Starting out from our hotel in Antigua at 9 a.m. You can just make out the Volcano Agua in the background. This volcano is dormant but another volcano close by, the Volcano Fuego, is active.

Many Mayan vendors in Antigua. This one got a head start on the others by being outside our hotel. She had some beautiful embroidery and I did buy something from her.

On our walk. The streets of Antigua are cobble-stoned, the stones from the ballast used on the Spanish ships. Some of the sidewalks are also cobblestoned and the ones that aren't are not always in good repair and some are very narrow. Walk carefully.

Passing a gathering place.

The Hospital of San Pedro next to the Igelsia de San Pedro. Vendors in front of the church.

Peeking into one of openings of the buildings we passed.

Another view.

Walking past the Las Antorchas restaurant (yellow building) where we would meet for lunch later.

Vendor selling nuts. Store selling jade. A number of stores sell jade here and there is also a jade factory.

Peeking through a doorway..

Our itinerary said we would be visiting Cathedral of the Sirens. I think this must be the back entrance to it as this photo of it is not what is shown on the internet. The nut vendor is now in front of the cathedral.

Cathedral windows.

Close-up.

Inside the cathedral.

Close-up.

Inside the cathedral.

Inside the cathedral.

Inside the cathedral.

Inside the cathedral.

A portrait of Pope John Paul II. He visited Antigua in 2004 to make Hermano Pedro the first Roman Catholic saint in Central America.

The nut vendor and a building across the street.

Better view.

Its top.

The statue in the niche.

Another statue on the building in a niche.

The Plaza Mayor (main plaza). Antigua was set out by the Spanish in a square with the Plaza Mayor in the middle of the square.

The City Hall on one side of the square, built in 1743 and refurbished in 1850. It is still used for city offices and it houses the Museum of Santiago..

Flower pots on its railing.

There are benches in the colunnade for people to take on rest on.

Seen on our walk.

An Office Depot truck.

Seen on our walk.

Seen on our walk.

Seen on our walk.

Seen on our walk.

The Capuchinas Church, part of the Capuchinas Convent and Church complex, consecrated in 1736.

Entering the Convento Capuchinas. It was the last convent to be built in the city.

A mockup of the convent. There was not much choice for women in the 18th century except to marry which had many restrictions on what they could do, could read, etc.. Many preferred the convent life.

Inside the convent.

Inside the convent.

Inside the convent.

The layout of the convent reminded me of some of the California missions built by the Spanish.

The fountain in the middle of the square.

A statue in a niche on the wall.

Close-up.

Another statue.

Off the main part of the convent.

Many statues were here.

Statue.

A bust.

A bust.

Part of our group followed Virginia up these stairs to reach the second story.

The second story above the colonnade. The nuns rooms were behind the doors on the bottom level.

I didn't go up the stairs but explored and saw this other staircase in partial ruins.

I also found the laundry room. The tubs were probably used also in the 18th century.

Washing clothes in the old tubs.

Walking back from the laundry room. A view of the fountain.

Another view.

Down the stairs is the burial crypt.

The group upstairs was taking a long time to come down, so I left to walk slowly back to the restaurant where we would have lunch. There was no problem walking alone during the day in Antigua though walking at night is not suggested. I passed this souvenir store which I stopped at.

Everything in the store was colorful as were these dolls and other items.

More dolls.

A restaurant across the street.

It served desayunos, almuerzos y cenas (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

Pastries offered at this restaurant.

More pastries.

Inside the restaurant with a bicycle motif.

The pumping drinks--tapioca pearl tea (that sounds like the Asian boba tea).

On the menu, pearl tea at 20 quetzals (Q20, U.S. $2.72), a Mayan exotic drink at Q25 (U.S. $3.39), and an Elvis peanut butter energizantes at Q30 (U.S. $4.07).

This restaurant had a post-it motif.

Beer available at a liquor store.

More of the beer. This slideshow continues on "Antigua-2."