Antiqua

Chicken bus

Bob with kids at school

Our group with kids at school

Bob getting a facial at Macadamia nut farm

Day 8 A Day in the Life of Santa Catarina Barahona

Chicken feet for soup

We awoke to a breakfast of pancakes and fruit and were off to travel to a rural farming village in the countryside around Antigua this morning to experience A Day in the Life of Santa Catarina Barahona. Before that, we went to a local market and Hector gave us names in Spanish of things to ask the vendors for. Bob had the Spanish word for a fruit Jacote and mine was for a drink mix. We scoured the market asking the vendors to identify our words and paid them for a small amount. We then went to the bus terminal by the market and boarded the “chicken buses” for a ride to the school. We rode with the locals, and the buses were refurbished blue bird school buses from the US. Each bus is owned by a family, and painted to their liking. We took our market purchases to the school that we visited that was supported by OAT. Today was the second holiday celebration, so school was not in session, but 10 kids from ages 3 to 6 came and sang and danced for us. We then went to a private home, where a local family served us a home-hosted lunch of sopas (soups), corn tortillas, and pepian—a local favorite consisting of chicken and vegetables in a spicy sauce. It was delicious. After that, the local family were artisans, and we were able to buy some of their wares. I bought lavender jade earrings and a bracelet.
Then we continue on to a local macadamia farm to learn how these nuts are grown and harvested—and to see how they’re used in food, cosmetics, and a variety of organic products. The owner was American who had been there most of his life. Our guide described him as a character, and he was exactly that. Bob received a macadamia nut facial.

We then return to Antigua this afternoon, and Rose was dropped in town to explore the local markets. It was a 12-block walk back to the hotel. This evening, most of us went out for pizza and beer. It was really great. Tired, so retiring early.
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Day 9 Antigua walking tour
This morning I took my clothes to a launderia and for less than $4, had them all washed. They were returned by 2:30. After breakfast, we headed to Antigua’s Central Park to embark upon a walking tour of the city, one of the Americas’ oldest and loveliest—full of Spanish colonial and Baroque architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, and graceful stucco homes—and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our tour takes in several of Antigua’s museums, as well as the restored convent of Santo Domingo. This convent was very beautiful, and the hotel surrounding it was a five-star hotel—not where OAT stays.

The rest of the group went on an option tour to a music museum, but many of us just opted to tour the city on our own. Bob and I went to some of the artisans places and bought souvenirs. We stopped at Pollo Campero, Antiqua’s answer to Kentucky fried chicken, and we really enjoyed their chicken strips with fries, coleslaw and 7-up. We followed that by a soft-serve mini ice cream. It was heaven. While Bob walked back to the hotel, I shopped and shopped, and returned in the afternoon to a cold Brahva beer, bought at the local tienda (mini-mart). It is great to just relax from the hectic pace. Got a chance to catch up on e-mails, and thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. Very special.