The Maya represent a culture that demonstrates how tradition and technology can thrive together. This Maya woman, dressed in the traditional Mayan falda – or skirt – fills the tank of her scooter at a local gas station: Guatemala truly is the “Land of Contrasts.” I love what it symbolizes… progression without losing the rich attributes of the past.

text and photo by Laura McNamara

Women. They are the subject of these pictures. Why? The gruesome brutality hasn’t stopped. In fact, it has barely dipped. The Latin American Herald Tribune reports that 708 women were violently murdered in Guatemala in 2009. That figure is down compared to the 773 reported violent deaths in 2008, but not by much. There is simply no justice:

According to activist Norma Cruz, who heads the Survivors Foundation that provides help for abused women in Guatemala, no plans exist to guarantee women’s safety. In a statement to reporters, Cruz said that more security agents are needed in areas considered extremely dangerous for women. The activist regretted that even though police and prosecutors nab the aggressors, the courts tend to free them with such substitute measures as letting them out on bail. Guatemala is second in the world in murders of women after Russia, which posts more than 10,000 crimes against women, according to the Human Rights Prosecutor’s Office. Source: Latin American Herald Tribune

Second in the world in murders of women. Jarring. Disheartening. I briefly touched upon this issue in an article I wrote for Revue Magazine. Las Gravileas is a school for low-income women that not only teaches women a wealth of technical skills and business skills, but one that also stresses the importance and value a women plays in her family and community. So, unlike traditional media where only the disappointing statistics are reported, I would like to point readers to a positive response. I would like to offer an opportunity for becoming a part of the solution. Read about Las Gravileas, and, if you dare, become a part of the solution by donating or, better yet, getting involved. (Contact me for more information… if you dare.)

The Guardians of Las Gravileas

A project where women serve their sisters…

The center’s name is symbolic. In a country where coffee represents approximately 10 percent of the gross domestic income, the gravilea tree provides a critical, protective canopy for the shade-loving plant. Just as the gravilea tree provides this fundamental necessity for the cultivation of coffee, so, too, is Las Gravileas meant to offer a protective, nurturing environment for women of every background and ethnicity.

“It’s a name that represents receiving, taking care of, and supporting the growth of a woman,” Project Manager Dalila de Montoya says. The keys to achieving this ideal environment, she adds, are education and training.

Las Gravileas is defined as a center for the promotion and technical training of artisan women. The project offers a large assortment of instruction, ranging from textiles, piñata making and ceramic molding and painting to cooking and baking, basic literacy, business studies and more… continue reading the entire article at Revue Magazine.

Also remember to visit the Survivors Foundation“>Survivors Foundation website. Norma Cruz has just been named Person of the Year 2009 by the Guatemalan national newspaper the Prensa Libre. Contacting her or her organization would also be a great start to becoming a part of the solution.

The women in these pictures are from Santa Caterina Polopó and San Antonio Polopó at Lake Atitán – just a few hours drive from La Antigua Guatemala. Instead of thinking of statistics, think of them and the thousands like them. Beautiful Maya women. Maya mothers, sisters, daughters… whose lives are being violently taken at alarming rates. And for what? A lack of education in their communities. A lack of interest by anyone else.

I leave you with a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller – hoping it will help instill you to go beyond reading the facts and statics, hoping it will urge you to act.

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

text and photos by Laura McNamara

The most obvious draw to dining at Café Sky is the view. Those camped out on the restaurant’s rooftop terrace can spot Volcanoes, Cerro de la Cruz, Tanque de la Unión and the Church of San Fransisco El Grande (pictured) from the high vantage point. A local magazine even claims the restaurant has the best view of La Antigua. I think that is arguable to Cerro de la Cruz, El Sereno and some private residential houses with excellent views that I’ve had the lucky pleasure of knowing, but the vista is stunning nonetheless.

Yet, aside from the view, the restaurant has, what is for me, “hands down” the best Michelada in town. That is, the best kind with the tomato-hot sauce mix. There is another kind that uses just lime, salt and Worcestershire sauce expertly applied to your can of beer, but for the full out Michelada mix, Cafe Sky is it.

