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The fear of photography is real in Antigua Guatemala. More often I am finding signs which prohibit photography. That’s kind of ironic is you take a moment to consider the Antigua Guatemala is the most important tourist and travel destination in Central America. You might recall a sign from the Only in LAG category which prohibit the admission of food, cameras, guns and backpackers. After I had taken the photograph above, a clerk approach me to let me know that taking photos was not allowed. When my friend asked why, the drone spoke for about two minutes and didn’t say an intelligent coherent thought. Obviously, we left the store because places like this do not deserve our business.

My friend and I continue our stroll and conversation and he was wondering if the owners and employees there would have realized how much promotion a photo and description appearing at AntiguaDailyPhoto can do for their bottom line. He also said to me that he prefers the capitalist approach to prohibition, charge $1 per photo, he reasons most people would not pay, but they wouldn’t feel as they were prohibited from taking photographs either. I agree with him on both comments. So, if you’re a business owner, think twice about prohibiting photography in your shop, you might be missing out on the free promotion that blogs, social networks and news sites could do for your bottom line.

I just received these photos from my dear friend and AntiguaDailyPhoto consultant and eye witness Christian Van Der Henst who happened to be about five houses from where a helicopter crashed a little over one hour ago. This will be the third helicopter that happens to crash in Guatemala in recent weeks. As a matter of fact, Nelo was flying with another 11 helicopters when two unrelated helicopter crashes happened that day.

Today’s chopper fell a few houses from San Francisco El Grande Church, about two houses from Nelo Mijangos used to live. According to the quick reports that came through Twitter the helicopter was being used to film a documentary. Christian, @cvander, told me that about four people were injured, three from the helicopter and one from the house where the chopper crashed.

I’ve seen a lot of random things in Guatemala, but I don’t place expensive cars in that category. Guatemala imports more luxury vehicles than any other country in Central America (and also has the 2nd highest per capita ownership of helicopters and other personal aircraft in the world). The rich in Guatemala are filthy rich while the poor are dirt poor which is why Guatemala is also has one of the highest rankings in the Gini Index (income inequality) in the world.

Talking about this Christian, from Maestros del Web and Freddy Vega (@freddier), from Cristalab, were making quick unscientific statistics and came to the conclusion that Antigua Guatemala is one of places (if not the top position) where you’re more likely to have an helicopter fall on your head. The worst part about their findings is that they are probably correct if you take into account the number of helicopters in Guatemala and that Antigua Guatemala is where most helicopters flight to and around; Petén will come second for sure, Peten is much much bigger than Antigua Guatemala. By the way, as I finish typing this post, I can hear many helicopter flying about Antigua Guatemala.

I wonder how many heliports are around Antigua Guatemala, does anybody know?

All photos and background information by Christian Van Der Henst.

I don’t think this is what Kimberly-Clark had in mind when they developed this disposable towel dispenser. Further, I don’t believe the Center for Disease Control and Prevention would approve it.

No creo que esto es lo que la empresa Kimberly-Clark tenía en mente cuándo desarrollaron este dispensador de toallas desechables. Peor aún, seguro que el Centro para el Control y Prevención de enfermedades lo aprobaría.

How many people can you fit inside a bus?

The chicken bus Guinness World Record of how many people you can fit in a bus was broken today at Jocotenango, Sacatepéquez, Guatemala with 221 people inside the chicken bus, two chickens and lots of Gallos (beer). The previous record of 209 people was held by Poland.

The activity was organized by the Municipality of Jocotenango, a community just outside Antigua Guatemala. The very young mayor of Jocotenango declared to be very happy because Guatemala had obtained its first Guinness World Record and because it was his humble town of Jocotenango who broke the previous record of the most people inside a bus. The first activity was to fill the chicken bus with as many children as possible; 100 showed up and each kid was given a participation diploma. Later, the adults entered the bus until there was no room to walk in, then, some people decided to enter the bus through the windows since there was still space inside the bus because some people had climbed to luggage racks inside the bus. At this point the previous Guatemalan record of 180 people were passed as the counting showed 190 people were inside the bus. This was not good enough for the world record of 209 people. A second try was organized, but this time in a orderly manner 10 by 10 people entered the chicken bus making sure to leave no free space available. After 210 people were inside everybody became excited because the previous record had been broken, but there was still space for another 11 people.

