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La Antigua Guatemala is still working in becoming the first digital city in Central America. The first try which included a WI-FI zone around the Plaza Mayor (main square) and wireless security cameras throughout the city proved to be too much for the WI-FI infrastructure, which collapse under the massive data transfers.

For the second try, the municipal government is laying down fiber optic lines which should be able to handle the data transfers from an initial batch of 60 security cameras and the Internet access zones around Parque Central and public schools.

In the words of loyal AntiguaDailyPhoto reader and city council member Antonio Palomo, “if the schools already have the computers without Internet access is like having only 50% of the solution.” He also told me that some of the cameras will be public so anybody would be able to watch the view of Central Park, the cathedral and Volcán de Agua.

I wish them luck and hopefully sometime soon we could proudly say that La Antigua Guatemala is indeed the first digital city of Central America.

Today I was driving around Antigua Guatemala’s Central Park and I was not allowed to continue towards the Palacio del Ayuntamiento (Municipal building) because the Tuk Tuk taxis had taken the entire street to park their units. As soon as I found parking, I grabbed my camera and decided to take some repetition shots (you know how much I love repetition). I looked for the best angle and snatched a few shots before finding out why the tuk tuk taxis were there.

It turns out, the tuk tuk taxi drivers were protesting the high number of traffic citations they are given by the Antigua Guatemala traffic police (policía de tránsito). They felt they are being targeted unfairly by the traffic police.

Now, if you have driven a car or motorcycle or simply walked around La Antigua Guatemala you would have realized how bad the tuk tuk taxis drivers are; they don’t respect or obey the traffic laws and they are NOT civil with pedestrians and other vehicles on the streets. I am sure most people can not feel empathy for their cause. “If they don’t want too many traffic tickets, they should obey and respect the traffic rules and laws…” was the general sentiment I gather from other people I talked to afterwards.

What are your thoughts regarding the tuk tuk taxis?

I promise to stop whining about the rainy season and its washed and gray skies if I am allowed to capture a decent rainy season themed or caused image every once in a while like in these previous posts:

• Almost Perfect
• Daredevil in Antigua Guatemala
• Contemplating the heavy rain
• One Way to the Decisive Moment
• First Official Rain

Boy, I am a sucker for repetition and I can not help myself whenever repetition shows in my viewfinder. I hope you like it when repeat a subject!

The things one must do to earn a living.

So what’s the guy doing all the way up there? Good question my dear friends. Well, there’s something fishy going on there and in many other street light poles. Let me explain. As I drove by the two trucks shown in the bottom pictures I noticed they had replaced the stylish trash bins with metal containers that look exactly like the trash bins, except there was no place to put the trash and inside the metal containers had what appear to be expensive electronics.

Of course, it could simply be a new energy-saver lamps or new cellular towers disguised as public street lamps. Or, it could be something even more sinister. Stay tune as your exclusive reporter from La Antigua Guatemala uncovers the truth behind the Daredevil’s work and leaks his findings to the entire world, Wikileaks style!

What do you think is going on?

We street photographers are like hunters; often we roam the streets, stalking the city for candid, naturally looking, images. Other times, we seat or stand in a corner until we become invisible or at least until the people around us become oblivious about us. We set the light, aperture, and shutter speed ahead of time so we are ready to capture the fleeting images into our camera oscura. Of course, the hunter can also become game!

The best thing about street photography: serendipity
—Philip Greenspun (source: Photo.Net)

“Stare. It is the way to educate your eye, and more. Stare, pry, listen eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long.” —Walker Evans (source: Photo.Net)

Today’s photo and Colonial Church Ruins Within My Fingers were the result of fortunate accident. Let me explain. I was playing around with the fish eye adapter donated by my good friends Michele and Eddie trying to capture entire churches within a frame at a close distance. Unfortunately the fish eye extension creates soft edges and has a little distortion as well. So, I take the photos with and without the fish eye lens. In one instance, while removing the adapter I unscrewed only half of the piece which basically consists of two lens, the fish eye and a macro which lets you focus on the fish eye. A wow was my immediate response as I saw the ruins of San José El Viejo completely engulfed by the fish eye lens. I took four shots in total, two were discarded because they were out of focus. And that’s how these two photos came to be.