I also fancy their breaded mushroom dish… wow, now I’m hungry!

text and photos by Laura McNamara

I spent four months in La Antigua before I finally ventured to Mesón Panza Verde, one of the most renowned restaurants in La Antigua Guatemala. Yoga classes are what drew me… and I finally learned what the hype is all about. The restaurant/hotel is a stunning old house of brick, stone and fine wood. Plants seem to spill from the walls and ledges in various courtyards. Provoking art is scattered everywhere. Much of the art is created by the owner, yet the work of many other artists is often featured and displayed as well. At night, the dining room is lit in the glow of soft candlelight. The first night I dined there, my friend and I chose the table next to the floor-to-ceiling wine rack – imagining for a second it was all ours. Hehehe.

You can also dine in a stone “den” where live Cuban music is hosted on Friday nights. A long sliver of water shimmers in the rays of light that spill through openings in the stone “den” during the days. I tried escargot for the first time at Panza Verde. The butter sauce the juicy snails were smothered in was delicious. My favorite food that I’ve tried at Panza Verde, however, is the Camembert cheese with raspberry sauce. ¡Qué rico!

Follow a winding stone staircase laced in ivy in the front courtyard and you’ll find a charming terrace with hammocks, a small little art gallery beneath the traditional colonial cupola. Wander on and discover another, larger room that serves as yet another place to display art as well as the yoga studio. In this room, you’ll also delight in a great view of another Panza courtyard below. Venture up yet another staircase – this one iron – to find yet another terrace that places you at eye-level with the rooftops, everything still adorned in lush green plants and bright colorful flowers. Continuing on, over a little rooftop “bridge,” you can rest on one of several stone benches, carved in ornate decoration.

text and photos by Laura McNamara

The entire property of Espacioce! or the Centro de Cooperación de la Formación Española is impressive. Yet, many never venture beyond the ruins outside to discover the impressive rows of arches that enclose a grand expanse of manicured lawn inside the Compañía de Jesús building. The first courtyard is centered around a typical Antigueño fountain that sits amid a sea of bright green grass. Rest on the benches to enjoy the soft sound of the water. Then, glance up to appreciate the rich, wrap-around, wooden balcony on the second level.

The next courtyard is outlined in yellow, with bright pink flowers perched on windowsills high above. Below the terraces and balconies are rooms filled with art or with books. Many don’t know that the cultural center hosts an extensive library.

The center hosts a free cultural movie every Wednesday and one of my favorite photo expositions – Laberintos III – just wrapped up. A few weeks ago Espacioce! hosted a flamenco show outside, in the shadow of ancient ruins.

Does anyone else take advantage of the art and cultural events hosted at Espacioce!? What have been some of your favorites?

text and photos by Laura McNamara

To be honest, I’m not a huge meat eater. Yet, I’m not a vegetarian either. I will splurge every once in a while on a “meat feast” and one of my favorite places to go is a little known restaurant perched on the side of the road on the way to Lake Atitlán.

La Colina is little more than a wooden shack and that is precisely what’s so delightful about it. Pulling off to the side of the road, you step out into the crisp, cool air, greet the family and order the traditional plate of juicy chorizo. In moments the air beneath the little wooden shelter fills with a hearty smoke, rich with the succulent smells of the sausage. The meal arrives on a wooden plate with grilled potato, grilled spring onions, black beans, and Guatemala’s infamously pungent cheese. Lime, salsa, salt and picante are also provided to garnish the meal to your liking. Of course, freshly made tortillas are part of the experience. But, these tortillas are extra special – they’re my favorite, the blue ones! I always order the rich, cinnamon flavored hot chocolate to warm my hands and my belly as I impatiently wait for my food. I delight in the little clay cups that the hot chocolate comes in – formed in an ancient shape meant to lock in the warmth.

