Boda

I am fortunate indeed to have met some wonderful, gorgeous people in Antigua. Antigua is a hub of creativity; but with such a relaxed vibe it is difficult to draw comparisons with the way most artists I know live and work in big cities such as London. I am sure a lot of this stems from the fact that you cannot escape the chilled-out feeling in Atingua, because a good percentage of the population is actually on holiday, well, studying Spanish is the excuse, but let`s face it; it`s a pretty nice way to study, and a lot of partying goes on too! So this laid-back ambience infiltrates daily life. Of course, most Antiguans get up at dawn as they do all over Guatemalan, but everyone seems to have time. That`s what we lack in most Western societies. Time. And when you step away from it, you realise it is so important. Why are we rushing through life as if we are in a race? Everyone who knows me will know that I am the guiltiest culprit in this respect. But I am learning that there are and should be priorities in our lives which allow time for ourselves to reflect on what our lives are about, the importance of our being and our relation to the world around us.

I was invited to a wedding which was one of the most beautiful nuptial ceremonies I have ever witnessed. It was a Mayan ceremony to celebrate the union of a Peruvian man and a Dutch woman, and it took place high up on a summit with a full 360 degree view of spectacular landscapes, including a lofty view of the town of Antigua and its ever-present volcanoes looming in the background; Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. This location is the private property of an architect who uses it as his pleasure garden and pleasurable is it indeed! In addition to gently inclining slopes full of lush vegetation, he has built into the hillside a cabin with a sophisticated yet simple design. There is an unbroken view right through the cabin to the valley beyond, a view which is undoubtedly best appreciated from the terrace perched high up on stilts, which is constructed out of eucalyptus timber complete with bark. Exquisite! A sense of space and air, forests and nature pervades the atmosphere.

The wedding ceremony took place on the very summit of the hill around a fire and consisted of a shaman performing rites and blowing smoke and alcohol variably around the couple, whom he also performed reiki on. It was a very emotional, moving experience, with most of the guests seated in a circle on grass mats around the fire and the rest sheltering from the relentless sun under canopies beyond. After the ceremony, a marimba band played on giant xylophones while the guests feasted on two entire hogs roasting on a spit! We passed the afternoon dancing and jamming in the tipi constructed especially for the event until the sun set, treating us all to a visual feast of fading colour and light over the valley.

The evening party took place in what I can only describe as not only my dream house but one of the most awe inspiring houses I have ever entered. This house was apparently tumbling down when a couple of gringos with vision took it on at a ridiculously low rent and proceeded to invest vast quantities of money, time and effort in transforming it into the palace that it is now. They are artists and designers and my have they filled that house with works of art! One of the ranges which they design and sell are huge lamps and furniture made with mangrove roots as bases, which are really innovative and impressive in scale and content. The courtyard garden boasted (apart from lunatic dancers) a fountain filled with cut flowers dripping petals into the water below and the rooftop above serves as a gigantic quadrant terrace covering the entire house. The garden behind was home to a tree so enormous that people were estimating 1000 years for its age. It must have seen quite a few severe volcanic eruptions and earthquakes in its time.