The original post Opposite Ends of Life, in La Antigua Guatemala DP, was published on May 23rd, 2006 and it was about a little girl and an old lady helping each other cross the street. It is an interesting shot, if I may say so, you should see if you haven’t done so already.
Today’s entry is about different women and their opposite position in the spectrum of life.
Two things still with us after we considered them long-dead: Polaroid and Polyester. Here and in many parks of Guatemala you can still find polaroid photographers making a living with their instant-print photographic film and cameras. Did you own or use a polaroid camera in your lifetime? Tags: Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo / Antigua / … Read more
Almost everyone who visits La Antigua Guatemala is taken by its laid-back atmosphere. It is almost like when you first approach La Antigua Guatemala’s main entrance you are given a chill pill. As the paved road that comes from Guatemala City turns into cobble-stone streets, you enter a sort relax-twilight zone and you immediately switch … Read more
One aspect of life in La Antigua Guatemala which drives many people to move here is the temperate weather. Even in the raining season, which lasts between spring and autumn, the temperature stays pretty much on an average 80° F. With the perfect amount of rain, sunshine, shadows, cloudy skies, humidity, wind and cold weather, … Read more
Fountains come in all shapes, but one thing is common to all of them: they need maintenance. Here you see La Antigua Guatemala’s most famous fountain taking a break for cleaning. For a tour around the world with the many different fountains available at other Daily Photo blogs, just click away: Manila, Santiago de Chile, … Read more
Even fast-food restaurants have a nice atmosphere in Antigua Guatemala. Here you can see the fountain inside the Burger King restaurant. Fountains and gardens are among the most popular element of the Antigüeño architecture and I never get tire of photographing them and I am not the only one who likes fountains. As always, you … Read more
A new roller-coaster ride has began in Guatemala: it is once again election year. Guatemala has election every four years. Normally people in office do very little or the bare minimum the first three years of their period and they do a lot visible in-your-face work the last year of their term. Do they this … Read more
Churches serve as terminals from which processions depart or arrive. Churches also serve as home-base for all the brotherhoods of cucuruchos and sisterhoods. Churches also put their best face for the Holy Week and many get a paint job and/or restoration works in the weeks prior to Semana Santa.
With this photo we wave goodbye to Semana Santa and to Holy Week’s processions. I was told the last procession, the Resurrection (Resurección) procession comes out on Easter Sunday (today) a 6 a.m. and its back in the church by 10 in the morning.
La Dolorosa or The Sorrowful Mother is the biblical figure of sorrowful mother Mary which follows Jesus in his way to his crucifixion. This act is represented by a smaller anda (long carved wooden flatbed image-carrying float [*]) —carrying the effigy of sorrowful Mother Mary and other female biblical representations— which is hauled exclusively by women who mostly dress in black or white as this is the appropriate dress code for a funeral. Jesus’ funeral.
Nevertheless, Good Friday is the culmination of the Holy Week Celebrations and the processions end at the Calvario Church (Calvario is the Spanish word for Calvary or Golgotha). The entrance of the Calvario Church in La Antigua Guatemala is a yellow façade with three arches, topped by three bells and three crosses —one larger than the other two— with a very large concrete cross in front. Can you see the obvious architectonic reference to Jesus’ crucifixion?
Thanks to Byron Ortiz for lending his photos of Semana Santa (Holy Week), so we can get a better picture of the Holy Week Celebrations in La Antigua Guatemala. This week we are running a mini-series: Elements of the Holy Week Celebrations in La Antigua Guatemala and its world-famous Semana Santa. With the holidays of … Read more
Cucuruchos with their purple or violet cone-head dress are another prominent element of Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala. Last week, Santiago Durham asked what its the significance of the color purple or violet in the dress and banners during Semana Santa, well it took a lot of digging to find out (I turned around and asked my office coworker), but I can now tell you the purple is worn as a sign of penitence. As a matter of fact, processions are a sign of penitence as well, heck the whole Semana Santa is a penitent act.
The making of carpets from sawdust, pine-needles, flowers, vegetables is a community-forming tradition. People get together by block or near-by neighbors to create the carpets on which the processions will pass by. Sometimes the making of the carpets is done at night, all night so they are ready for next day’s procession.
The making of sawdust carpets (alfombras de aserrín) with its vivid colors and eye-catching patterns are among the most prominent elements of the Holy Week celebrations. You can come back all this week to see other samples of carpets made with flowers and fruits and vegetables.
Here’s the snapshot of a palm flower arrangements stand taken in the La Antigua Guatemala’s market on Saturday prior to Palm Sunday which marks the beginning of the Holy Week the in Catholic realm. Best wishes for the coming week and have a safe vacation for those fortunate to have one. Tags: Antigua Guatemala Daily … Read more