I first discovered La Colina when a friend called me up and asked if I wanted to go out for lunch. Thinking he meant eating out in a restaurant here in La Antigua Guatemala (LAG), I obliged and had no idea I was up for the wonderful little road trip, little more than a half hour outside La Antigua. The drive to get there is just as much a part of the experience. Every once in a while it is nice to escape the colonial town of LAG and venture out into the surrounding rolling hills. The road winds up and around until you suddenly find yourself passing through small mountains, with valleys dipping below a sky blanketed in puffy clouds that appear close enough to caress.

text and photos by Laura McNamara

One of the things I look forward to most when venturing out on a little jaunt outside of La Antigua is elote. There is a strip along the road that heads to Chimaltenango that is lined with Maya women fanning their grilled corn, waving drivers to stop for a quick roadside treat. You can find elote in La Antigua Guatemala (LAG), but the traditional munchie just seems a bit more rico when you’re in the car driving through the rural highlands surrounding LAG. And talk about an excellent alternative to fast food. I wish I could drive down the highway in the U.S. and quickly pull through a drive-through for a freshly grilled elote instead of greasy, stale french fries!

It’s also fun to think about the tradition behind the Maya and their connection to corn as you get elote caught in your teeth. According to Popol Vuh —a sacred book that is casually referred to as the Maya Bible— the first man and woman were made from corn. Thus, corn is a huge part of the Maya culture and diet. Unfortunately, corn has predominated the diet of the poorer populations so much that they lack vital variance in nutrients due to their reliance on the staple crop.

text and photos by Laura McNamara

From the self-portrait above it’s obvious I was in quite the “alternative art” mood. But, being at my third art exposition for the night, I couldn’t help it. Saturday was a whirlwind of creative stimulation. First, the “Laberinto de Miradas. Colectivos Fotográficos en Iberoamérca” exposition at the Centro Cultural de España. Next, the grand opening of El Carmen Galería de Arte. Finally, Bill Ipsan’s urban art presentation in Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.

As a photographer myself, all this art most absolutely stoked the flames of my own creative fire. Charged with inspiration, I couldn’t take my hand off the shutter all night. Even though most of the time the light was terrible, I still had to try every idea that flashed through my mind. For me, viewing others’ art makes me feel as if my own creativity is free to be well… more free. Witnessing the work of someone who took a risk to express themselves – sometimes in a most vulnerable way, gives me a confidence-boost to do the same.

Thus, this self-portrait of me viewing a series of portraits of autistic children is one of the results of my “shutter-binge” Saturday night.

text and photo by Laura McNamara

The warning came from behind: “Please, we’re really not supposed to be taking photos of the art here.” I had just snapped this picture when I spun around to see who was trying to tell ME not to take photos.

“Hi, I’m Bill Ipsan and I’d prefer if the artwork was not photographed.” Ah, the artist. Little did he know that I was taking photos for my new project ArteAntigua.com – an effort to round up all the fun, crazy things happening with art here in Antigua and post information about it in one central website. But, I just shrugged and said “Okay…“ I had already captured some good shots and I knew that the one I just took was the “it” photo that I would end up taking at the exhibit anyway. It was too spontaneously perfect.

“So what do you do?” Ipsan warmly inquired. He obviously didn’t want to come across as an artist prick because it was obvious that’s not who he was… and I can certainly understand an artist protecting his art.

“I’m a journalist,” I confidently shot back.

“Oh well! If it’s for journalism feel free to take as many photos as you want!” It looks like Billy was a fan of promoting his work. Jejejeje. The spoils of being a journalist! There are times I’ve marched right into backstage declaring: “Journalist!” Works most of the time.

Anyway, Ipsan was an “absolute charmer,” as my painter friend Geovany Flores put it. I’d have to agree. Ipsan is super “amable.” I explained my new project to him and he quickly offered to get together for a proper interview. Ipsan’s work is being displayed in Hotel Casa Santo Domingo and the artist will be here for about another month. You can learn more through my interview with him on ArteAntigua.com.

text and photo by Laura McNamara

This is just one of those rare shots you get when the opportunity strikes. I was scrolling through my email when my roommate suddenly burst out laughing. I looked up to find the house cat, “Gringo,” cruelly toying with its newfound prey… a lagartija, or lizard. The cat had wounded the pour creature and was simply reveling in torturing it: pouncing on it and sending it quickly scrambling nowhere fast on the slick, tiled floor. While I felt sorry for it, my photographer-instinct flared and instead of saving it, I photographed it. I couldn’t pass up the rare opportunity to take a photo of an animal that is usually too wily for humans to get so close. Unfortunately, the light was terrible. Still, I think I still managed to get a pretty cool shot!

