LA ANTIGUA GUATEMALA - Guatemala - page 133

have begun scurrying visitors to the Pacific Coast on day trips. Pacific Whale Watch-
ing (tel. [phone], www.whale-watching-guatemala.com , $150 per person with transport
fromAntigua,$135withouttransport)operatesasix-hourtriponboarda38-footJupiter.In
addition to whales (humpback, short-finned pilot, finback, and whale sharks), you can ex-
pect to see bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, and manta rays. Trips leave on weekends from
DecemberthroughApril(at6:30A.M.fromAntigua)andthecostincludesalunchofgour-
met sandwiches, fresh fruit, and cookies. Tickets for children are half-price; you can also
charter a boat with a minimum of eight people on weekdays.
WINE TASTING
Ever exciting and brimming with new leisure opportunities, Antigua Guatemala now
boasts Guatemala's first winery. Chateau DeFay (tel. [phone] or 5883-3911,
www.chateaudefayvineyards.com ) , on the slopes of Agua Volcano in neighboring Santa
María de Jesús, is a 3,000-case winery and vineyard. Its owners, Jacques and Angie Defay,
purchased a former coffee farm and converted part of the land into vineyards using plants
brought in from Washington state. The farm also grows asparagus. Jacques, a former eco-
nomist with the International Development Bank (IDB), retired to Guatemala from Falls
Church, Virginia in 2002 after numerous visits to the country.
The winery is open for tastings Saturday and Sunday from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. Chateau
DeFay wines come in several varieties, including Angie's Blend, Chardonnay, White Mer-
lot, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot, and Bruno's Favorite. The latter is named for resident
wine-maker Bruno Coppola.
The first year of wine production was 2008. A bottle of wine costs Q149, or about $20.
Accommodations
UNDER $10
Antigua has a number of excellent hostels offering comfortable accommodations at budget
prices. Hotel Mochilero's Place (4aCallePoniente#27,tel.[phone],$14dsharedbath,
$16 d private bath) is a friendly sort of establishment with 10 large, clean rooms. Among
the amenities are free coffee and tea, laundry sinks, and luggage storage. The rooms facing
south have decent views of Agua Volcano. Reservations are necessary, as it's very popular.
Hostal Día Verde (1a Calle Poniente #14B, tel. [phone]) has seven clean rooms with
shared bath ($7 p/p) or private bath ($8 p/p). Rates include breakfast and one free hour of
Internet. Another popular choice is Yellow House (1a Calle Poniente #24, tel. [phone]),