A bit of history here: Antigua was founded by Spain in 1543 as it's Capital of an area that included most of Central America and part of Mexico. It grew and developed as an administrative and military center for 230 years. In 1773 a series of earthquakes destroyed much of the town and the capital was again moved a 4th time, this time to Guatemala City.

What was left behind were ruins of churches, convents, a university, and many public buildings, most of which have remained untouched (but stabalized) for another 200 years.

This is the Cathedral Church on the Parque Central. All that is left is the facade, but it still reflects the beauty and complexity of the archetecture and construction undertaken during it's 230 years of development prior to the earthquakes.

This is a small park that contains a working hand laundry and fountain (the yellow structure). Behind the laundry is the ruins of the "Convento de Santa Clara". Again, only the facade and some of the interior remains.

Here is another view of "El Convento". Note the motor scooters, the horse draw carriages, and the cobblestone street. Cars were scarce here. I think they are expensive and the streets beat them up.

There is another mode of travel, however, the Guatemalan "Tuk Tuk" taxi. These vehicles were brought to Guatemala (probably from Thailand) in 2001 and there are over 8000 now in the country and about 200 in Antigua. They are noisy, smelly, rough riding, very unsafe, but they are cheap and the tourists love them.

Here is that hand laundry in front of "EL Convento". A woman is dipping water from the fountain pool and pouring it into the stone basin where laundry is washed. There is a drain in the basin that leads to a sewer. I bet this laundry is 4oo to 500 years old. Amazing!!