La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo

September started with Daily Photo Theme of Doorways. I am closing the door to September 2006 with another doorway. This is the entrance to the San Felipe Church and as far as I know, it is the only gothic door in Antigua. Correct me if I am wrong!

Come back tomorrow for another Daily Photo Theme… taxis around the world.

You get off a bit early from work so you can run to the bank and cash your weekly paycheck. Modernity has caught up with the farm and coffee plantation worker as well. Long lines are also the norm for them (click the long lines link to see another photo).

Are there bank lines where you live?

Twice before I have mentioned that fences are alive around Antigua. Here you can see two coffee plantation, one each side of the road. On the right, they have a natural and live green fence. On the left, there is a wall which is completely covered by plants. In the background you can see Volcán de Agua.

… All in one place. There are many community bulletin boards around La Antigua Guatemala.

Okay, I will do an experiment. I will do a simple flyer and paste it on all the bulletin boards with the following: A title like Daily Photo Cities Around the World and a list of URLs of all the Daily Photo Cities thus far. Let’s see how many people get unusual visitors; please come back and tell us about it.

Are there community bulletin boards in your city?

The indigenous women’s dress is known as corte (the bottom part or skirt that is). The corte translates roughly as cut or a piece. It is one of the most attractive subjects to see and photograph. It makes many tourists go click-crazy and it is quite understandable. I wonder what the indigenous women and men feel to be exposed and prone to a constant clicking; sort of like being chased by paparazzi photographers, I guess.

In our last visit to Sabor Cubano, there was a group of tourists who were wearing indigenous clothing and I could not resist to pull the camera. Here is the photograph of a tourist wearing the indigenous dress.

… Equal opportunity.

Related entries:

• Selling folk-art on the park
• Where are the Maya women going to?
• Let’s go mija, we’re are going to be late…
• Fruits and jelly stand
  

Not too long ago, Pamela, from Tenerife Daily Photo, talked about her bread delivery service and the “blame of the milkman” (interesting post, you should read it). Well, La Antigua has both services, although the milk delivery is disappearing, the bread delivery is very healthy here and throughout Guatemala.

The bread eaten by most Guatemalans is still produced by artisans bakers and because it comes out the ovens twice daily, it needs no preservatives. There are many kinds of bread, but they fall under two categories: desabrido (insipid) and dulce (sweet). In the desabrido category, pan francés (frech rolls) are the most popular (insipid just means not sweet). In the dulce category, champurradas are among the most popular; they look like round discs are a bit hard, like toasts.

I wonder now, how many other daily photo cities have bread delivery?

These are the artists that make up the Sabor Cubano Band which plays live music at the restaurant by the same name. I already talked about the small, but loud and noticeable Cuban community which is building up in La Antigua Guatemala on May 27th (Now around 100 Cubans). The Cuban-style tunes played by this band can now be heard Wednesday through Sundays at the Sabor Cubano Restaurant from 9:00 p.m. until midnight. I believe this is one of the best deals in town, because, for the price of a delicious Cuban-cuisine dinner and a few mojitos or beers, you can enjoy a first-class concert. If you want to give yourself an idea of the sound of the Sabor Cubano Band, listen to Buena Vista Social Club or Lagrimas Negras by Bebo Valdés & Diego “El Cigala” (links to the iTunes Store). By the way, these two discs might become a noteworthy addition to your music collection.

I do not know what this image does to me exactly, but there is a definite puncture. There is a scene in Krysztof Kieslowski’s Three Colors: White where the main protagonist, Karol, has lost everything through the process of divorce and he is sitting in the subway playing a very sad Polish song with a comb on his mouth. He is so lost, yet can find something within himself to play a song, a very tragic, mournful and inconsolable song. To me, this scene about fate was enough to never forget the three films Blue, White and Red (links to IMDB); a must-see French film trilogy.

I know you are not supposed to post photos of cats on your blog. I am bending the rule here just to bring to you the vista of three hungry cats just moments before lunch. Okay, other people from the Daily Photo Family have clever contests all the time, so, I am having a contest here too.

The person that comes up with the three most original names for the cats will win a post card (either a generic one from Antigua or a photo from this blog turn into a post card, your choice), the Guatemalan postage stamps and a personal hand-written note from me. Let the game begin!

Waiting for customers can be boring. The waiting can take your mind to far away cities… with daily photos. I wonder too!

Shoe-shining is not out of time as some people commented on Nuno’s Shoe shiners. Well, shoe shining is not a forgotten trade in Latin America. I have posted three photos with shoe-shiners: Antigua’s child labor on May 22nd, Tourists and shoe-shining boy on May 7th, and Photographer and shoe-shine boy on May 2nd (just in case you want to see them). Unlike Nuno, I have used this guy’s service. Shoe-shining in Antigua costs about US$0,25 at present time and it has been the same in the last five years.

Side note: I almost forgot to tell you, an interesting and funny fact, about the policeman. He has gotten into trouble before with his superiors because he was photographed years before around September 15th and his photo displayed on the front page of Guatemala’s largest national newspaper Prensa Libre. This happens twice in two different years and two different national newspapers. I really hope he does not get into trouble this time for appearing in this humble photoblog.

Are there shoe-shiners in your city? have you ever used their service?

Eric, from Paris Daily Photo, has been publishing a series of photos linked by a ‘walking’ theme. We do not have traffic lights in Antigua, but people does still cross the streets, and they not always do it at the intersection.

Does people in your town respect the little green man that Eric talks about?

Gratitudes: I want to thank Fred for his donation towards the hosting bills of this site. There are three things that motivate me to continue with the work at Antigua Daily Photo, that feedback I receive, the returning visitors and donations towards the hosting bills. Thanks everyone for doing at least two the three things that motive me to continue.

How can I donate towards the hosting bills of Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo? I am glad you asked. Just click on the blue button below the search form on the top of the sidebar and follow the instructions there.

After looking at Eric’s “Still hot in Paris!“, I made a mental note to photograph couples in Antigua to show that love is everywhere. The Erotism and carnal imagery found in Paris is a different story. But, I am still looking: have camera and batteries on hand, I will be ready.

Tuk Tuk police, arrest this man, he talks in maths
He buzzes like a fridge, he’s like a detuned radio
Tuk Tuk police, arrest this girl, her hitler hairdo, is making me feel ill
And we have crashed her party

This photo should go with the sounds of Karma Police of Radiohead as the soundtrack. You can watch the video and hear the song by visiting the following link at Youtube.

La Antigua Guatemala has become a victim to crime and the Antigüeños have demanded safety. These Tuk Tuk Police units are one of the responses from the authorities and the Tourist Commission. I published a photo of a tuk tuk motorbike as a taxi before on May 3rd.

Have you seen other tuk tuk motorbikes in the Daily Photo cities? If so, come back and tell us where.