Antigua

As you can probably tell, we have some down time on our hands, thus two entries in one day! Don´t worry, the pace will slow. We thought we would describe some of the local Antigua scene. Antigua is very touristy. Many foreigners come here to study Spanish, thus a whole scene has developed that caters to people like ourselves. There are many restaurants, bars and great places to shop. But, many things are extremely affordable when compared to the states.

The Guatemalan currency is called the Quetzal (Q). The conversion is approximately 7.6 Q to $1 U.S. To give you an idea of cost, our average nightly stay has been about 90Q, roughly $11-$12, for both of us. Our average dinner has been around 60Q, or $8, for both. Keep in mind we are being budget conscious, but nothing crazy, so we could find cheaper. There have recently been a run on the banks, so cash was hard to come by. Since we have arrived we have not had any problem withdrawing cash. And, most places, well actually no places have taken credit cards yet.
As for the food, tostadas and tortillas are a local delicacy. If you purchase from street vendors, it costs 6-9Q for one. They are extremely filling and come with all the trimmings (cheese baked within the tortilla, salsa, guacamole, beans, lettuce, onions) and they are cooked fresh in front of you. You can also pick up 3 tacos (with all the trimmings) for 10Q. Here is a sample of what we ate. The drink is a hot drink made of corn.

The town of Antigua is pretty small, mostly centered around 6 streets, running north to south, and 6 avenues, running east to west. All the streets are cobblestone. There are 3 volcanoes near the town, with one still active.

Transportaton within the town. You can get around very easily on foot and YUP, they have rickshaws! All the streets in Antigua are cobblestoned. Very cute and picturesque, but not quite so fun to walk on.The locals are very nice. The indigenous Mayans, who live in villages set in the mountains, come down often to sell goods at the markets. No one speaks English, so it has been a great way to pick up some Spanish preceding our classes. The culture is very colorful and cheerful.