Here are some more photos from Central Park, Antigua.
The Palacio de los Capitanes Generales or Palace of the General Captains was the headquarters for the government of Guatemala from 1543 to 1773. It is across the street from the park.The Central Park is a beautiful square with a central fountain, many trees and lawns and some sculptured trees as well.The Cathedral of Saint Joseph (Catedral de San Jose) is on the adjacent corner from the Palacio.Women street vendors almost always carried their wares on their heads.Even the ones selling manufactured trinkets carried their merchandise balanced on their heads.The Mermaid Fountain (Las Sirenas) is the centerpiece of the park.The fountain was pretty much destroyed over the centuries with just the torsos remaining. It was recreated in the 1940s to match the style of the original. Mermaids are featured in two other places in Antigua, Guatemala.Inside one of the shops surrounding the park.While the street vendors did aggressively promote their wares, I found their colorful dress charming and they added to the cultural feel of the park. We did buy a couple of hand-carved flutes from one vendor.We end our tour of Parque Central with a photo of a bird of paradise flower. They were prominent in several gardens around the park.
