AntiguaDailyPhoto.Com

I promise to stop whining about the rainy season and its washed and gray skies if I am allowed to capture a decent rainy season themed or caused image every once in a while like in these previous posts:

• Almost Perfect
• Daredevil in Antigua Guatemala
• Contemplating the heavy rain
• One Way to the Decisive Moment
• First Official Rain

Boy, I am a sucker for repetition and I can not help myself whenever repetition shows in my viewfinder. I hope you like it when repeat a subject!

In the nine years that I have been living around La Antigua Guatemala I had never seen so much work being done by a municipal administration as with the current City Hall government, especially around the villages which historically are always forgotten in favor of Antigua Guatemala. That’s three different mayors.

Although I did voted for Dr. Adolfo Vivar, the current Mayor, I am happy to say I am glad my vote did interfere with him getting elected. In fact, I am now sure that if my candidate had won it would had been bad for La Antigua Guatemala. I would never put mis manos al fuego (my hands on fire) for any politician, but I have no trouble admitting I casted my vote the wrong way. Neither I have issues with pointing out that someone is doing a good job or the opposite.

I have mentioned already a few times how impress I am with all the work being done by the current administration, so I felt validated in my perception when I heard Elizabeth Bell mentioned that the current mayor is the best one she’s seen in 40 plus years. Elizabeth Bell is the person behind Elizabeth Bell“>Antigua Tours and a very vocal member of the citizen watchdog group Salvemos Antigua, an organization working hard and trying to save the city.

Of course the current administration also has its detractors and be sure I will let you about them like I have done in the past with Market Marchers Manifestation, New Closing Time City Ordinances and Antigua’s New Parking Fees Explained, just to name a few articles.

Every time I see my taxes hard at work esbozo una sonrisa, I smily faintly! Wouldn’t you?

What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient… highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it’s almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed – fully understood – that sticks; right in there somewhere. (source: Inception quotes at IMDb)

The scientific study of human evolution places the anatomically modern humans in Africa about 195,000 years ago. The research also located the origin of modern human migration in south-western Africa, near the coastal border of Namibia and Angola. (source: Human evolution at Wikipedia)

As we can see the idea to immigrate took hold almost at the origin of Homo sapiens and if it wasn’t for this resilient idea we would not exist today. To deny immigration is to deny our own humanity. To criminalize immigration is to prosecute the original idea that took us the every corner of the world.

Why are some people so afraid of immigrants? Why is xenophobia in vogue and tolerated?

Immigrants remittances are shaping the landscape of Mesoamerica with houses and constructions built upon the dreams and hard work of people in search of a better life for their families.

Why are so many people from Central America looking for a better life somewhere else? Is life elsewhere? What are some of the causes for this massive immigration? Who is responsible and who’s accountable for the Central American diaspora?

I wish I knew some of the answers… I wish!

Not too long ago I visited the exhibit Arquitectura de Remesas, an anthropological, architectonic and photographic study of how immigrants remittances are shaping the landscape in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

Of course, many people think immigrants are criminals and/or illegal aliens without realizing that immigrants are just people with dreams of a better life, just like anybody’s ancestors.

As I said before in Casa Antigüeña: The Terrace, “from the attic, it is only a matter of a few steps to reach the terrace or perhaps veranda would be more appropriate term.

Since the weather in La Antigua Guatemala is Spring-like year round, well it only makes sense to make the terrace or veranda accessible through stairways. From the terraces of the Casa Antigüeña you can get panoramic views of the volcanoes around Antigua. As of matter of fact, in many listings for rent or sell of houses around Antigua, you often find the “panoramic view of volcanoes” among the top selling arguments.”

Today while doing some banking mandados, errands, out of curiosity I ask if they already had the brand new Q200 bill (200 quetzals is about US$25). The bank teller told they only had one to show people what the new bill look like and asked me if I would like to see it? Sure, I replied. The bill was handed to me and no sooner I was taking a picture with the iPhone for my new blog Diarios del Móvil (mobile phone diaries); a repository for the instant polaroids I am capturing with my mobile phone camera. I had time to take two shots when the teller asked if I wanted to take the brand new Q200 bill with me? Sure, why not I uttered.

That’s how I became one of the first people in La Antigua Guatemala to have a Q200 bill. What’s the big deal I hear you say. Well, for starters, this is the first time Guatemala puts a bill over Q100 in circulation; first time ever!

Beginning on Monday 23, 2010 the National Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) introduced a new Q200 bill into circulation. As far as I know, this is the first time that 200 quetzales bill will circulate in Guatemala. Below you click on the thumbnails to see the front and back of the new bill. Further down is a short video clip in Spanish which summarizes the features and details of the new Q200 bank note. There’s also a PDF file with an extensive review of the billete de Q200 [4.9MB PDF download].

There are days in La Antigua Guatemala that are almost perfect, even during the rainy season. However, most days of the rainy season are dull and grey, photographically speaking. Still, one must try to get the best of what’s available.

According to Foursquare, I hold more mayorships than anyone in La Antigua Guatemala, including the current elected Mayor, Dr. Vivar.

So, I believe I should be able to change the official slogan of the city from Ciudad de las perpetuas rosas (City of the perpetual roses) to Ciudad de las fuentes (City of fountains); don’t you agree? Just take a look at the Fountains and Gardens category to get a sampling of the many fountains found through out the city.

New Blog and Twitter presence of Municipalidad de La Antigua Guatemala Aside: Finally the Municipalidad de La Antigua Guatemala is sporting new presence in Twitter as well as a new website. If you are in Twitter you can follow @MunideAntigua for all the latest official buzz.