text and photos by Laura McNamara

Sweet. Refreshing. Natural. Licuados are one of those treats that truly define a Guatemalan experience. The blended fruit drinks can be found most anywhere in La Antigua from fancy restaurants to local, hole-in-the-wall comedors… and I absolutely LOVE them. They are nothing more than fruit blended with your choice of water, milk, yogurt and, sometimes, orange juice. Often, sugar is added but I always ask for mine to come “sin azucar.” Usually fruit here in Guate is so perfectly ripe (as you can see from the pics) that any added sweetner would be too much… at least for me. So what is it, exactly, that makes licuados so addictive?

The idea of what are essentially smoothies is certainly nothing new to me, a U.S.-native. But, where I’m from in the Midwest, they just aren’t so prevalent. Here, in Guate, there is truly a licuado culture, a licuado craze even. It’s just as common to suggest to a friend to “let’s go grab a licuado” as it is to suggest meeting for a coffee. And this licuado culture has taught me to be more creative with my own smoothie concoctions. Never had I heard using papaya, honeydew or watermelon in a blended drink before coming to Central America… and now those are my top three favorites. Just the other day, the woman whom I rented a room from threw starfruit mixed with orange in her own, homemade version. It tasted quite “rico” as well.

It’s safe to say I’m addicted to these treats. I used to go hunker down to work online at Rainbow Café just so I could sip on a papaya-yogurt licuado while tackling my “to-do list.” It didn’t take me long to find the cheapest licuados in town though. At the market, you can usually order a licuado with water for Q7. At El Merendor it will cost you Q8. Looking for a spot more “oriente” go to Cookies where a licuado with water also costs Q7. Just add a quetzal or two for anything blended with milk or yogurt. Anywhere else, licuados usually cost around Q15 to Q20.

text and photos by Laura McNamara

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So who’s fit to go on such a daredevil adventure of soaring like a bird? Antigua Canopy Tours assures that anyone from the age of five an older can go, provided the participant possesses a reasonably healthy physical condition. That means even toddlers and grandparents can “fly” if they’re brave enough. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent or someone else responsible for their care. Children under 120 cm in height (about 47 in.) can “fly” while physically attached to a guide. That being said, Antigua Canopy Tours Manager Pascu Robredo broke the rules just a bit and sent his 2 ½ year-old daughter on a solo “flight.” How did she do? Check out the video below:

That wraps up the series on Antigua Canopy Tours. Again, a huge thanks to Rudy and Manager Pascu Robredo!

text by Laura McNamara and photo by Pascu Robredo

Antigua Canopy Tours isn’t just about the unique experience of gliding… it’s about gliding through a tropical rainforest or cloud forest canopy. It’s about experiencing nature in an unforgettable way.

Finca Filadelfia operates over a sprawling 750 acres, 660 of which are used for farming. One-fourth of the farm is strictly preserved as an ecological reserve area and another similar area is dedicated to reforestation programs. Ninety-six percent of the farmed land is protected by trees, creating a unique ecological habitat. This is important, the operation says, for growing their “cash crop:” coffee.

“The art of high quality coffee production demands a profound respect and understanding of the coffee plants and the ecosystems where it thrives. In order to produce the best coffee in the world, we must create a special ecosystem termed ‘agroecosystem’ where coffee can express its potential quality as well as preserve the environment.”

As a result, hundreds of birds can be found nesting within the grounds of Finca Filadelfia making it a prime location for bird watching. More than 130 different species of birds can be found on the farm, 30 of which are endemic species including exotic hummingbirds, jays, hawks, and cuckoos.

As part of the canopy tour, visitors will get to observe both flora and fauna at high altitudes, not to mention the excellent views of La Antigua Guatemala and surrounding communities: San Juan del Obispo, San Felipe de Jesús, Ciudad Vieja and other “aldeas.” Aside from coffee, I spotted olive trees, avocado trees, Gravileas and more on my tour. Needless to say, if you’re not up for darting through the trees like a bird the Forest Trail option is more than worth your while.

text and photo by Laura McNamara

“The three most important factors for the canopy tour are security, a family-oriented experience and promoting nature,” Antigua Canopy Tours Manager Pascu Robredo asserts.

