Glorious rooftops and ruins.

While I am writing this we are dodging pot holes and semi's in Nicaragua, the rains have been so bad that the roads are falling away in spots, while the houses are in the water on either side. There are beautiful white cranes hanging with their flocks and cows in the prairies, and the sun is threateningly low for 3:22 pm. We have been in four countries in two days.
We left Antigua on Wednesday morning and made a long treck down, but this post isn't about that treck, oh no. This is devoted entirely to my new favorite place on Earth.
We rolled on into Antigua in the afternoon and it took us a while to get situated. We toured four hostels and finally settled on Hostel (getting a bit picky these days) we threw our stuff in the room and went out on the town.
Driving in you come down a hill that gives you a great arial view of the town before you are shuffled down into the cobblestone streets with colorful old buildings on either. It is very bumpy and colorful. Every building has old wooden and cast iron doors. We started to pass random ruins that the city is still built around. Many of the ruins have been turned into gardens. This place is absolutely magical. We jump into a tuk tuk and very shakily made it to the Centro park. The park has a beautiful fuente in the middle. To the north, is a very impressive white Spanish style Iglesia. We found a nearby restaurant, that had what looked like original beams in the ceiling, that were hand carved. It had stucco white walls, rusted chandeliers and dimly lit by candles. The kind of place that gives me an anxiety attack to even think of bringing Stella to. Stella fell asleep in the booth and Nolan and I had a great unexpected date.
It is impossible not to be totally entranced by Antigua. You could swear you were in a small village in Spain, only surrounded by pure Maya decedents, and nearby volcano that erupts every 5 minutes. Oh yes, and the shopping! We are coming back to stay, or maybe retire here. Better get on that...
Lee lived here when Mark came down to meet her and stay for a while. I understand now why they were engaged so quickly. This place is seriously romantic. Nolan and I were very close to tying the knot there. Maybe someday.

Location:Antigua