We drove into Antigua at 6am as the sun was coming up through the heavy rain clouds and chicken bus exhaust fumes (they are really bad).
An amazing image appeared of a perfect volcano cone partly obscured by cloud with smoke rising from the summit (it is active).
We drove down cobbled streets with colourful houses. You could call it the real Guatemala but the real Guatemala is a lot more earthy. This place is akin to the Cotswolds in England - the steriotypical image that does not represent the entire country. However this is exactly what we have been looking for after America - character. We are also in desparate need to let our hair down and meet travellers again.
After a long sleep we made it up onto the hostels terrace coincidently just before happy hour. This was a omen the drinks were wonderfully cheap. The terrace was probally the best place to gaze out on the village and the tree clad volcanic mountains. Any remaining tensions were washed away to the sounds of the owners favourite band - Pink Floyd.
Travellers can normally get on your nerves with the same where are you going type questions, however the Ummagumma hostal has cool travellers that can talk normally.
It was an excellent day and night that seems to have shifted the blues that have been dogging me recently.