AntiguaDailyPhoto.Com

There are two means of refuge from the misery of life — music and cats. —Albert Schweitzer

You know that I am always trying to bring you first and foremost all the different art manifestations that emerge from Guatemala as soon as I detect them. Music, of course, is quite possibly my favorite if not necessary means of refuge and that’s why music is the one art manifestation that I share the most.

Today’s image is good representation of the vernacular graphic art of Guatemala and part of another documentary project which I hope to launch sometime this year: Guatemala Gráfica, a compilation of Guatemala’s vernacular graphic identity and humor. The image above is also a good introduction to the song Ya cayó el 20 (The 20 has fallen) by Sativo Warriorcandela a song inspired on the Mayan calendar which later this year, December 21, 2012, has the end of era and the beginning of another.

The song below is also a very representation of the fusion that happens in Guatemala or Guatemaya everyday, take cumbia, reggae, son, and sing in Maya, Spanish and English with the rhythm of the Garifuna of Guatemala and you get a piece that is very difficult to classify; in other words, Guatemala pura. Enjoy!

All the way from Guatemaya, 13 energies 20 nahuals, Babylon is ending, Babylon is falling, Babylon is dying… 13 moons has began…

As in previous years, once again I had the opportunity to attend one of the jazz recitals of the 12th International Jazz Festival at the Compañía de Jesús atrium. The Edgar Dorantes Quartet from Xalapa, Veracruz ignited the chilly night with a wonderful performance, a mixture of tried-and-tested classic pieces, latin jazz pieces and original material. This year the Festival Internacional de Jazz expanded to include performances in the cities of Antigua Guatemala, Cobán, Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango (Xela).

As some of you might recall, I love photographing concerts because of the colorful spot light and the play of light and shadows.

I took about 36 photographs and a few video clips, I am sharing three more images below and the closing Thelonious Monk piece. If you’re in Xela this Saturday (March 17), make sure you go see the Edgar Dorantes Quartet at the Teatro Municipal; the entrance will be free.

If you’re in Guatemala right now, don’t miss the remaining performances for this upcoming week. The 12 Festival Internacional de Jazz will close on Saturday, March 24.

As every Friday at 4 p.m. the municipal band delighted us with a recital of live music. Also, every time I watch or listen to the municipal band I am reminded of the film The Band’s Visit, a co-production between Israel and Egypt. I recommend that you watch the film if you get a chance.

Sem você nem tristeza teremos
Pra nos lamentar
Sem você nem morrer de saudade
Nem mesmo chorar
Pois não há chorar

E o amor?
O amor desaparecerá.
E o amor?
Da lembrança ninguém nem se lembrará
E o amor?
Se perder ninguém mais vai no olhar
E o amor?
Palavra vazia ninguém mais namorará
Namorará
Namorara

…

Without the letter “A”

Without you we won’t even have sadness
To lament.
Without you, no longing till death
Or even weeping
For there is no weeping
And love?
Love will disappear.
And love?
No one will remember to remember.
And love?
If it’s lost, no one will be moved to move by a glance.
And love?
Empty word no one will make
Will make love
Will make love
Will make love

(From a children’s stage-play by Elifas Andreato called Sem Você não “A”, in which the letter “A” runs away from the alphabet. -Zé)

This song appears in Tom Ze’s album “The Hips Of Tradition” recorded in 1992.

In the recording of this song also participated two american musicians, David Byrne with his 12-string acoustic guitar and Greg Cohen playing bass. (source: Luis Samayoa)

In Guatemala Valentine’s Day has a much wider meaning since Día del cariño, Day of affection or caring, is about celebrating all the different manifestations of love and caring.

Let the Blues Brothers bring the message of Día del cariño on the eve of this special date in Guatemala because everybody needs somebody to love; don’t you agree?

Calle del Arco is the place to be on the weekends in Antigua Guatemala if you want to listen to live music. For sure you can find live marimba music, either Maya or traditional Guatemalan songs, but sometimes you find blues, jazz or urban rock ensembles. This was the case for the past weekend.

Below you can watch a short video clip, if you can provide the name of the song, you win a post card. Good luck! (more…)

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.

An archived article at 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.

I believe life should be about giving instead of receiving, especially so around Christmas, thus here are my first offerings for the season. First a video clip from my favorite Guatemalan artist Gaby Moreno singing about Christmas time. Next you will find a link to download a wallpaper for your computer, iPad, tablet or mobile device. Enjoy!

