Dancing Saddle

On the ride down into Antigua we were greeted with the stunning beauty of this historical city. With mostly two- or three-story traditional buildings with only occasionally interrupted by the stunning spires of cathedrals fully surrounded with cobbled roads. All the buildings were painted in beautiful earth tones, from off white all the way to dark red. The hostel itself was by far one of the most beautiful hostels I have stayed in and would soon feel like a home I could return to any time. The staff felt like members of the family and the guests would put smiles on my face.

The stunning buildings and cobbled roads of Antigua.

Antigua itself is surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. Most notably Fuego which is a popular climb that most tourists attempt. It is also an historical town with many museums and cathedrals you can visit. Unfortunately, on my arrival I had picked up a bit of a cold and this had knocked me out for the count. But if you were going to be recovering from a cold this was the place to do it.

Every road you go down or building you see is beautiful.

The next day I took my wheel to the bike store to get the hub repaired. The guy said it would take a few days. I didn’t mind as I had planned to be there for a bit. I went to go have a look at the National art museum off the main plaza but it was a struggle due to the cold. The museum though was amazing with art covering the whole history of the area until the modern day.

Just some of the amazing art of the National Art Museum.

The view from the museum to Acatenango was stunning. I went back to the hostel to get some rest and for the next few days spent most of time hanging out at the hostel while recovering from my cold. That time was spent making good friends and overall, just feeling like I was at a second home.

The stunning view from the courtyard of the National Art Museum. Someone at the hostel covered up Lorraine during one of the downpours.

I was able to sneak off for a climb at the local climbing gym that looked like it was set in a jungle. It was stunning and made the perfect setting. Unfortunately, all the cycling had taken its toll on my shoulders. The constant feedback from the road onto the bike onto my shoulders had given me some stress pains and the lack of upper body exercises had weakened my arms. My climbing has taken a few grades back.

The famous Antigua Arch and the jungle climbing gym.

The hangout lounge at Barbaras was one of my favorite spots. We all had lots of conversations about life and travels and the stories that brought us there and this added to the amazing atmosphere. The comfortable sofas and friendly vibes brought us all together. I would have no problem at all returning.

One of the comfortable sofa where a lot of conversations happened. The spice rack of kings.

By the Thursday I was finally feeling better and I could join the crew for some live music at Titi’s bar. The musicians were talented and the vibe and atmosphere that everyone brought to the place made it even more enjoyable. The pub was decorated with a lot of 1980s and 1990s nostalgia. We all grabbed some dinner afterwards and then did the traditional dash in the rain.

Live music night at Titi’s.

The next day I collected my wheel. This almost ended in disaster. The new hub was a different type and needed to be held in place. I didn’t realize this and lost two of the rachet teeth by the time I got to the hostel. I was quickly able to head back to the bike store and they were able to sort it.

By far the best Korean food in Central America. The hub repair that almost ended in disaster.

That night four of us braved the rain for some wine and pizza as a small celebration before we all headed our separate ways. Naturally it was a very wet run in the rain, with one of us doing an epic slip and slide. It was another great nights of chatting and laughing and sharing war stories. I am going to miss this awesome crew.

The final night out before everyone headed their own way.

The next day was departure day. I was ready to be on my way. Lorraine was in good health. It was a slow start to the morning but it wasn’t a long ride. It would start uphill with a good amount of heat and humidity and then have a long downhill to Guatemala City. On the way up I had two cyclists from Guatemala City pull up next to me. They were absolute legends and reminded how wonderful the citizens of Guatemala are.

Lorraine ready to ride again. Kevin and Margara on the climb out of Antigua.

The descent down into Guatemala City was stunning I was way faster than the traffic and was grinning all the way down. Once I got to the city though, the traffic and maze of roads made it harder and it took a while to get to my accommodation. Thankfully I beat the now traditional afternoon down pour there. I was initially staying in Zona 1. This is the old central area of Gaute and it shows. It reminded me a lot of central Cape Town. It was definitely showing its age.

The most delicious meal in Guatemala. Traditional broths and stews.

One thing I have being wanting to do for a while is watch a movie and luckily Deadpool was showing. I really needed this big break from the travel life. It was a bit of a misadventure getting to the cinema. I just picked a random bus that was heading in the right direction but ended up choosing poorly and had to take a long walk to the cinema. Deadpool was hilarious and it was exactly what I needed.

Finally got to watch Deadpool at this insane mall.

I did better on the way back but I did have an unfortunate encounter. The bus didn’t go all the way because there was a marathon going on that day and we all had to get off and walk the rest of the way. A man who spoke with an American accent but was actually Guatemalan walked with me. Initially he was nice enough but his negativity towards his own country and then the racism he showed towards a man of African descent pissed me off no end. I was happy when he had to walk in a different direction.

The government building containing traditional heroes. My favourite cafe.

My time in Zona 1 was coming to an end but I was not ready to move on yet. I realized I needed a bit of stability and to slow down a little more. I really appreciated the next few days while in Zona 4 just relaxing and taking the break I desperately needed.