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Welcome to Antigua Guatemala's number one multimedia resource in English for everything about La Antigua and the Guatemalan culture and traditions with a brand new web page every day!
As I have mentioned before, any “top list” is bound to be subjective and there can be as many top lists as there are people to make them. So with this in mind, I present you: my Top 12 Photos of 2010. I just selected a photo for each month of 2010 and that’s how I arrived at these 12 photos.
I am certain YOU also have a list favorite of photos or entries for 2010. Please, share with us which photos or entries were your top 12 and let us know what was your criteria to arrive at your Top 12 Entries of AntiguaDailyPhoto. Thanks for sharing your top 12 with us.
New Year’s Eve Celebrations in La Antigua Guatemala:
There are many things that make New Year’s Eve similar yet different than Noche Buena. Christmas Eve is celebrated with the family at home or at your parents’ home; New Year’s Eve can be celebrated anywhere: a discotheque, a park, the beach or La Calle del Arco and Parque Central will be the popular venues in La Antigua Guatemala tonight. New Year’s Eve is less religious than Christmas’ Eve and there are many more parties to go to.
There is a particular song which is played at every single party and danced to… El Año Viejo. There’s a fragment of the song below to get you started singing. Further down, I leave you the most famous version of El Año Viejo by Tony Camargo. This song is quite possibly the most-often-played track throughout Latin America on New Year’s Eve.
My best wishes to everyone and please have the happiest New Year Celebration Ever!
Yo no olvido al año viejo (I don’t forget the old year)
Porque me ha dejado cosas muy buenas: (Because it left behind good things for me:)
Me dejó una chiva, (It left me a goat,)
Una burra negra, (a black donkey)
Una yegua blanca (a white female horse)
Y una buena suegra… (And a good mother-in-law…)
Meet Pinar Istek, the photojournalist behind XelaDailyPhoto.com with her omnipresent Cabro beer; her favorite from Guatemala she claims in An irresistible fact from Xela. It was at this meeting that the idea to create a DailyPhoto for Xelajú was conceived.
I am very grateful for the fabulous work being produced by Pinar Istek, Josh Bachman and Enrique Hernández about Guatemala’s second largest city, Quetzaltenango in Nahualt, Xelajú in Maya or simply Xela for shot. Each day for the last 60 days they have shared their fascination and awe for Guatemala’s main Mayan cultural and business metropolis.
Casa Escobar resturant is known for having people dress up like colonial-times Spaniards to cry out the specials and menu options to passers-by pedestrian. Sometimes the “Spaniards” pass out flyers at the main entrance of La Antigua Guatemala. In the picture above, the Spaniards were announcing the end of the year party at Calle del Arco, which this year will have shorter hours; from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. —somehow I don’t think people will respect those hours— since the businesses located on Calle del Arco do not want the parties and the drinking to last all night long.
What do you think? Do you think people are just going to go away after 8 p.m.?
Algodones are another very popular Christmas comfort candy found in town fair, church atriums and around plazas and parks. Algodón is the word we use in Guatemala for cotton candy or candyfloss; algodones in plural.
Since I was wondering for how long cotton candy has been a tradition in the Guatemalan fairgrounds I did a little search and this is what Wikipedia has:
Cotton candy was first recorded around Mid-18th Century. At that time, spun sugar was an expensive, labor-intensive endeavor and was not generally available to the average person.[4] Machine-spun cotton candy was invented in 1897 by William Morrison and John C. Wharton and first introduced to a wide audience at the 1904 World’s Fair as “Fairy Floss”[5] with great success, selling 68,655 boxes at the then-high $0.25, half the cost of admission to the fair. Fairy floss was renamed to “cotton candy” in the 1920s.[6]
Tootsie Roll of Canada Ltd. has a bagged product called Fluffy Stuff that it claims was introduced at the 1893 World’s Fair.[7]
In Guatemala alone, there must be 100 different kinds of tamales if not more. Tamales are an ancient American food, made throughout the continent for over 5000 years. How about that for trivia, thanks to Wikipedia. There are so many kinds of tamales that if one was to try a different kind per day, it would take you over twenty years to try all the different kinds. That is right, I said twenty years.
Often I come across photos of things or places which are remarkable because of the sizes, but the photos do not make it obvious. One such image was taken at Salto de Chilascó falls, Central America’s tallest waterfall, but because no reference size element was included in the photograph the height and magnitude of the waterfall is lost.
