The courtyard fountain was not yet burbling when we stepped from our room at La Casona de Antigua that first morning. Still, the lush plants and flowers, beautiful colonial architecture, and conscientious attention to detail everywhere beckoned us out-of-doors.

The weather was nice enough (we were in the “Land of Eternal Spring” after all) that we chose to eat outside. There were gardens and a different fountain near the breakfast area, this one of a lion with water pouring from its mouth, set amidst varying shades of terra cotta and green.

The chef, Miguel, created a beautiful breakfast for us. From the menu, Jacque and I both chose “La Tradicional de la Casa” which consisted of refried black beans blended to a wonderfully creamy consistency and spiced to perfection, salsa and crema, fried plantains, eggs scrambled (revueltos) or fried (fritos), bread, butter…

densely fresh melon, pineapple, and papaya…

and the most amazing housemade preserves (marmela? marmelada?) which Miguel prepared with pineapple, papaya, and strawberries, and which tasted as though each fruit had just been picked. I have never tasted anything like it and would love to replicate it somehow.

After breakfast (made all the more delicious by the lovely surroundings), I moved to the sitting room/library. There, I found a beautiful sanctuary with high-beamed ceilings, books in English (and some, curiously, in Hebrew), sofas, tall windows which allowed in the soft Guatemalan breezes, a fireplace,

and an ambience so inviting that I could have stayed and read and journaled there for hours. But Jacque came for me so that I might keep her company in our room while she worked on some of our future reservations. And, by then, the fountain in the courtyard had begun its day-long melody.

Back in our room, with the door open, preparing for our one full day of exploration in Antigua, I treasured the musical babble from the fountain. But even more than that, I loved that my daughter had sought my company.

My daughter, my friend.