El joven alcalde de Jocotenango, Sacatepéquez declaró estar muy contento de que Guatemala tuviera su primera marca Guinness y que fuera el pueblo de Jocotenango el que haya roto el récord de más gente en un autobús. Primero subieron los niños quienes llegaron hasta la cifra de 100 dentro de la camioneta; cada niño recibió un diploma de participación a la salida de la camioneta. Luego subieron las personas adultas, poco a poco, hasta que ya no se podía ingresar al bus. Fue entonces que algunos empezaron a subir por las ventas y otros a acomodarse en las parrillas interiores del equipaje para hacer más espacio. Aún así sólo cupieron 190 personas, que era suficiente para romper la marca de 180 personas que existe en Guatemala, pero no la marca mundial de 209 que posía Polonia. En el segundo conteo, ingresaron de 10 en 10 hasta llegar a 210 personas dentro del autobús con lo que se rompió el récord Guinness, pero aún había espacio por lo que ingresaron otras 11 personas y así se llego a la cifra de 221 personas dentro de la camioneta «chicken bus». El alcalde manifestó sentirse satisfecho del logro alcanzado por el pueblo de Jocotenango y por todos aquellos que participaron en el evento. También ofreció que las puertas de Jocotenango estaban abiertas para todos los extranjeros.

Here’s a slide show which gives you a general idea of the breaking of the previous Guinness Record.

Of course this page would not be complete without a contribution from my dear friend Nelo Mijangos who has prepared a time lapse video of the loading and unloading of the chicken bus. Enjoy!

The other day on my way to the office I came across these interesting signs. The sign that pulled me in was the Facebook, Twitter and Youtube sheet glued to a near-by post as way of saying we provide internet access service. Nowadays, I guess, most people who need internet access will probably do it to check or update Facebook or Twitter, but Youtube? That was interesting. So, I began looking for the place that provided internet access because the post was in the middle of the road, near El Calvario church, and that’s when I found the zaguán business across the street selling chocobananos, chochofresas, chocomelones, chocopiñas, internet access and bathroom services. This one is going directly to the Only in LAG category.

Do you want to know what is a zaguán business? follow the white rabbit for the answer.

This is a follow up to the Pearls and Pans and Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket posts where I mentioned that “the wisdom of idioms do not escape the Guatemalan typical small business owner. That’s why it’s commonplace to find a zaguán shop selling disparate items. For a long time I’ve been wanting to show this with just one image; I believe today’s photo works, don’t you think so?” So, Las Conchas Jewelry and Bistro is the high end equivalente of the zaguán business where you have two disparate business under one roof. And this is quite common in La Antigua Guatemala and the rest of the country.

Is this practice commonplace where you live?

The chicken bus barely stopped while crossing over 4a calle oriente; the main artery that becomes the exit to Guatemala City. A traffic cop was there. Furthermore, the bus pilot blasted the horns. Lastly, the bus parked in front of the Cathedral, next to the Main Plaza. Three traffic violations in less than 20 seconds. Before 60 seconds had elapsed three traffic cops were on the scene and a National police woman. Sixty seconds later six traffic cops were there, the chicken bus pilot argued that he was not from here and so he didn’t know he could not blast the horn as he does everywhere else. He claimed the same for entering the main square and not stopping at 4a calle oriente. A little over half dozen passengers came down to argue in favor of the pilot. Of course, the ambulant typical textile vendors got on the act to see if they could sell anything. In less than 3 minutes we had 8 traffic cops, 3 National police officers, a pilot and his helper, almost a dozen passengers, a few ambulant vendors and several passers-by pedestrians and a bicycle rider doing much about nothing; except, of course, for one traffic police agent writing up one traffic violation.

You gotta love Guatemala where much is done about nothing!

These are my friends Nelo and Miguel. This candid portrait was taken with the iPhone and uploaded while we jested about who would play Poncherello and Jon Baker in CHiPs Antigua chapter?

Who do think will make a very convincing Officer Francis (Frank) Llewelyn “Ponch” Poncherello?

¡No pongas todos los huevos en una canasta!

Oh the wisdom of idioms do not escape the Guatemalan typical small business owner. That’s why it’s commonplace to find a zaguán shop selling disparate items. For a long time I’ve been wanting to show this with just one image; I believe today’s photo works, don’t you think so?

La sabiduría de los modismos y dichos no se le escapa al típico empresario guatemalteco. Es por esta razón que a menudo uno encuentra un zaguán vendiendo artículos desiguales. Desde hace tiempo he querido mostrar esto con una sola imagen; creo la foto de hoy funciona, ¿qué opinás vos?