So, it is important to include a reference element for comparison whenever the size of something needs to be highlighted. That’s why I included a “normal” Guatemalan tamal next to the “tamal de oriente” (Easter Guatemala) so we can determined how much bigger the tamal is. That was my intention, but I failed to convey the size of the tamal de oriente since in the picture above the normal tamal looks like one-third the size of the bigger tamal when in realty the normal tamal is at least 20 percent or even smaller. Anyway, you can’t blame me for trying.
The giant tamal de oriente is not only bigger, but it also included lots of meat and the seasoning is different as well.
Have you ever had a giant Guatemalan tamal de oriente?
The market in Antigua was a bit mad last night. There’s a whole little enclave of Xmas kitsch at the rear that I’ve never witnessed before: flashing lights, coloured sawdust, statues of magi bearing frankincense, ovejas de tusa, pine needles etc. Of course I’d left my camera behind. Might go back this evening after picking up the stuffed birds. —Guy
Guatemala’s a pyromaniac hell or paradise, what is it?
I remember reading earlier this year a tweet from Xeni Jardin, one of BoingBoing’s editors, that she was not impressed with the 4th of July fireworks display in unknown city in the U.S. because after having witnessed the non-stop burning of firecrackers, fireworks and every piece of a pyromaniac’s fetish in Central America she was spoiled.
I say that you have live it to believe Xeni’s declaration. In the meantime, I share with you two video clips of the fireworks burnt in one section of Guatemala. Remember, to get an idea of the magnitude of the burning of the fireworks, you have to multiply by 360° in every street of every colonia, village, town and city in Guatemala. So, if you decide to witness the burning of firecrackers and fireworks in Guatemala, make sure you bring earplugs; these are not included. (more…)
In Guatemala, Christmas Eve is as important as Christmas. People stay up all night waiting for midnight to have tamales with the family and to open up their presents underneath the Christmas tree. People also burn many different types of firecrackers and fireworks. Kids run around the neighborhood given hugs and wishing a Merry Christmas. Right at midnight people burn so many firecrackers and fireworks that you might think it is the third world war.
Also, by midnight baby Jesus is placed in the nacimiento (Nativity scene) and religious people go to church for the Christmas mass service.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I thank you for visiting AntiguaDailyPhoto and for your wonderful feedback and comments thus far.
My friend Christian “@cvander” shared this video of marimba Christmas music medley: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & Jingle Bells. Enjoy! (more…)
In Guatemala poinsettias are known as Flor de Pascua, Flor de Noche Buena or simply Pascuas. Poinsettias are native to Guatemala and Mesoamerica and in general can be found in the wild or in gardens as undocumented aliens. Poinsettias or Flor de Pascua are in full bloom in The Land of the Eternal Spring for the Christmas season. The most common color is red, but now you can find yellow, white, pink and mixed at your local nursery and shops. Pascuas are an integral part of the Guatemalan decoration for the Christmas season and beyond. They are also given as gifts quite often.
In an article from Prensa Libre entitled: Pascuas que cambian de colores (Poinsettias of different colors) I read that, according to industry statistics, Guatemala is the top grower of poinsettias in the world. Guatemala produces 60 million poinsettias which represents 80% of the production in the world. How about that?
Other interesting reads about Poinsettias in Spanish/Google-translated.
There’s never a dull moment in La Antigua Guatemala.
Let me explain.
The other day as I am driving back home, I stop because I heard a commotion, similar to a riot, except I knew it was not real because I saw the telescopic mic way up high. Also, there were police and firemen on the scene just hanging out. It was obvious they were filming a movie. Without even thinking about, I opened my camera bag and began taking some shots.
After all, I am like Pancho Villa, “shoot first and ask questions later!” with regards to my photography style.
Only later, I asked what film was it, “se llama Polvo” I was told. Is Julio Hernández here, I asked, since I knew from a long while the name of the director. I have included references and samples of Julio Hernández Cordón’s film in AntiguaDailyPhoto. The Gasolina Aside was the first time I promoted his films here. Next was Las marimbas del infierno film aside. Polvo will be Julio Hernández Cordón third mayor film.