If you would like to have a yellow poinsettias wallpaper for you computer, download it from here.

Here’s the strawberry fields forever ambulant vendor. Everyday he picks the fields to bring the freshest fresas to Antigua Guatemala. Basket in hand, he walks around town displaying the most delicious strawberries. In his back he carries the never-ending supply of strawberries.
(more…)

There was a plantón, sort of an occupy protest, called for many civil organizations to disrupt and put an end to the plans of making the newly restored Palacio de los Capitanes Generales into a commercial center. The palace is now under the control of Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes which has plans of renting some of the spaces for commercial venues, like a coffee shop. If allowed, the Ministry of “Culture” could turn this historic and protected building into a shopping mall, the protesters claimed.

I have reported before that there were plans to make Palacio de los Capitanes the new location for Museo de Santiago, which is the city and departamento’s museum. Museo de Armas de Santiago was, and still is for now, located next to the Municipal government offices; perhaps on the same building and that’s where the original mermaids were on display.

What do you think about turning historic buildings into commercial centers?

Here’s the background information about the restoration works:

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.

1. Arches Are Us
2. Visit The Time Tunnel
3. Captains’ Palace at night in Antigua Guatemala
4. Architectonic Details: Arches
5. Leaders of Guatemala’s Independence Movement
6. Municipal Band Concerts on Fridays

Oh I want one of these classic Volkswagen Beetles with white tires and chromed bumpers. Who wouldn’t really. Anyway, to finish the work week I am sharing the happy song Carcachita by Roberto Carlos. There’s also a short video clip of a 360 degree vista around Parque Central this morning. Enjoy! (more…)

Yes, perspective is everything!

If you don’t believe me compare the Tea Partiers and the Occupy Wall Street movement, since both share some similarities on the surface, but represent opposite world views as shown in this article from Aljazeera: Tea Partiers: The self-hating 99 per cent.

There may be surface similarities between the two uprisings, but they actually represent two opposing populist world views, whose only philosophical resemblance to one another is their belief that they speak for “the people” against the elites. While both movements are mainly concerned with economic issues, their beliefs about the causes and solutions they propose couldn’t be more different… continue reading at Aljazeera.

Huh, and you thought that we were sheltered against world events news in our beautiful, tranquil and enchanting little corner. We also heard about the recent rescue of the Belgian-French bank Dexia, which could be the first domino to fall in a replay of the 2008 recession.

Perhaps you should visit Guatemala and enjoy the end of the world as we know it.

See, perspective Is everything!

It’s your turn to write the caption. The most original caption will win this photo as a post card. Good luck!

Watching the world-famous mime Tamagochy yanking smiles and laughs from the audience formed around his “maleta de la alegría” (happiness suitcase) I thought of the wonderful song “Garrick” composed and sang by the extraordinaire Guatemalan artist Gaby Moreno. You do remember Gaby Moreno, right? I shared a Gaby Moreno song and video with you in the Nostalgia Triggers post.

Below you will find the lyrics and video for the song Garrick by Gaby Moreno who was inspired in the poem Reir llorando (Garrick) by Juan de Dios Peza.

Can anybody help translating the lyrics for Garrick?

GARRICK

Yo vi la función
Fui testigo de aquella ovación
Eran mil, talvez más
Sin sospechar jamás
Sufrían del spleen
Escapaban de un ocio sin fin
El remedio infalible
Era ver al gran Garrick

Marionetas saltan y las ponen a bailar
Empieza la comedia y todos ríen sin parar
Ja, ja, ja, ja

Al poco tiempo un señor
Ante un médico se presentó
Su mirada oscura y triste decía
Que moría por morir
Siguió una larga interrogación
Y al ver que nada le causaba emoción
El médico exclamó
Tu mal se ha de extinguir
Al ver al gran Garrick

Marionetas saltan y las ponen a bailar
Empieza la comedia y todos ríen sin parar
Ja, ja, ja, ja
El hombre sonrió
Con ojos húmedos:
“Yo no me curo así…
Yo soy Garrick!”

The other day while I waited for the fresh and hot tortillas to come out of the comal I noticed an orange peeler, the typical kind found in Guatemala and I could not help myself and snatch a photo with the iPhone, my new notebook dairy. As I took the shot with the iPhone a rush of memories came down on me about school days and having peeled oranges with powder pepitoria (squash seeds) and chile and laughing, laughing a lot with my friends. It is interesting and amazing to me what things trigger the memory and the nostalgia feelings.

