This morning we woke up and walked into town to eat breakfast at a quaint little cafe that we discovered a couple years ago.  It was another beautiful morning full of sunshine.  Everyone enjoyed walking by the infamous water fountain in the center of the square (I will not describe it....if you look carefully you will know what I am referring to.

 

Breakfast was enormous...I personally wasn’t expecting that much food.  Micah and Orion played with little toy cars and were quite entertaining to the rest of the people in the restaurant.  We filled up and then sat in the courtyard for a bit to take in all the beauty.  I wish we could have a back yard that looked like this.

 

When we were leaving the cafe we noticed the workers beginning to decorate for the new years celebration.  Evidently it is traditional here in Antigua to lay down pine needles as a floor covering, as all of the establishments around town were following suit.  It was beautiful and fragrant.

 

After breakfast Amelia’s family walked back to the hotel and Amelia, Micah and I walked down to a market on the far end of town.  We love exploring and this was a perfect occasion.  There was an unusual energy - people were bustling around readying for the new year.  We walked through the market and purchased some various items including Guatemalan Christmas stockings for our two boys.  Amelia took some more incredible photos as we headed back to the hotel.  We passed by an incredible art studio - if we had means to get the art home, we would have purchased one.  They were awesome.

 

After getting back to the hotel, everyone went out to the pool for an afternoon swim and then the kiddos went down for a nap.  Amelia, Darlene and I explored the two museums located in the hotel which showcased Guatemalan art and history.  The museum was built into ancient ruins of the old monastery and contained both historical and modern art and sculptures.  We also went down into a couple crypts which house the remains of 17th century monks (this was interesting and also a little creepy).  After our subterranean excursion,  we had a late snack and then came back to the room to rest with Micah for the last bit of his nap.

 

We just finished getting ready for our New Year’s celebration here at Casa Santa Domingo and are about to head out.  I will write more in 2008....

 

What an incredible New Year Celebration!  The event at Casa Santa Domingo was so amazing.  The convention center which is styled like the rest of the hotel (17th Century monastic) was decked out with a billion candles.  The dinner buffet featured everything from sushi to rack of lamb and everything in between....and then there was dessert -  3 types of creme brulee, every mousse imaginable, and fresh fruit pastries.

 

There was a band and a DJ which alternated all night with non-stop music, which is a good thing, because I never knew Micah was such a party animal.  He did not want to stop dancing.  Amelia and I took him on the dance floor and danced until we couldn’t dance anymore - and Micah still wanted more.  Orion and Evie fell asleep in their strollers, but not Micah.  He was like a little Mayan Energizer Bunny.  I finally had to take him back to the room at 11:30 to get him to go to sleep.  Darlene came in and stayed with him and I was able to go back to the fiesta just in time for the countdown and fireworks.  I have never seen or heard so many in my life.  The entire city of Antigua was filled with booms and explosions to ring in the new year....and they kept celebrating in this way all night long.  We have so much to celebrate in 2008 and I am so thankful to be able to ring in the year in Antigua!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!