Travels to the colonial Spanish capital of Central America.
SANTA CATALINA ARCH
LIV builds watches to accompany their owners on adventures of all kinds; whether on bike rides with the family or exploring new countries. We strapped on our LIV Rebel Automatic Chronographs and took wing for Antigua, Guatemala to soak in the beauty of this pristine example of Spanish colonialΒ architecture andΒ to experience theΒ naturalΒ beauty thatΒ definesΒ Antigua.
Soon after arriving, we visited the Santa Catalina Arch, one of the most famous spots in Antigua Guatemala. It was built in the 17th century to connect the Santa Catalina convent to a schoolΒ so that the nuns could quickly get from one building to the other without having to go out on the street. We did not find out why the sisters needed this convenienceΒ but appreciate the beauty of the arch nonetheless.
THE PEOPLE OF GUATEMALA
Traveling properly means immersing yourself not only in the sights of the location but also getting to know the people who live there. The people we met were so kind, polite and so proud to be from this world-famous city. And, why wouldn't they be? ItΒ has a rich and intriguing history. They are steeped in their traditions and culture and loved sharing stories with us. All we had to do was ask and enjoy as they shared with us, total strangers visiting their land.
THE REBEL-AC IN ANTIGUA
Running a rebellious watch company with the goal of shaking up the watch industry means our work is never far away. As we roamed, we quickly realized that being a historic city, Antigua brims with wonderfully textured and colorful surfaces. So, we were able to capture some fantastic shots of the Rebel-AC on our journey against the rich backdrops of both natural and manmade textures and colors.
THE VOLCANOES
Antigua also possesses a rich geological history. Many may not know that the city is surrounded by three towering volcanoes that dominate its horizon: VolcΓ‘n de Agua, Acatenango, and VolcΓ‘n de Fuego. History is replete with tales of what living in the shadow of volcanoes can mean, but the people of the city seem to accept the presence of the smoldering giants as a fact of lifeΒ go about their days without giving them a second look.
VOLCΓN DE AGUA
The "Volcano of Water" is located south of the city. It became known as "The Volcano of Water" after a slurry of water, pyroclastic material and rocky debris from the volcano buried the second site of Guatemala's capital, after which the Spanish authorities moved it to present-day Antigua. In the photo below, you can see the volcano in the background, with the LIV Rebel Automatic Chronograph pictured in front of it. While the Rebel-AC can time any event with split-second precision, fortunately, we did not have to use that function to time any volcanic activity.
ACATENANGO
Pictured below are the hulking twin cones of Acatenango, located to the west of the city. They are the two peaksΒ to the right of center in the image below, taken on an iPhone. These silent giants seem peaceful and menacingly beautiful at the same time.
VOLCΓN DE FUEGO
The "Volcano of Fire" is known for being almost continuously active at a low level. A more massive eruption occurred in September 2012, but steam and gas emit from its top daily, as you can see in the images below, also captured by our iPhone. Geology and volcanology are fascinating fields of study. However, having prime examples of volcanology in your backyardΒ has an intimidation factor hard to ignore, at least for visitors.
TIME STANDS STILL
At certain points in our travels, it felt that time had stopped some 300 years ago because of the marvelousΒ preservationΒ of the colonial architecture. The center of Antigua is under UNESCO World Heritage protection, based on the integrity of its physical buildings and 16th-century layout. We were blessed to have had the opportunity to experience the beauty of Antigua's architecture, culture, and natural surroundings. Dare to live your lives and strike out on adventures of your own. Your LIV Watch will be a faithful and reliable companion on all of them.