What’s the most unusual nostalgia/memory trigger you have come across?

El otro día mientras esperaba que salieran las tortillas frescas y calientitas del comal me detengo a ver el pelador de naranjas, el típico encontrado por toda Guatemala, y decidí tomarle una foto con el iPhone, mi nuevo cuaderno de apuntes. En el momento que tomé la foto, se me viene encima una lluvia de recuerdos y nostalgia de las naranjas con pepitoria y chile después de clases con los amigos y las risas, muchas risas. Siempre me ha llamado la atención que nos detona los recuerdos y sentimientos de nostalgia.

¿Cuál ha sido el detonador de recuerdos más inusual con que te has topado?

Today AntiguaDailyPhoto.com is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Also, the CityDailyPhoto community around the world is having the monthly theme day which is Mailbox. So I thought it would be a good idea to participate in the theme day and at the same time request a post card or letter mailed from your home town.

Feed me, the letter slot says!

This is a follow up experiment to the Postscript test we ran back in 2007, when we wanted to test how efficient was the regular Guatemalan Postal Service. To our surprise we receive several dozen post cards and letter from many cities around the world. The first post cards arrive within 10 days and the last one we received was about six months later.

We were delighted by the kind words and to see postal stamps from many cities and countries. So, if you appreciate the work we do at AntiguaDailyPhoto and want to show it or simply participate in testing the snail mail system, please, send a post card or letter from wherever you find yourself now to the address below:

RUDY GIRON
P.O. BOX 139 EL CORREO
LA ANTIGUA GUATEMALA, C.P. 03001
GUATEMALA, C.A.

For the fifth anniversary (1,827 consecutive days) I am happy to report that the AntiguaDailyPhoto concept has expanded to Quetzaltenago, the city in the highlands (Los Altos we call it), with its XelaDailyPhoto and to Guatemala City and the rest of the country with GuatemalaDailyPhoto. To me there is no greater satisfaction than to be able to help others, to lend a hand and to provide all the support necessary to my fellow daily photo colleagues. Of course, none of it would be possible without the support from my wife, family and friends. A big THANK YOU for all their and your support!

Previous anniversaries Aside: Below, I share with you the music of Ishto Jueves, a Guatemalan musician I got the chance to meet and hear recently. Further down, summaries of my thoughts and feelings from the previous anniversaries. Enjoy!

On the first anniversary of AntiguaDailyPhoto I shared my goals with you:

My idea was to show the good, the bad and the ugly of this colonial town. I did not want to make a touristic site for the most popular touristic destination in Central America. La Antigua Guatemala is photogenic, so my goal has been a bit difficult. But I have tried to show other aspects of life which I did not see cover in other sites. Also, I wanted to ‘own’ a venue for practicing my inadequate written English and amateur photographic skills. Three hundred and seventy-six posts later I have improved neither; it’s so pathetic. On the other hand, I have gained a great deal of knowledge about this town and many good friends (even if they don’t see eye-to-eye on the issues we talked about here). What can I say, they’re are all wrong!

On the second anniversary of AntiguaDailyPhoto I reflected upon the concept of milestones:

Every time humans arrive at a milestone, we tend to review what we have traveled thus far. Two years of consecutive blogging is not much or even important in the big scale of things. Nonetheless, it is a big achievement for me since I have never done anything like this before. I am very happy to have reached this time mark and to have helped others in the process. I thank all my regular visitors for your support, comments, feedback and donations.

On the third anniversary of AntiguaDailyPhoto, I came to the conclusion that I was too wordy and nobody cares for long entries anymore or so I thought.

On the third year, AntiguaDailyPhoto became polyphonic with new guest author contributions which enriched and enhanced the blogumentary. Each guest author brought wonderful new perspective, photography and style. I was honored to have been given their trust. Also, I was happy to have opened the doors of AntiguaDailyPhoto to guest contributors.

For the fourth anniversary I ask again the following questions:

what does AntiguaDailyPhoto mean to you? What kind of themes you care about? Do you prefer entries with lots of information or just the picture and a brief caption? Do you care for music, videos and maps that accompany the photos and information? Have you had enough food images? Should I leave out all the controversial and politics out? Should I focus more or less on the people, landscape, animals, idiosyncrasies of Guatemalans? What else should I be asking?

To see how others in the City Daily Photo community have interpreted today’s theme please click here to view thumbnails for all participants around the globe.