Now, the new web site found at MunicipalidadAntiguaGuatemala.com leaves much to be desired. The new web site is poorly executed, with awkward navigation, horrible animations, partially translated into Spanish menus and a poor structure all around. There is no English version of the website to better serve its foreign community. In my humble opinion, the new web site is almost as bad as the one it replaces.

Of course, the Twitter page has not even been modified to make it look like the official presence of La Antigua Guatemala Municipal government.

I believe that beyond the Twitter presence, the Municipalidad would serve better its citizens if they had a page in Facebook. If the Municipalidad intended to have a social media presence, they are lacking some of basic social media networks.

Furthermore, it’s my professional opinion that the Municipalidad de La Antigua Guatemala was poorly advised regarding its web site, its Twitter account, its new domain, et cetera.

Yes, even the new domain is the wrong choice. Instead of having a FREE or inexpensive .GOB.GT domain they have a U.S. commercial domain. Instead of having something simple as AntiguaGuatemala.gob.gt they have this cumbersome municipalidadantiguaguatemala.com business domain.

Nevertheless, I welcome the new steps the Municipalidad is taken to have a better web presence and communication with its citizens and the world. I just hope next time they hire someone with sufficient experience and knowledge to give them the website and presence that will benefit its citizens the most.

You know La Antigua Guatemala is a cosmopolitan town the moment Baltika beer specials are found in the local supermarket. That’s right Baltika No. 7 beer is on special 2×1 for Q12.95/$1.65 at La Bodegona. It’s time to stock up on Russian beer supplies since with all this rain you’ll never know if it’s the end of the world as we know it.

This is the second time Baltika beer appears in AntiguaDailyPhoto, when was the first time and what was the post about?

We are so lucky in Guatemala to have an abundant supply of fresh and colorful vegetables all year long. This colorful side dish, for instance, can be had any time of the year for a few quetzales.
Read the rest of this entry »

Remolachas, beets, are another staple of the Guatemalan gastronomy. You will find often in salads, as a side dish, in curtido (pickled salad), in Guatemalan enchiladas and even in Fiambre.

In what other Guatemalan dishes can we find remolachas?

Three simple shots of fountains found inside the patios of Casa Santo Domingo. In the picture above I decided to freeze the water in mid air to show the distinct drops. In the pictures below I went to opposite way and smooth the flow of water to show its movement. I played with running water without getting wet.

Mi Aldea Lancetillo Photo Exhibit Aside: Four members of the Club Fotográfico de Antigua went to Lancetillo to teach teen agers how to use cameras and photograph their reality.

Celebrate the vision of young Guatemala featuring the work of Project Einstein participants. Through six weeks of intensive training in the Zona Reyna, over 70 Q’eqchi’ Maya youth learned the basics of the photography, video and new media to tell the stories of their community, the flyer invitation reads.

The young photographers work is compiled and synthesized in the Mi aldea Lancetillo photo exhibit, which will open tomorrow at 6pm in Convento de Santa Clara, right across from Tanque de La Unión.

The Photo Exhibition will be open until September 17, 2010.

If you’re in Guatemala and can spare an hour, stop by the opening night and meet a few of the kids and members of the Club Fotográfico de Antigua who supported this photo exhibit through donations and logistics.

I share with you one the slide shows they did with the photographs taken by the Guatemalan youths. You can watch the other videos at the special page created by HablaGuate as well read all the background information. Also, you can read the name of all the people and sponsors at the Lancetillo web page. Flyer and video are a courtesy of HablaGuate.

In my quest to bring you the most complete photographic library of the people, things and events that you may encounter while visiting or living in La Antigua Guatemala I have set myself to include more photos of tourist and traveler stamps since they represent an omnipresent vista in town.

For instance, almost everyday you can see tourists set against a wall or in a restaurant checking their paper travel guides to get an overview of things to do in La Antigua Guatemala.

Paper travel guides will always be outdated for sure, I know now since I often see how often things change in La Antigua Guatemala.

A web site like AntiguaDailyPhoto will be a better resource, I believe, for travelers in the near future since it’s updated often and because of its multimedia content. I know some of you already use AntiguaDailyPhoto as a travel guide since you mentioned it to me in your emails and comments.

If you have used AntiguaDailyPhoto as a travel guide for the things to do and see in Antigua Guatemala, would you please share it in the comments. Thanks!

In the previous century it was common knowledge that one could identify the provenance of the Maya people in Guatemala, especially women, by their corte and güipil (skirt and blouse). Pan-Mayanism is changing this at such fast rate that in just a few years the Maya will mix and match textiles from all over the Mayan world and it will be impossible to apply the outdated and expired canons. In La Antigua Guatemala this mixing and matching is already true. Of course, textiles and Maya weaving is only one aspect of Pan-Mayanism, the most obvious perhaps, but only one facet of this movement.

Looking for other aspects of Pan-Mayanism I found the entitled Pan-Maya Ideology and Bilingual Education in Yucatan [PDF file] which shows how this movement is all over the Mayab (Mayan world). Below I share with you an excerpt of the above essay to

Pan-Maya ideology is the conscious construction of a local identity in the Maya area with connections to other Maya groups in Chiapas, Guatemala, Belize, and the United States. Pan-Maya ideology is much more associated with the highlands, especially the highlands of Guatemala…

Pan-Maya ideology is a relatively new political direction for revitalizing Maya identity in the world of the Maya…

I also found a reference to “Becoming Maya in San Francisco: The Redefinition of a Pan-Maya Identity among Guatemalan Refugees,” American Anthropological Association, San Francisco, published in December 1992, but I was not able to find the document (at leat for now).

Perhaps I need a follow up article to expand in the subject, what do you say, does pan-Mayanism interests you?