Guatemala Antigua

“There was a buzz around the city as celebrations were getting underway. We waited with anticipation to watch the parade pass through the streets of Antigua, with men and boys dressed in vibrant purple capes, swinging incense, marching to the sound of sombre music or carrying the image of the Virgin Mary on their shoulders on large floats. The parade was massive, though we’re told it’s even bigger on Easter Sunday and that the city is crammed with Guatemalan tourists during the Easter weekend.”

“Or else you may end up in our situation: all too happy to find accommodations for about Q100/night ($13/night) on Airbnb, only to realize that the out-of-the-way neighborhood was very loud at all hours of the night, there was no warm water, and not even any electrical outlets. The host was super sweet and while it was a look at “the other side of Antigua,” we did decide to find other lodgings where we could actually, you know, get some sleep and charge our phones.”

“Showing up in Antigua during its busiest time of year (Semana Santa) without a hotel reservation was a little bit of an issue. Our friend, who promised to hook us up, was nowhere to be found! Within minutes of searching for a hotel, a couple of receptionists essentially told us we were screwed – the whole town was booked. Feeling like Mary and Joseph, we continued roaming the streets of Antigua with heavy backpacks.”