Antigua, the colonial capital, is beautifully set in a valley with nearby active and dormant volcanos. Fire Volcano erupts with puffs of smoke about every 20 minutes. The central part of the city is designed in a grid and the architecture is reminiscent of Roman cities, where the walled homes have doors which lead to an atrium and central courtyard, with rooms facing inward.

Outside the city, we visited a traditional cocoa/chocolate maker as well as a man who makes model “chicken buses.” The colorful buses dominate the public transportation system in Guatemala and other countries in Central America. Old school buses from the U.S. are rebuilt with diesel engines, manual transmission, fiberglass grills, and coats of colorful paint.