Walking Tour with Tía Lucía

Walking Tour with Tía Lucía

1My aunt, Tía Lucía, is a tour guide. She leads walking tours through Old Town, the oldest part of our city. Last Saturday, she let me come along. "Stick to me like glue," she told me. "Old Town gets very busy."

2Twelve visitors met us next to the stone fountain. The square was buzzing with people. Tía Lucía told the group that the fountain is the heart of Old Town, because every street leads there. Then she raised her bright yellow umbrella so the group could follow it through the crowd.

3First, we climbed Cobble Hill. The street was so steep that it felt like climbing a wall. By the top, my legs felt like rubber. Then I turned around and forgot all about my legs. We could see the whole city and the river below. "This view is worth a million dollars!" one visitor said.

4Next, Tía Lucía led us down a narrow alley with old brick houses on both sides. She pointed to a blue door. "A sea captain lived here two hundred years ago," she said. The visitors were all ears. Nobody made a sound while she told the captain's story.

5Tía Lucía knows Old Town like the back of her hand. She never once looked at a map. She knew which shop sold the best tamales.

6By noon, I was as hungry as a bear. We stopped at a little café, and the visitors thanked my aunt. "Time flies when you are having fun," one of them said. I looked at my watch. The tour had lasted three hours!

7On the way home, Tía Lucía let me carry the yellow umbrella. "You were a great helper today, Mateo," she said. I held the umbrella up high and grinned from ear to ear.