Antigüeno Nightlife

Between morning classes and afternoon excursions, meals with host families and weekend trips, it's a wonder that we have time to go out a night. But somehow we fit in a sampling of Antigua's diverse nighttime options. 

On Tuesday nights, Mono Loco is the prime destination for tourists and locals alike with the cheapest ladies' night in town. Drinks are only three quetzals (about 30 cents) until midnight. Next door, the salsa bar heats up early and pumps hot Latin beats long into the night. For a more cozy atmosphere, the Rum Bar offers candle light and excellent mojitos. If you're a fan of Cuban music, Ricky's hosts piano players of Buena Vista Social Club fame. 

On Saturday night, I went with a group of friends to Frida's, a Mexican restaurant with a high-end menu and lush daiquiris. Here, a mix of well-dressed travelers mingled with professionals from Guatemala City. Across from our table, a group of young men from the city smiled and in our direction and, when we finished our meal, sent over a round of drinks. We smiled back and toasted in their direction, and before long our tables had joined. Our conversation flowed in the candlelight, a lilting mix of Swedish, English and Spanish, and we traded stories about our travels and hometowns. When we finished our drinks, our expanded group moved to the Irish pub next door where we crowded around a varnished oak table. The din of the bar absorbed the laughter rising in waves from our party. 

After another round, our hips began to twitch to the music coming from the speakers overhead and our feet ached for the dance floor. We looped arms with our new companions and set off into the night in pursuit of meringue and regaeton beats. On the way, we stopped in front of the ruins of a church, awed into silence by its aura of serenity in the still night. Overhead, the sky stretched black in every direction and bright stars glowed around the church's crumbling exterior. Crickets chirped into the silence. We held our breath for the space of several heartbeats, not wanting to break the magic of the moment. Then, we took a collective breath and set-off again, chasing the rhythms of the night.