Now, I have received requests to photographs other churches in a similar fashion. I will take some time in May to go around the churches, ruins or buildings that you request and turn it into a series. It is up to you what will show up in this coming series.

Once again I thank Eddie and Michele and all other supporters of AntiguaDailyPhoto for helping with equipment and donations so I can bring new and fresh vistas from the same old town that we all love.

4th year anniversary reminder: We are two days away from reaching four years of daily photos from La Antigua Guatemala. It has been quite a ride. To be completely honest with you, I did not think I was going to be able to keep it up for even thirty days. I am glad I was wrong and happy for the opportunity to share with you my particular point of view about La Antigua and Guatemala and its people and culture. You and I have created an amazing resource, an unparalleled multimedia blogumentary in English about Guatemalans and our unique lifestyle. I thank all of you for your comments, feedback and support along each stretch of this journey.

This is how street corners look like now that the strips near the corners have been marked as motorcycle parking only areas. I am not sure I like it.

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I noticed that Prensa Libre, one of Guatemala’s largest and oldest newspapers, was also sponsoring a processional band this past weekend. I guess sponsorships of the Holy Week processions will become commonplace now.

How do you feel about private businesses sponsoring religious celebrations and the world famous Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala?

I don’t know if sponsoring the processions for Cuaresma and Semana Santa (Lent and Holy Week respectively) was already common practice in previous years, but I just noticed it.

Please, let me know if you have seen sponsorships for Lent and Holy Week before.

Let’s know your guesses in the comments or stay tune for an upcoming entry with the answer.

This is what the peak hour look like on a given Friday afternoon; around 5:30pm, on Alameda El Calvario exit. In case you don’t know, that’s the South exit of town towards San Cristóbal El Bajo/El Alto, San Pedro Las Huertas, San Juan del Obispo and Santa María de Jesús.

I know, life is tough!

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If you have been following the AntiguaDailyPhoto for a while, you might remember the La Antigua Guatemala Without Barriers project, or La Antigua Guatemala Sin Barreras which was a project/NGO which tried to fix the sidewalks and made them wheelchair/handicap friendly. I don’t know whatever happened to La Antigua Guatemala Without Barriers project, but for sure they were not able to fix all the sidewalks around Antigua Guatemala. Too bad, because by fixing the sidewalks for the handicap, they were fixing the sidewalks for everybody else.

One thing I failed to mention back in June 2007 was the fact that the sidewalk repairs and making sure they are suitable for anyone to use, including people in wheelchairs, should be the responsibility of the Municipalidad. After all, that’s why all Guatemalans pay a yearly tax known as Boleto de ornato (to beautify) to keep public spaces clean, fixed and beautiful.

Often I like to report on good things that happen everyday but go unnoticed. Today, I am happy to tell you that this municipal administration is the only one doing constant repairs of the cobblestone streets, sidewalks, parks and et cetera since I’ve been living in La Antigua Guatemala. Slowly but surely, block by block, La Antigua Guatemala is also recovering its sidewalks.

The classic image of the old man with his “chiribisco” broom sweeping parks and streets of La Antigua Guatemala is vanishing. The Municipalidad of La Antigua Guatemala has created these new make-shift street sweepers designed for cobblestone streets.

What’s the first image that came to your mind the moment you saw today’s photograph?

The vista cotidiana (quotidian vista) of men working throughout La Antigua Guatemala is more and more refreshing and assuring each day. We can see that the funds collected by the Municipalidad de La Antigua Guatemala (Antigua’s City Hall) through taxes and new parking fees are being used to repair the streets, embellish parks and traffic islands, et cetera. For instance, in San Pedro Las Huertas, all the chorros, or public faucets, received a face lift: new colonial-style colors and architectonic elements (correction: according the Armando García, loyal reader of AntiguaDailyPhoto and neighbor of San Pedro Las Huertas, the public faucets are being embellished by “El Comité del Agua Potable,” the potable water committee). It feels good to know that your local government is actually doing the work it was elected for.

Chanin chanin mija, we don’t want to become victims of the Guatemalan Diaspora!