First Impressions of Guatemala

June 9, 2022

Just two days ago I landed at the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, and just as I had hoped, all went smoothly. The approach was glorious, with muddy rivers snaking between verdant mountain peaks and puffs of clouds framing the patchwork landscapes down below. I had made it and I couldn’t wait to touch ground and get this unplanned adventure started.

Customs was an absolute breeze. It was so informal that the customs agent granting me my stamp into the country was simultaneously wolfing down a 6” sub as he handled my passport between bites. In fact, there are probably some mayonnaise stains and breadcrumbs still lingering somewhere within the pages.

Exiting the airport’s doors was like walking through a cheer tunnel or maybe a red carpet, the narrow path between wall and street made narrower by the eager crowds edging to catch a glimpse of whoever it was they were waiting for, hands full with balloons, bouquets of roses, handmade signs, and phones at the ready to record. Despite the chaos, my eyes immediately fell to the gorgeous textiles and mismatched patterns worn by many of the women. This was Guatemala. It was beginning to truly sink in that I had made it, that I’m really here.

I had about an hour to kill before my shuttle for Antigua, so I u-turned right back inside the airport, ordered a coffee with my slightly rusty Spanish at the only dining establishment in the modest airport and just took in the scene, all of the passionate reunions, the sound of Guatemalan Spanish, the unique way the women dress. The hour flew by.

The shuttle I took from the airport to Antigua was with a company called Guatego. A nice and English-speaking man gathered together the group of mostly international travelers like myself, many of whom had been scattered about at other tables at the same cafe, and we boarded his silver van headed for Antigua. It was a comfortable and relatively traffic-free, hour-long journey out of the confusing and congested city lanes of Guatemala City and through the rolling hillsides and lush, jungle-like landscapes until we reached the car-rattling cobble-stoned streets and colonial facades of Antigua.

This is where I’ll leave you for now…

If you’re not already, you can follow my adventure in real time on Instagram @nomapsorfoottracks.