Antigua

A safe and wonderful place to stay and plan your day trips from is located in the colonial city of Antigua.  This is a safe city to visit and there are tourist police everywhere on the streets.  You'll arrive in Guatemala City and my recommendation is that you leave the capital as soon as you get there. Guatemala City was interesting for me but it also had a bit of a dangerous feel to it for the outsider.  We had seen someone killed on the road and it was a bit of an eye opening on our first arrival to witness this. My sister, who had never been to Central America, was a bit concerned.  Take a cheap 25 dollar taxi straight to Antigua from the airport.  Make sure you negotiate with someone in the airport to make sure the taxi is authorized.  They also have shuttles that leave hourly which is also another safe way to travel.  Once we arrived into Antigua, I could see my sister physically relax her shoulders.  It was going to be okay.

Once we made it out of the eye sore known as Guatemala City, we saw lots of beautiful things like this old colonial fountain in the central park.  There are A LOT of things to see in Guatemala and it's best to have some travel experience behind you if you visit this beautiful country as it can be dangerous in some parts.  The exception of course is Antigua.  And you can easily plan many wonderful day trips anywhere in the country by visiting one of the many travel agencies off the street in this picturesque colonial town.  They have a lot of fantastic shops and restaurants to visit, but most importantly, you'll feel comfortable walking around the cobblestone streets.  When you see a soccer mom from California pushing her baby on a stroller, you know it's safe.  However, it's always a good idea to keep your eyes open wherever you go.

This was our "resting" spot between our adventures and it was a nice city to have as a base during our month in Guatemala.  My baby sister always looks great.  However the humidity and my hair don't do well together. 

This is a "must visit" if you go to Guatemala.  Antigua is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Due to its popularity amongst tourists and its very well developed tourism infrastructure, Antigua Guatemala is often used as a central location in which many choose to set up base and from here, visit other tourist areas in Guatemala and Central America. Antigua also holds a sizeable retirement community from the US as well as Europe as its colonial charm has appealed to many who have crossed paths with this enchanting and romantic town. More this afternoon on a special soup served from this beautiful area....