Imagine that instead of having a regular glass window, you could have a fish tank window to see your back yard. That is exactly what they sell here. I like how it almost feels like that fish are swimming in the air around the búcaro (new word for you).
It is nice to have a mellow picture to initiate the week; don’t you think so?
June 17th is the date when Father’s Day is celebrated in Guatemala, always on the same date every year.
Many Guatemalan families come to La Antigua Guatemala on the weekends to have breakfast or lunch in one of the many fabulous restaurants around town and to pass a relax day with the family. One the activities may include a horseback ride around Parque Central for the children, while the father or mother walks next to the horse around the block. Or ride for the whole family in one of the many horse-powered carriages.
In the photo above, I was lucky to catch a glimpse of a father carrying his daughter pink backpack while she takes a horseback ride around the Central Park. I wonder what’s inside the backpack? Other aspect worth noting are the bags in the back of the horses; do you know what are they for?
Let it be known that I am not breaking the rules with yet another photo with cats. Even though our little Tito is in the picture (now you have seen all three of our cats: Lolita, Camilo and Tito), really what I want to show you is the pumice-stone blocks which are used to build houses in Guatemala. Also, I want to show you the broken glass, chaye in Guatemalan Spanish, which is put on top walls as protection against burglaries.
So there you have it, as you can see the today’s photo is not about a cat. Now, if you really find Tito more interesting than a grey naked wall, you can click this link to get a close-up portrait of Tito.
I can almost hear the crow grackle yelling Bush is coming, Bush is coming! What a nightmare. Poor bird, it is so exhausted that it needs to take a break and drink some water. Just when you think things can not get any worse, Bush decides to visit Guatemala.
Recent entries about Bush’s visit to Guatemala:
There’s an unspoken rule against publishing photos of your cats on your blog. I am breaking the rules on the request of my lovely sister. Here two my cats: Camilo the large black and cat and Lolita, the little white pussycat in the background. Oh, how I wish I could live worry-free as these two. Both of them were rescued from a no-kill animal shelter by the name of Aware.
Happy Sunday to you and your family.
Too bad this photo is not about a comedy movie. It is the reality of Guatemala; which it seems to drowning under guns. As I said yesterday, Guatemala does not need guns on the streets; or anywhere for the matter. I don’t mean to scare you, but on May 1st, I set myself to tell and show the good, the bad and the ugly about La Antigua Guatemala. In other words, to be as honest as possible about this country and the things that I see and experience. I wanted my eyes to become windows for you to see through and my mind a big black board for you to read.
It was in 1998 that I got to see Men with Guns, thanks to a pair of tickets I received from KPFK, in a nice an comfy theater in Sunset Boulevard. It is one thing to see a movie filled with men and women with guns living and dying through a bloody civil war (an obvious reference to Guatemala, of course) and then to get in to your air-conditioned car and drive to the ’safety’ of your home near the beach. Fast forward to the future or the present, whatever you want to call it. Another thing is to walk a few blocks to see a show with horses and cowboys and be shocked by meeting Real Men with Guns. By the way, these two individuals were not, sadly, the only people with guns.
What is the deal? Why take all the gun power to a family show about horses? The reality of this country makes artistic manifestations pale in comparison. Can art shock us anymore? I believe that the Guatemalan government should buy a few thousand copies of Bowling for Columbine and broadcast it and show it for free around the country. Also, stronger legislation prohibiting guns on the streets is required. Guatemala needs less guns; the world needs less guns.
I captured this image on a show about horses in San Miguel Escobar, a little village just outside La Antigua Guatemala. In the foreground we have an old Guatemalan cowboy showing his horse with pride, while in the background we have a crowd that gather just outside the church to watch the show. The organizers of the show very intelligently set the start of the show right after mass, so they could have a crowd served for them. This is a follow up photograph to Old Guatemalan Folks, in which Jackie commented that these folks “…are not interested in whatever’s going on…” Also, the grandmother and granddaughter that were selling comales a few days ago belong to this series about San Miguel Escobar. There are other images in this series. Stay tune!
On August 12th, the entry about The Dance of the Giants, I mentioned that on the weekends Calle del Arco, Antigua’s most famous and photographed street, becomes a pedestrian strip. It is nice to see dogs and cyclists take advantage of the extra space.
One way to tour La Antigua Guatemala is through the horse-powered carriage rides around town. If you can obviate the buses, the automobiles, the motorcycles, the tuk tuks, in short—all modern vehicles, then you can almost feel like in the 18th century. Now, pull out your digital camera and set it in the sepia mode and shoot away.
I know you are not supposed to post photos of cats on your blog. I am bending the rule here just to bring to you the vista of three hungry cats just moments before lunch. Okay, other people from the Daily Photo Family have clever contests all the time, so, I am having a contest here too.
The person that comes up with the three most original names for the cats will win a post card (either a generic one from Antigua or a photo from this blog turn into a post card, your choice), the Guatemalan postage stamps and a personal hand-written note from me. Let the game begin!
It is Sunday and I figure, a nice mellow and tranquil image might be the recipe for a slow day. I want to thank my friend Daniel Chang, a professional photographer, for pointing out this photo. He said, “look the sky mimics the volcano; there you have a photo for the Antigua DP.” The volcano is Volcán de Agua, which is to the South of the city.
Yesterday 28 people from sister cities around the world posted self-portraits at their favorite places. I did not participated because I try to keep to focus of this blog on La Antigua Guatemala and its people and surroundings, but because I have received an email asking to tell a little about myself, I have decided to make an exception. Sort of, the focus of the photo is still a butterfly. Besides, self-portraits are very difficult and how can one match the powerful image of Edwin at Kuala Lumpur, or the wit of Nuno at Porto; if I was going to do a self-portrait, it would have to be as Chris’ of Newcastle Upon Tyne. Great work done by all the City Daily Photos.
About me: First of all, Lillian made me do it. I have lived in Mexico, the U.S. (this is where I did my high school and college education), and at present in Guatemala. My first language is Spanish (isn’t it obvious through my horrible English). I moved to La Antigua Guatemala in 2002 as part of job offer, which I still do. I work as the Art Director for two magazines published from Antigua. Revue Magazine is a monthly periodical in English, targeted to tourists and the English-language-speaking community in northern Central America. Recrearte Magazine is a Spanish monthly publication which covers the cultural and leisure activities in Antigua and Guatemala City, as well as traditions, interviews, book reviews, etc. all with a local focus. This is how I made you believe I am smart and sharp. I just happen to have access to the great resources these two magazine provide. Both of them are available as PDF downloads.
The rainy season in Guatemala begins in May and after the first few rains, Huge ants start to come out of nowhere. These ants are known locally in Central America as Sompopos. I found a better photo which puts the sompopo in perspective in one newspaper from El Salvador, but I can’t seem to find now. I will update this note as soon as I come across the photo.
Daily Content
Feedback
La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo is published by Rudy Girón and proudly powered by WordPress
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. For republishing inquiries, contact us.