Month: January 2012

Relaxing Area Inside Compañía de Jesús Building

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This is just one of the many relaxing areas found inside the Antiguo Colegio de la Compañía de Jesús, now headquarters of the Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española, CFCE for short. What I like about this patio is the fountain and green area which make it a great place to have chat. There … Read more

How can one not like the dry season?

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Honest, what’s not to like about the dry season? Clear skies, crisp and cool temperatures and the most enchanting light are the norm during the dry season. If you haven’t been to Guatemala during the dry season, you have been missing the best possible Guatemala. You’ve gotta fix that! El Cristo Negro de Esquipulas aside: … Read more

Every day we die a little

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Every day we die a little

I never realized how much people die every day until I lived in a town where almost each death is announced by the PA system installed on the church on the main plaza. Through these announcements and the funeral processions and motorcades I have encountered I also learned that the grieving is also a communal event. When I stop to pay attention to the PA announcements often the name of the passing person is giving and the address where the mourning will be held and everyone is invited to assist.

These expressions of the strong community relationships forged through constant interactivity are often foreign to me since I have lived most of my life in big cities where often these community relationships rarely happen. I don’t know if I’m making any sense because I don’t think I have been able to seized these feelings and emotions into words. Am I?

How are deaths, funerals and mourning treated where you live?

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Muni’s Rooftop Vista of Central Park

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In my never ending quest to bring you unique and different perspectives of this enchanting 500-year old colonial town which we know as Antigua Guatemala, I bring you this photograph taken by one of my co-workers at Revue Magazine and fellow photograhy enthusiast César Tián. The photo above could be the facing view of the … Read more

San Francisco El Grande Niche

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This niche and statue of San Francisco (Saint Francis) can be found at the entrance of the façade looking north of Iglesia de San Francisco El Grande, that’s the one on 7a calle poniente and 1a avenida, shown a few days ago on Details of San Francisco El Grande Church. Niches are among my favorite … Read more

Typical Kitchen from Antigua Guatemala

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This impeccable colonial style kitchen is found inside the El Sabor del Tiempo restaurant, well it’s actually located all the way on the back of the building, near the actual kitchen they use for the restaurant. This kitchen is actually set as decoration or welcoming vista as you come up to the ático (attic) where … Read more

We’re Women of Maize

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As I said before, it is impossible to think of the Guatemalan, Mexican and Mesoamerican diet without maize. From the Popul Vuh (Popol Wuj in modern spelling), the Mayan equivalent of the Bible, which states that humans were literally created from maize, to Miguel Ángel Asturias‘ novel Hombres de maíz (Men of Maize) which is … Read more

Callejón Los Garcías

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The callejones (alleys) found in many of the villages of La Antigua Guatemala are really narrow, passageways really created, I imagine, as a result of splitting of land through the process of inherence. These alleys are really no wider than six feet at the most. I’ve been photographing many of them found in San Pedro … Read more

Be creative, caption this photo and win

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Suedehead by Morrissey on Grooveshark Let’s do it! The most creative caption will win this photo as a post card mailed through post office in Antigua Guatemala. This time will close the contest after 7 captions, so get yours early on if you want to have a chance a winning. We have done this creative … Read more

Antigua’s Photo Club: Let’s do it!

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I often report on the Club Fotográfico de Antigua Guatemala because I am of the funding members and because many people visiting Antigua Guatemala have interest in photography and many want to connect with other passionate photographers. Also, I report often because I am still amazed how an idea that formed back in 2009 with … Read more

Details of San Francisco El Grande Church

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Without a doubt Iglesia de San Francisco El Grande is one of my favorite churches to photograph. There’s always so much going on there and the fact that inside this temple you can find the remains of Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt makes it even more interesting for people to visit. I also like the … Read more

But People do Carpool in Antigua Guatemala, really!

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Sorry, I don’t want to give the wrong impression about carpooling in Antigua Guatemala and Guatemala in general. Yesterday, when I said there wasn’t carpooling here… I actually meant in this particular instance. Carpooling or motorcycle-pooling is as common here as anywhere else in the world. Carpooling here is done mostly for economic reasons and … Read more

No carpooling here…

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… at least not for these campesinos who every day take their horses up to the rolling hills of Volcán de Agua to tend their crops. One of things I love about living in Antigua Guatemala is the fact that one gets to experience different eras and lifestyles juxtaposed at the same time. As I … Read more

Panoramic Vista of Antigua’s Central Park

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Not even a week had elapsed since I shared with you the incredible vistas from La Casaca as shown on the post Having Breakfast in Antigua Guatemala when my friend Norman Avila decided to come up to the terrace and make this panoramic vista of Parque Central. We should thank Norman for sharing this unique … Read more