While they were setting up the scene above, I chatted with Julio, the director, Fernanda, the executive producer and Joaquín, an acquaintance who’s involved with this film and many other recent films. Joaquín is also responsible the cameo appearances of Laura McNamara in several Guatemalan films. Anyway, once again I was reminded how in Guatemala we only have Two Degrees of Separation. Don’t you agree?
Last but not least, don’t ever say I don’t share with you the most exclusive stuff!
These plastic balls are the most popular and thus the most often seen balls in Guatemala. They are very inexpensive and very disposable, sometimes only lasting one chamusca game. Chamusca is the Guatemalan-Spanish word for an informal football match. Often, all you need is a few friends, a dirt field and a colorful fútbol ball to build life-long relationships. Of course, these plastic balls are very dear to us since they are part of what defines us; they are part of our treasured memories.
As a photographer I was very excited when I saw these colorful balls hanging from the ceiling a shop recently. You know how much a love color and repetition.
I also love ephemerides and this morning we had the opportunity to witness one ephemerides which only happen every 486 years. That’s is a full Moon eclipse during the Winter solstice, which makes the longest night of the year even darker during the duration of the eclipse. I took some photos of the eclipse, but I did not stay out for the duration of it. However, my dear friend Nelo did and he’s sharing his photos of the full Moon eclipse sequence as seen from La Antigua Guatemala.
So here I am sharing a slide show about another ball, a different kind of round ball, one we can all identify with: The Moon. (more…)
Just yesterday I was mentioning how La Antigua Guatemala is often used as a backdrop for films, concerts, paintings, photos, festivals, religious rituals, and weddings. I forgot to mentioned that is often used a commercial studio set as well.
These pictures and video clip were taken during the shooting a national brand of popsicles at one of the corners of la Plaza Mayor (Main Plaza) during a chilly and windy morning. I felt sorry for the kids who were only wearing light t-shirts while I was wearing a warm jacket; the kids, however, were only interested in the popsicles and doing as many takes as possible since only then they got a chance to lick the popsicles.
The dry season could also be called the wedding season since it is the time of the year when La Antigua Guatemala becomes a wonderful wedding destination. During the dry season often, very often, you see couples, locals and foreigners, getting married in one of the churches. As I have mentioned before, La Antigua Guatemala is the most often used backdrop in Guatemala for… you name it. Anything from films, concerts, paintings, photos, festivals, religious rituals, and why not, weddings too. Actually, La Antigua Guatemala is used often as the backdrop for weddings not only of Guatemalans, but for many foreigners as well.
The photo above was taken yesterday during a wedding at Antigua Guatemala’s cathedral. The day and weather were excellent to have the most romantic wedding ever.
Do you think Antigua Guatemala is a good choice as a destination to get married?
After two and half years and Q16 millions/$2 millions spent in renovations Palacio de Los Capitanes has finally opened again. The new façade is painted with yellow and white paint. According to an article in Prensa Libre, CNPAG, the entity in charge of restoring and protecting La Antigua Guatemala, also removed 15 tons of extra weight. There is still a second restoration phase quoted at Q14 million more to be done.
If you’re interested in looking at the façade of Palacio de Los Capitanes before the renovations, please follow the white rabbit to the Palacio de Los Capitanes archives.
Pupusas are better known in Guatemala as tortilla con chicharrón or tortilla con queso, et cetera. I called them Mayan pizzas. Pupusas is a name inherited from El Salvador to a dish which can be found in the Southeast Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and quite possibly all the countries in Central America under various names. Pupusas are “normally” about the size of CD and are made from a mixture of maize dough, cheese, and whatever ingredient you ask for from a menu.
It was interesting to see black pupusas on sale for the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12. That day was the first time I have seen black pupusas, although I have seen black tortillas (sometimes called blue tortillas).
Have you ever seen black pupusas before and where?
I want to say how much I appreciate your blog! I lived in Guatemala for a year (in 2007) and I miss it a lot. My husband and I lived about an hour from Puerto Barrios and there was not much to do in the town we spent the majority of our time in. Every time we had a chance to get to Antigua, we were there! It really became our hometown in Guatemala.
Once in a while, when I’m really wishing I could be there again, I find my way back to your blog and spend an hour or so looking through posts and feeling very nostalgic. It’s nice to be able to have a little insight into what’s currently going on in Antigua and around Guatemala. So, thanks! —Sarah Hiltz
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