Saturday 17 March 2012

The 12 day Guatemala circuit (Day 11 - cont.) - Antigua - The 4th of April 2008


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We continued walking towards the church and Monastery of San Francisco el Grande, having gained access to its interior by a side door where several pilgrims had gathered to ask favours to Beato Hermano Pedro Betancourt. Having built a hospital for the poor he is one of the canonised Franciscan friars most worshiped in the Americas.

Although the church was not  richly decorated there were some peculiarities that caught my attention in regards to the religious paintings on the walls once the ones depicting traditional scenes were mixed with others of a completely different style incorporating Guatemalan characteristics, which I found rather interesting.  











































We just came across with its sixteenth century facade with twisted  salomonic columns, said to be typical  of the Spanish American barroque when we walked out ...  and what an impact it had on us all ...



















At the entrance of the Monastery there were some interesting murals where images of some Franciscan friars could be seen.




























As we walked back into the streets of Antigua with its old colonial-like walls we sighted a group of very small children in colourful school uniforms ... and had it not been for them  I  would very much have felt like "living" in the old days ... these children brought me back into reality ...








































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