Preamble on ascending the colossus

The local cemetery, on the skirts of the Agua Volcano, keeps old elements and contemporary traits.

The name Santa Maria de Jesœs is widely known by those who like the mountains, since from its steep streets departs the path that goes up to the Agua Volcano (Water Volcano).

If after a day in Antigua Guatemala you feel like going onto a different kind of experience, 10 kilometers away is the town of Santa Maria de Jesus. To get there, you must take the road that, going to El Calvario, departs from the San Francisco Church. On the city's boundary you will find the directions for your destination.

After a steep and brief trip you will see a big cement cross that announces the arrival to the town. At the town's entrance you will see several streets that combine simple brick constructions and reed fences, where you can hear pigs grunt and hens cackle, and some other sounds that identify some farm animals. After a few blocks, the streets narrow making it impossible for cars to go through it, at this point you should turn right until you reach El Calvario and then left. This street takes you to central park, where like in the old days, the Church is on the northern side, city hall on the west, commerce hall is south and the Royal Guard (police headquarters today) is facing east.

The stamp of the Agua Volcano, almost invading town, decorates the park in a special way. The market, installed in an improvised way on the park, possesses that syncretism that feels ours in every market.

The sale of typical blouses (gŸipiles) and skirts (cortes) fight for a space against the tomatoes, potatoes, and other agricultural products, as with clothes, plastic tins and pans. The commerce stands at the hall offer electric appliances, leather jackets, and handcrafts from the region.

Taking the southern exit you reach the cemetery. In it, simple wooden crosses, without any other identification than the painted name, seem to be looking at the volcanic giant that dominates the landscape.

To those who like Andinism, Santa Maria de Jesus is the forced departing point to start ascending the volcano. As a safety measure, the town asks the person that climbs to sign a book to keep record of their full name, date of departure and the day he or she plans to return.

In the city hall, a little deteriorated, you can see the old archives where important figures have left their signature, like Jorge Vaca and Walter Peter, the first ones to ascend the 37 peaks officially known by the Andinism Federation.

During the afternoon, the salesmen remove their stands from the park and the shops prepare to close. By four o'clock food stands come in: fried tortillas with sauce or guacamole, corn, rellenitos, and other typical dishes. A good talk, along with a cup of hot atole, is a quiet end for a different day on Antigua's surroundings.