If you’re planning to visit Antigua Guatemala this weekend then you’re in for a big surprise. The mayor of Antigua, Victor Hugo Del Pozo has authorised that all parks and outdoor spaces including Central Park and Tanque La Union to be opened for the first time since lockdown so many months ago. He also authorised that the restaurants along La Calle del Arco (5a Avenue North) could have tables on one side of the street for outdoor dining..
So yesterday, a rainy Friday afternoon I took a stroll around Antigua to see the changes for myself. It felt good yet strangely eerie walking through Central Park. There were a great deal more pigeons than people. A group of shoe shine boys were sitting on a bench ever hopeful for a possible customer. It wasn’t to be me, but I did pay them Q10 for a photo by the fountain.
I then crossed into Calle del Arco. Seeing restaurant tables on one side of the street; a few occupied by couples trying to look natural; passerby and people in cars staring at them made me smile. However, the whole scene reminded me of villages and towns in Southern Europe. I had always hoped for this in Antigua Guatemala! It’s a fantastic idea, often talked about but never achieved.
But is this the right moment to open Antigua?
As many of you are aware, the department of Sacatepequez of which Antigua is part of is still under the traffic light system for Covid-19 in red. Therefore, parks and outdoor spaces should be closed. However I assume the final decisions are now made by the mayors of each town. Victor Hugo Del Pozo has said that this is a test until Sunday and then the municipality will discuss their findings. On Instagram, his followers have loved the idea whilst on Twitter it has been pretty negative. Perhaps that’s how those platforms work!!!!
I have to say that Antigua has been looking sadder and sadder these last months. The streets have often been deserted; for rent signs on so many of the restaurants and other businesses. We need a “stimulus package,” and that’s what Victor Hugo Del Pozo is attempting. Let’s just hope that the city can limit the amount of people in the parks and streets and that social distancing and wearing of masks is maintained or we will be back to deserted streets.