And man do they take security seriously. Before obtaining permission to participate in the canopy adventure visitors are asked a series of questions about their health to ensure they are in suitable condition to “fly” among the treetops. Pregnant women, for example, are discouraged from participating. The adventure company asks for visitors to please advise their guides of any special health issues, incapacities, etc… such as heart problems, epilepsy, asthmatic problems and/or problems with equilibrium. Furthermore, each participant is required to sign a waiver before his/her “flights.”

The guides that lead visitors are trained in the specialized techniques required for helping the participants swing through the canopy, from one platform to the other. When visitors arrive at the first platform (see El Santuario) the guides give a thorough explanation of the correct way to soar: legs up, knees bent, rocking back slightly in your harness. With your stronger hand reach back behind your head and loosely form an “O” around the cable with your thumb and index finger. With your weaker hand grasp the lowest clip (attached to your harness) by reaching your index finger through the loop and wrapping the rest of your hand around the clip. Visitors remain connected to either a cable or a tree platform for the entire duration of the adventure in order to safeguard against falls or minor accidents of any kind. The guides, most of whom speak both Spanish and English, are also qualified in First Aid care, CPR and vertical rescue.

As mentioned in the Constructing a Canopy Course post, the tracks themselves are constructed with a double-cable that can hold five times more than the allotted weight. And again, only professional, internationally recognized equipment is used, such as PETZL and PMI.

Antigua Canopy Tours has an emergency protocol in place and the business conducts regular inspections of the maintenance of the track and the equipment used. I personally witnessed one of my guides “Tono” marking a permanently placed inspection sheet located on the course. All participants, visitors and guides alike, are required to wear a helmet while enjoying the canopy adventure. You can spot the guides by the red helmets they wear. Visitors wear white.

Visitors should consider the natural environment of the tour when dressing for the adventure. High heels are absolutely prohibited. Pants, a T-shirt and athletic shoes or secured sandals are recommended (flip flops are also prohibited). In case of rain, visitors are recommended to bring protective rain cover. Antigua Canopy Tours asks for participants to refrain from smoking while on the tour and advises visitors not to wear insect repellent to ensure their safety while secured to a harness.

Antigua Canopy Tours outlines several other requirements regarding physical fitness. Basically, you should be up for a slight, minimally strenuous hike. You might not want to go if you are one to seriously freak because of heights. A little apprehension is normal, but don’t go if you can’t chill on a tree-mounted platform that sits several meters from the ground. Nonetheless, Antigua Canopy Tours says a fear of heights is something their guides are prepared to mitigate. The adventure company assures that their canopy course is an exciting adventure that all must experience.

text and photos by Laura McNamara

“We could see the topography was just perfect,” Victor Gallo confidently asserted. Victor Gallo is the expert Antigua Canopy Tours hired to construct its professional and secure canopy zipline course. Gallo says the terrain is ripe with dense oak trees, which is crucial. Hardwood trees are an absolute necessity when constructing a canopy tour because the cables can and do place a considerable amount of stress on the trees: literally TONS of stress in fact.

Built as a double-cable course Gallo says the canopy adventure of Antigua Canopy Tours can hold up to 500 lbs, while still maintaining a safety margin of five to one. What that means is the system is five times stronger than the maximum weight (500 lbs). Gallo says each cable can support 25,000 lbs of tension – that’s 25 tons. So in order to remain within the five to one safety margin that means 5,000 lbs, or 5 tons, of tension can be safely applied to the system. Yet, on average, a person uses just 3,000 to 3,500 lbs (3 to 3.5 tons) of tension. The system, Gallo says, is well above the margin.

The extent of stress and tension used when visitors soar across the treetops is why hardwood trees are so critical for the operation. Oak and Holm oak are commonly used trees in canopy tours that are constructed at a higher altitude. Conacaste trees, also known as Elephant’s Ear, are commonly used for canopy courses in lower, tropical climates.