Guatemala is a country of Desaparecidos (disappeared) and La Antigua Guatemala is not an exception. These colorful and friendly street vendors and their traditional carts vanished without leaving a trace or even causing a murmur. These honest and hard-working people simply desaparecieron (disappeared). They are missing… and missed.

My friend and colleague Miguel De León Soto, who’s also an Antigua Guatemala lover, send us these photos because he’s outraged the municipal government has removed these typical street carts without consultation. He believes these carts not only provide much needed services and products, such as fresh fruits, but they are also an integral part of our identity, and important ingredient of what makes La Antigua Guatemala rich and colorful.

I agree with him!

Come on, where are we going to buy these fresh fruits now?

It seems that in an electoral year, the Mayor Adolfo Vivar should be careful about the things he does and upsets. It looks like this is not the only steps backwards or in the wrong direction that Muni (short for Municipalidad or City Hall) has taken recently. Today I also discovered that they have taken a mayor leap backwards by replacing their nearly usable and friendly website which I reported back on August 2010 with a horrendous and user unfriendly flash website.

We live in a world that moved forward, away from the horrible and unusable flash websites, which gave us the Web 2.0 back in 2002 and then the Social Media Networks back in 2005. We are humans and we love to communicate and share and that’s why websites that provide the tools and the means for these basic needs are very successful, websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr, just to mention a few examples. On the other hand, most of the time flash websites are unusable, unfriendly, horrible to navigate and inhibit communication. The prevention of a dialogue should be reason enough to take down a flash website right away, especially if it’s a government office which is incompetently serving its constituents communication needs.

The reason I checked the Muni’s website in the first place was because I wanted to grab the mayor’s email address so we can write to him and let him know we are not happy with the removal of the traditional street carts as suggested by Miguel de León, but believe or not there’s no contact form or email for any of the offices or branches of the municipal government. In fact, the only email address available anywhere on the website is for the web developer.

I promise I will get the mayor’s email address so we can write to him. Stay tune, I will update this entry with his email address.

This is what reported on August 24, 2010:

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.
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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.

Photos by Miguel De León Soto. Check out Miguel’s Flickr gallery where he shares with us so many beautiful and touching images of La Antigua Guatemala.

It is sad and tragic that in Guatemala some people have to take their body guards with them everywhere they go.

Okay, enough I say; it’s been way too long since I gave away free wallpapers; since December 23, 2010 to be exact, it was the Christmas present from AntiguaDailyPhoto. Honest, I should give away free desktop/laptop wallpapers at least once a month, don’t you agree?

Download the three free wallpapers from Antigua Guatemala from here:

1. Yellow wall
2. Chipped wall
3. Zapote wall

Enjoy and share them with your family and friends. Moreover, if you want to download all the free wallpapers I have shared with you previously, feel free to browse the Wallpapers category and if you like what you see, share this link with your family and friends as well.

Also, it is time to feed the Only in LAG category and what better way to do it than with a Cucuruch’ants procession video produced by Guy Howard and his wife, which they entitled “Cucuruch’ants.” Enjoy!

Normally the Christmas light decorations are put up on Parque Central before the Burning of the Devil on the first week of December and they take them down on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas) on February 2. This time, however, I believe the Christmas lights were up even before Thanksgiving and they were taken down until this week. This is how the illuminated tree branches look at twilight and at night.

Below there are two additional photos to add context and so you don’t get the wrong idea about the photo above.

Guatemalan fresh milk home delivery. It doesn’t get any fresher than this!

How much does cost a drawn-on-the-spot glass of milk? The answer is in the archives.

Well, it was only a matter of time and natural that someone in La Antigua Guatemala would try to make a coffee jelly spread.

Now imagine a toasted bagel with cream cheese and jalea de café spread on top and, of course, a big mug of freshly brewed genuine coffee from Antigua. I am glad I am not you because I don’t have to imagine anything, I just have that for breakfast a couple times a week.

Of course, now it’s only a matter of time before the cafes in La Antigua Guatemala will begin offering toasts or bagels with coffee spread. Heck why stop there, I am sure jalea de café will go well on top of waffles and panqueques (pancakes) and even champurradas, don’t you think?

Make sure you take a few jars of Valle de Panchoy’s Jalea de Café so you can enjoy, like me, the flavorful and unique coffee jelly from Antigua Guatemala. I know I would!