Trips to Antigua and Atitlan

This week, the second of our temple closure, we did a lot of traveling.  Our first trip was to
Antigua, the former capitol of Guatemala.

 Our first stop was the Hotel Casa Santa Domingo which was made from an old convent.  It is a five star hotel and is quite expensive but is very ancient looking.

We then visited the central plaza and then hit the shopping.

 

 This is a famous arch that shows up in many of the paintings done of this ancient and beautiful city.

 We had fun in this shop that sold all kinds of unique items and had some fun photo ops!

                                       
 We don't know why, but Guatemalans seem to have an obsession with giraffes!

This ancient cathedral is very ornate and, unlike most in Antigua, is still in use today.

 We then went up on the hill overlooking the city to get  pictures.

 Outside Antigua is the Apple Factory where they make all kinds of fruits, vegetables, and other carvings from wood that are so realistic you think you could take a bite.

 They also have some rather interesting other carvings!

 After Antigua we went up on a hill to a nice resort area where we enjoyed a meal in a very nice restaurant that serves  mostly Italian foods, hence the sculpture of a giant fork and spoon twirling spagetti.

 We had fettucini alfredo and enjoyed the panoramic views from the hilltop restaurant.  The white you see on the hill is smoke from the homes up among the farms on the hillside.

 We were directly above Antigua and could see it from the hill.

Not sure the significance of this statue, bu Gary couldn't resist posing with him!

On Wednesday and Thursday we traveled to Lake Atitlan, said to be the most beautiful lake in the Guatemala and one of the most beautiful places in the world.  We got so many good pictures that this is going to be a really long post!
On the way we stopped for a potty break and Gary discovered this old machine that was used to thrash something.  It was quite fascinating!

 As we approached the lake we could see why this is considered one of the most beautiful places in the world!

                               We stopped at this spot to rest and check out the items for sale.

                    Here is the raw meat meal we were served in Panajachel.  Didn't like it much!

 This LDS chapel was recently enlarged by adding a second story.  It is right across the street from the restaurant.

                       Here are samples of the markets all along the road down to the lake.

                  Gary thought Dorine should buy a pair of pants like this.  She didn't!

                                         Gary says this is the Angel Moroni!!
                                        
 Gary paid 2 quetzales to have his picture taken in this tall hat that looks like the hat worn by the man in Curious George!

                       The dock where we boarded our little boat to head off to our hotel.

 This is boat dock at the hotel.  Not sure why, but they had beds with curtains out on the dock! 

 The beautiful greenery around the hotel included this banana tree with a bunch of bananas.

                                              The bed in our room.

                                            The outside of our room.

 This is our favorite picture of the trip.  We are posing on the canopy bed on the dock with a volcano behind us and the sun starting to set. 

                     We so enjoyed the sunset over the water.  It was a perfect night!

 Here is the dinner the hotel served out on the dock.  It was served by two darling girls.

                          Boarding the boat the next morning to set off on more adventures!

 The volcano in the morning.  It was amazing how much it changed with the different light.
                                      

                                         
                               

 We went to the small city of Santiago where our first adventure was visiting a little shop where this lovely Mayan lady showed us how she put on her head dress. 

 She then dressed the Roberts' daughter-in-law, Alice in the typica of Santiago.

 Then she added the other two daughters-in-law, Kinda and Criscell and their son, Kyle!

 We then went on a tour of the city in a convoy of tuk-tuks, these three wheeled taxis.

                  We stopped at an overlook where we could see the LDS chapel of Santiago.

                             We had our picture taken here on the overlook in front of the volcano.

 Here are our tuk-tuk drivers.  The one in the back in the red shirt was ours.  His name is Miguel.

 We stopped at the cemetery where people are buried in crypts above ground.  After 7 years they are pushed out into a mass grave so the crypt can be used by someone else.

This is a memorial park commemorating the deaths of 13 Mayans in the Guatemalan Civil War

Thus is how the women of the city do their laundry.

                                         We went into this Catholic Cathedral

                                               and sat in on a little bit of their mass.

 We next traveled to the village of San Juan where we went to a textile place.  This woman is weaving.

                                        This is a demonstration of spinning cotton.

                                    Here she is dying the yarn with natural dyes made from plants.

                                    She put this shawl on Dorine and tied a beautiful knot .

                   We then went to the Hotel Del Mundo for lunch.  Here is Gary waiting for his food.

                                           This is the view from the outdoor restaurant.

It was a beautiful trip to a very beautiful place.  A perfect way to spend our holiday.