone is so friendly, we walk to the central square.



As with all these towns they are set around a central square and in most cases the streets are in a grid formation. What could be easier. The streets are numbered and calles run east-west and avenidas run north-south, 1 Avenida Norte is 1st Street North etc 2 Calle Este is 2nd Street East., so easy to find your way around.