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I have been accused by some close friends of never showing the inside of churches in AntiguaDailyPhoto. Okay, they might be partially right, so I will make an honest effort to go inside churches to bring you new images from within the temples. However, we will go slow, for now it will be the atriums. For instance, today’s photo is a vista from the inside looking out of El Calvario Church.

What do you think, are you interested in seeing the inside of churches and ruins?

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I have developed a deep respect for animals. I consider them fellow living creatures with certain rights that should not be violated any more than those of humans. —Jimmy Stewart, actor

Today’s photo and Colonial Church Ruins Within My Fingers were the result of fortunate accident. Let me explain. I was playing around with the fish eye adapter donated by my good friends Michele and Eddie trying to capture entire churches within a frame at a close distance. Unfortunately the fish eye extension creates soft edges and has a little distortion as well. So, I take the photos with and without the fish eye lens. In one instance, while removing the adapter I unscrewed only half of the piece which basically consists of two lens, the fish eye and a macro which lets you focus on the fish eye. A wow was my immediate response as I saw the ruins of San José El Viejo completely engulfed by the fish eye lens. I took four shots in total, two were discarded because they were out of focus. And that’s how these two photos came to be.

Now, I have received requests to photographs other churches in a similar fashion. I will take some time in May to go around the churches, ruins or buildings that you request and turn it into a series. It is up to you what will show up in this coming series.

Once again I thank Eddie and Michele and all other supporters of AntiguaDailyPhoto for helping with equipment and donations so I can bring new and fresh vistas from the same old town that we all love.

4th year anniversary reminder: We are two days away from reaching four years of daily photos from La Antigua Guatemala. It has been quite a ride. To be completely honest with you, I did not think I was going to be able to keep it up for even thirty days. I am glad I was wrong and happy for the opportunity to share with you my particular point of view about La Antigua and Guatemala and its people and culture. You and I have created an amazing resource, an unparalleled multimedia blogumentary in English about Guatemalans and our unique lifestyle. I thank all of you for your comments, feedback and support along each stretch of this journey.

One or more búcaro fountains are found along a patio or corridor away from the main fountain normally found in the center of the main patio. Like I have said before, búcaros are half fountains embedded along walls. In today’s smaller houses búcaro fountains are usually the only fountains found; still quite beautiful and relaxing though.

Historically, colonial corridors have always been long and wide, and have always faced out onto a central patio, garden or fountain. Often chairs, sofas, rocking chairs, and plants adorn the corridors. This is the perfect place to have your afternoon cafecito with champurradas.

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What better way to enjoy a Sunday morning than to bring a freshly brewed cup of the best coffee in the world from Antigua Guatemala and a couple of newspapers to seat and read by the fountain in the patio. Beautiful weather, peaceful ambience, great coffee, what else can you ask for a Sunday newspaper reading morning. Life is good!

This has to be one of the more elaborate niches I have seen around Antigua Guatemala, except for the niches on the façades of churches, of course.

I wonder what’s the name of the Virgin in the picture, do you know?

Plaza a la Paz or Peace Plaza was designed and built in July 1986. Unfortunately, it took another decade for the Peace Accords to be signed.

Do you know where is the Plaza for Peace located?

Today is Earth Day so I am sharing with you a wallpaper for your computer from a typical green vista of Colas de Quetzal often found in the gardens and patios of the houses of La Antigua Guatemala. If you like it, please let me know in the comments.

Now go crazy following all the stuff related to Earth Day!

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Most Guatemalan families are very tight with several generations often interacting with one another. It is not unusual to have at least three generations living under the same roof. That’s what I call family ties.

Have you had to opportunity to notice this or to live with a Guatemalan family?

I like to photograph old people. I like to photograph young people. I like to photograph people, regardless of their age, really. I like to photograph people bonding. I like to photograph members of a family interacting, being kind to one another. That’s what life is all about.

Please, help me come up with possible things Ixchel would show to her little brother, Chepito. The most creative comment wins a post card!

Looking for Palladin Aside: In May, it will be the official showing of Looking for Palladin; a mayor movie filmed in La Antigua Guatemala and other parts of Guatemala.

Arrogant Hollywood talent agent, Josh Ross (David Moscow, is sent to Guatemala to find two-time Oscar winner actor Jack Palladin (Ben Gazzara). Although they’d never met, the search is emotionally complicated as the long-time retired star was once married to Josh’s late mother. The young agent’s contempt for the ‘old’ actor mirrors his comedic distaste for the local community, whose help he desperately needs to find him. What Josh hopes will be a quick and lucrative deal turns into a soul-searching journey. The retired star and his estranged stepson must confront the past they had forsaken (source: Looking For Palladin)

Win a custom-made post card from one of the photos from AntiguaDailyPhoto by providing the correct name and exact location of the colonial church ruins shown in AntiguaDailyPhoto today. Only the first person who gives both correct answers in the comment area of AntiguaDailyPhoto wins. Good luck to all the participants.

The game is on!

This morning, at 7:31, we were awaken by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake near the Mexican border. Later we were kept on alert by the continuous eruptions of Volcán de Fuego. If you ask me, that’s way too much commotion for a Sunday morning.

Often I have said that La Antigua Guatemala is not Guatemala. I still hold this thought, mostly. However, there are cases or instances that make me look mistaken, and you know I am never wrong (except when I am not right).

Such an event occurred last Friday when on my way to work I spotted an event right in front of Palacio de los Capitanes, I grabbed my camera and took some shots to document the activity and then asked what was the event about to four different people participating and I received four different answers. Some girls at a booth told me it was a gastronomic fair sponsored by the Minesterio de Educación (Ministry of Education). A transit police woman keeping the traffic moving told me she didn’t know what kind of activity it was, but she knew it was something to do with Insol and Ministerio de Educación. Another person told me it was an Intercultural Fair sponsored by the Ministerio de Educación. Finally, I left with the certainty that it was an event sponsored by the Ministry of Education and nothing more.

Only in Guatemala you can find a whole bunch of people participating in an activity they know nothing about.

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This is how street corners look like now that the strips near the corners have been marked as motorcycle parking only areas. I am not sure I like it.

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