Gallo and his crew don’t bolt a cable to just any hardwood tree, however. After identifying several possible candidates in an ideal landing zone, Gallo calls in a dendrologist – a tree surgeon or tree specialist. By considering the size and volume of the tree and inspecting the condition of the tree’s roots, the dendrologist determines if a tree is suitable for use in the canopy tour circuit.

Next, the crew wired up the course with specialized, Vectran fiber cables (known for their strength and durability in high temperatures) in the Forest Express course. They use a 1/2 inch thick cable (for extra long tracks) in the Canyon Express course. Can you imagine how, exactly, canopy course riggers can string more than 500 meters of cable across a ravine? Gallo says he uses a crossbow. First, his crew will launch a thin line from the crossbow. Gallo said the longest track in the Antigua Canopy Tours course (520 meters) took about 15 shots. Then, after untangling the line from forest foliage when necessary and attaching it to the selected trees, Gallo’s team will use the thin line to pull a thicker, stronger line across the length of the track. Next, they use the thicker line to string up a heavier rope (about 11 mm in diameter). Finally, they use the heavy rope to pull across first one, then two strong cables that will be used for transporting visitors through the treetop adventure at Finca Filadelfia.

Gallo and his crew choose to bolt the cables to the tree versus wrapping them around the trunks like some other operations. Gallo explains that bolting the cable is better for a couple of reasons. First, he says, attaching the cable in this way is like giving the tree a piercing. In time, the tree will heal around the “piercing” with a scar-like response. However, Gallo says if a cable is wrapped around the trunk, it will eventually end up strangling the tree as it tries to grow and its trunk attempts to expand.

As a current member of the ACCT (Association of Challenge Course Technology), Gallo has more than 6 ½ years of experience of installing canopy courses through his company Adventure Playground. Plus, the El Salvador native (but Costa Rican resident) can boast many more years of climbing experience – he began climbing when he attended university in Colorado. His rigging work isn’t limited just to canopy and ropes courses though. Gallo has also constructed special rigging operations for various commercial and movie sets. Furthermore, the adventure ace owns his own bungee operation, Tropical Bungee, in Costa Rica. I think it’s safe to say that Gallo is quite the revered expert.

And, he acts like one. Gallo insists on stressing safety guidelines and standards when constructing his courses. He became a member of the ACCT five years ago and, with his expertise, he managed to spearhead the creation of a new committee within the association that was focused primarily on canopy courses. In January of this year, newer, more complete ACCT standards were created specifically for canopy tour operations. This was important, Gallo says, because “the idea of actually traveling through the forest is kind of a different one,” from what the association was used to considering. Canopy courses use much longer ziplines than challenge courses. And dismounting platforms did not previously exist with the smaller challenge course operations. Plus, Gallo says it’s important to have a set of standards with which to comply:

“Anybody can hook a cable to a tree without knowing what they’re doing, without knowing anything about angles and strengths,” Gallo said.

Gallo has experienced and constructed his fair share of canopy tours. One aspect of Antigua Canopy Tours that really stands out for him, though, is the UNIMOG. Both experiences compliment each other well the rigger said.

As far as the fear factor? Gallo says canopy tours can be fun for all ages and, he believes that most have already experienced something similar.

“I think everyone as a child has had a zipline experience in one way or another,” Gallo said. “Maybe a swing rope or something. And for people to travel up high through the forest and experience that feeling of flight through the canopy is really unique. What’s great is anybody can do it no matter age, size or physical condition.”

Canopy tours have been operating as an adventure course for tourists since 1997. So just what, exactly, prompted someone to think, ‘Hey! I’m going to string hundreds of meters of cable between two trees so I can glide over the forest!” Can you imagine being the very first to try? The idea was born when a Costa Rican biologist wanted to move about among the canopies of trees he was researching – sixty percent or more of tropical wildlife makes its home in the canopy. Thus, Donald Perry began building bridges and various cable routes that comprise what is called a Tyrolean Traverse. A canopy tour is constructed with a series of these very Tyrolean Traverses that are installed at a slight angle.

text by Laura McNamara and photos by Pascu Robredo