I wish that all power lines would be buried underground, at least within the urban perimeters. The crisscross of cables really look ugly and it’s, perhaps, even dangerous. How are power lines handled where you live?

We’re living the last days of the dry season and judging by the amount of clouds around the volcanoes and some of the recent rains, perhaps there will be rain during the Semana Santa (Holy Week), which is already next week. Wow, time flies now, they don’t make it like they used to.

Honest, what’s not to like about the dry season? Clear skies, crisp and cool temperatures and the most enchanting light are the norm during the dry season. If you haven’t been to Guatemala during the dry season, you have been missing the best possible Guatemala. You’ve gotta fix that!

El Cristo Negro de Esquipulas aside: Every year, On January 15th, thousands of pilgrims from Guatemala, the United States, Europe and other Central American countries flock to pay homage to the dark wooden image of the crucified Christ, the most revered Catholic shrine in Esquipulas, the spiritual center of Central America. The image of the Black Christ dates back to March 9, 1595, when the Portuguese sculptor Quirio Cataño presented it to the mayor of the city. (source: Wikipediag.org)

Did you know that Quirio Cataño lived in Antigua Guatemala when he was commissioned the Black Christ sculpture? If not, read Quirio Cataño, Sculptor of the Black Christ of Esquipulas on the archives.

Just compared today’s November photo with last year’s November photo which marked the end of the rainy season.

That’s right, we want to know who stole our beautiful, rain-and-cloud-free November. This year has been the rainiest year ever. This October, which normally is still part of the rainy season, was pretty much dry and gorgeous, just like Novembers are usually. And this November, which is the beginning of the dry season, has had lots of rain and cloudy skies, just like Octobers are normally. In fact, now that I think about it, it looks like more like somebody switched the order of October and November.

Anyway, we want our “normal” November back; it’s urgent!

Definitely, blue skies are us during the dry season. During the rainy season, the sky line remains white and gray most of the time. No wonder I love the dry season with its clear skies, wonderful light, cool climate and colorful celebrations.

You have to visit Antigua Guatemala at least once during the dry season to enjoy blue skies like the above.

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Don’t you wish you were here now? How many songs can you think of when you see these photos?

text and photos by Arturo Godoy. Check out Arturo’s portfolio to purchase photos from his massive photographic bank.

Have I told you how much I love the dry season in Guatemala (November through April)? Well, I do for so many reasons, like the dry season is also the cooler, even chilly, time of the year. The quality of light is superb and thus the sunsets are incredible almost every day. Because all the winds blowing from the big white north, the skies are clear and the volcanoes are bare naked (without the fluffy clouds). And Volcán de Fuego begins its relentless activity sending smoke signals several times through the day. I believe this picture encapsulates quiet well the reasons why I love the dry season.

So, what are you waiting for, pack your luggage and come to La Antigua Guatemala before the rains come again!

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The 2009 rainy season that officially began on April 24 is now over. Nevertheless, before the end, we received 1″ (over 25 mm) of rain between Fridays and Saturday. These last rains were caused by the Hurricane Ida. Hurricane is one of the few Mayan words that have made it into the global scene.

In Maya mythology, Tepeu and Gucumatz (also known as Kukulkan, and as the Aztec’s Quetzalcoatl) are referred to as the Creators, the Makers, and the Forefathers. Huracán (Hurricane), or the Heart of Heaven, also existed and is given less personification. He acts more like a storm, of which he is the god. Tepeu and Gucumatz hold a conference and decide that, in order to preserve their legacy, they must create a race of beings who can worship them. Huracán does the actual creating while Tepeu and Gucumatz guide the process. (source: Maya Creation according to the Popol Vuh at Crystalinks)

By the way, Now we’re talking about the weather, I’d like to share with you the cutting-edge work being done my dear friend Norman of ClimaYa.com who’s setting up real-time weather stations all over Guatemala so we can have up-to-the-minute accurate meteorological data. If you visit the ClimaYa.com web site, you can scan the different weather station on the sidebar as well as read the most recent eye-witness tweets for Guatemala and Costa Rica. Check it out!

This morning the weather changed dramatically with an almost clear skyline, except for a few clouds over Volcán de Agua, and quite comfortable temperatures.

There is something about how the sun rises and sets that gets people marveled, or in some kind of magical admiration to what nature shows us. On this past Tuesday I was about to meet some friends, and I began seeing what promised to be a beautiful sunset. Someone on the street said, it is just a sunset. Perhaps the person was depressed, or just angry at something, but it was the first time I’ve ever heard something like this. A few minutes later, I saw people with all sorts of cameras, cell phones, and everyone, me included, just taking photos.

So, the combination of Antigua, good friends, and great colors produced this sunset… In the end, it is just a sunset, Enjoy…

text and photos by Arturo Godoy

I just love the dry season that goes from late October to late April in Guatemala, also known in Guatemala as Summer even though it actually spans part of Fall, the entire Winter and half of the Spring season. Go Figure!

The weather is wonderfully cool, literally and figuratively. There is no rain. The sky turns orange at every sunset.

The best holidays are observed during the dry season: Dí­a de muertos, Thanksgiving, Dí­a de Guadalupe, Posadas, Christmas, New Year, Dí­a de Reyes, Carnival, Festival de Cultura Paiz, Festival Internacional de Jazz en Antigua Guatemala, Lent and the Holy Week.

What else can ask for during the dry season, really?

Greed and ambition do not know of any limits. That’s how we got ourselves into the present economic crisis… sure the free market will police itself and the chief executive officers will regulate their corporations to not be as profitable as they could in favor of a more stable and fair marketplace. Yeah right Alan Greenspan.

Well, the same greediness and ambition is getting to me. I began framing a human shadow, then I’ve got lucky at framing an entire street from Antigua Guatemala. Well, why not frame the moon, really, why not. See, I am getting greedy. Who knows what I am going to frame next. I am telling you, my avarice knows no limits!

Detalles, detalles, detalles.

What better way to show you the brand new paint job at the Iglesia de La Merced than to find a contrasting color to warm yellow of the La Merced church. To get a nice deep blue to contrast yellow and white paint and the Moon hanging right up there is just an awesome prize. I hope you like it! ;-(

Even while doing errands and chores around La Antigua Guatemala, you are given the opportunity to experience a post card moment. Life is good!

There are two volcanoes in the background, can you name them?

Soon enough the electric wires become adorned with kites, lots of kites. See kite flying and the Guatemalan electric wire webs just don’t get along. One serves as trap for the other.

To be honest, I am not sure this is Santo Domingo Park. It is the Santo Domingo Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt statue and it is sort of a park, so I put two and two together. If I am mistaken I sure I will be told right away by the people that know better.

Can you name the volcano in the background and give us its height?

Tomorrow we will start a series requested by Sompopo a few times. I armed myself with lots of courage and I went inside. Stay tune!

Disclosure side note: I am not a photographer, much less a good photographer. I am a cheater; that is what I am. Let me explain. As an art director for Revue and Recrearte magazines I get to see hundreds or thousands of images and photos about many places in Guatemala, including La Antigua Guatemala. So it is easy for me to see what is photographed the most and what angles most people chose. So when I go out with my camera I try to avoid all the common angles and to stay away from the most obvious shots and the most popular photos. See I take shots like today’s with that information in the back of mind and so I come through with what may seem like an original image; well, maybe it is, at least I haven’t seen it. There you have it, I have disclosed my way of approaching photography in La Antigua Guatemala.