La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo

Sometimes you just get lucky. Sometimes bad situations turn out good. Let me explain. See the theme for September 1st is Street lights and signs so I had made my mind to photograph a street sign illuminated by a street lamp; really, a situation very common in La Antigua Guatemala. Except, there has been a lot of rain lately and the photo I wanted to take was not feasible.

Plan B: go out and photograph a sign and a lamp in the same frame with some rain or street flood. So just the other day, in my lunch hour, as I am walking to the restaurant where I was going to have lunch, I noticed that the street was completely flooded; I detected my shot was there as I walk to the corner; I pulled out my camera as I got near and step on a cobblestone, flipped out the viewfinder and set the Canon Powershot A620 as close to the water as possible to get a portrait shot so I can get the street lamp on the left (top left corner of the photo) and the UNA VIA (one-way) sign to the right of the yellow arch.

As I negotiated my acrobatic skills over the stone, looked back so I don’t get ran over or splashed by one of the uncivilized drivers, looked at the camera so I don’t ruin it with the running dirty water, composed the shot to include both elements, I took a couple of shots to get the best composition. As I was ready to put away the camera and moved away from the center of the street because two vehicles were using their horns to alert me that they were close and they had no mercy; this lady entered the frame; I did see her with my own eyes as I was looking down to the twist-out viewfinder paralleled to the floor; I had but fleeing second to take the shot and in this fraction of a second my mind went through all countless photographs warehoused in my memory so fast that I must have seen over thousand images until my brain did a full stop at one my favorite images ever: The Decisive Moment by Henri Cartier-Bresson. With that image in my head, I pressed the shutter release. Next, I pulled away from the centre of the street just in time as the vehicle behind me went by, making a big splash (I did not get wet), pulled up my eye sight to see that the lady did not fall and was already walking away in the opposite direction.

I did not order dessert for lunch since I had already my sweet moment.

One can argue that the street sign is too small or that the street lamp is almost out of the frame. Well so be it. If you still want to see a Street Sign or a Street Lamp you’re welcome to press the links, or you can browse the Signs category and the Lamp category.

108 Daily Photo City sites are participating in the September 1st Theme Day: Street lights and signs, please use the links below to visit them.

Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.

Seattle (WA), USA - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Singapore, Singapore - Boston (MA), USA - Mexico (DF), Mexico - Kajang (Selangor), Malaysia - Mainz, Germany - Evry, France - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Sequim (WA), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Nottingham, UK - Toulouse, France - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Manila, Philippines - Mumbai, India - Montpellier, France - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - Moscow, Russia - Paris, France - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Austin (TX), USA - Lyon, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Hyde, UK - Hong Kong, China - Joplin (MO), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Chandler (AZ), USA - St. Louis (MO), USA - Arlington (VA), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Villigen, Switzerland - Sydney, Australia - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - San Diego (CA), USA - Bandung (West Java), Indonesia - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Nelson, New Zealand - Quincy (MA), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Bend (OR), USA - Wellington, New Zealand - New Orleans (LA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Nashville (TN), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Detroit (MI), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - Selma (AL), USA - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Miami (FL), USA - Arradon, France - Sheki, Azerbaijan - New York City (NY), USA - Inverness (IL), usa - North Bay (ON), Canada - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Tenerife, Spain - Auckland, New Zealand - Forks (WA), USA - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Chateaubriant, France - Madison (WI), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Ajaccio, France - Baltimore (MD), USA - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Budapest, Hungary - Lyon, France - Saarbrücken, Germany - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Le Guilvinec, France - River Falls (WI), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Naples (FL), USA - London, UK - La Antigua, Guatemala - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Paris, France - San Diego (CA), USA - Trujillo, Peru - Haninge, Sweden - Prague, Czech Republic - Oslo, Norway - Grenoble, France - Shanghai, China - Toronto (ON), Canada - Durban, South Africa - Zurich, Switzerland - Cape Town, South Africa - Singapore, Singapore - Torino, Italy

I almost forgot today is theme day for the City Daily Photo community and that La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo is participating. The theme for today is a “typical breakfast” and since I did not remember to photograph what I had this morning I have to go back to the archives to find a typical Guatemalan breakfast. The photo above is the Pollo Campero fast-food version of the typical Guatemalan breakfast.

Basically, the Guatemalan breakfast includes black beans, eggs, coffee and maize tortillas or bread; it may also include fried plantain, cream, creese, Guatemalan longaniza (sausage) and chirmol sauce. The black beans can be served parados or whole, revueltos or refried and licuados or liquified. The eggs can be served sunny side up like the picture above, boiled or scrambled.

This version of the Chapin breakfast is called: Huevos Divorciados (Divorced eggs) because it has two sunny-side-up eggs, each with its own sauce. The green sauce is made with miltomate (tomatillos) and the red sauce with regular roma tomatoes. More on Latin American salsas (sauces) on Wikipedia. Bon appetite!

Thanks to Gerald’s list from Hyde Daily Photo we can see breakfast around the world in ~~ 1 Adelaide, Australia ~~ 2 Newcastle, Australia ~~ 3 Shanghai, China ~~ 4 Rabaul, Papua New Guinea ~~ 5 Paris, France [Eric] ~~ 6 Melbourne, Australia [John] ~~ 7. Rotterdam, Netherlands ~~ 8 Wellington, New Zealand ~~ 9 Saint-Petersburg, Russia ~~ 10 Singapore [Keropokman] ~~ 11 Evry, France ~~ 12 Toulouse, France ~~ 13 Hyde, UK ~~ 14 Sydney, Australia [Sally] ~~ 15 Haninge, Sweden ~~ 16 Wailea (HI), USA ~~ 17 Budapest, Hungary ~~ 18. Naples (FL), USA ~~ 19 Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia ~~ 20 Saigon, Vietnam ~~ 21 San Diego (CA), USA [Felicia] ~~ 22 Stayton (OR), USA ~~ 23 Rome, Italy ~~ 24 Bucaramanga, Colombia ~~ 25 Selma (AL), USA ~~ 26 Sharon (CT), USA ~~ 27 St. Louis (MO), USA [Strangetastes] ~~ 28 Cypress (TX), USA ~~ 29 Villigen, Switzerland ~~ 30 Montréal (QC), Canada ~~ 31 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ~~ 32 Bandung (West Java), Indonesia ~~ 33 North Bay (ON), Canada ~~ 34 Seattle (WA), USA ~~ 35 St. Paul (MN), USA [Kate] ~~ 36 Cleveland (OH), USA ~~ 37 Greenville (SC), USA ~~ 38 Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands ~~ 39 St. Paul (MN), USA [Carol] ~~ 40 Prague, Czech Republic ~~ 41 Stavanger, Norway ~~ 42 Twin Cities (MN), USA ~~ 43 Monte Carlo, Monaco ~~ 44 Château-Gontier, France ~~ 45 Kajang (Selangor), Malaysia ~~ 46 Stockholm, Sweden ~~ 47 Menton, France ~~ 48 Albuquerque (NM), USA ~~ 49 Mexico (DF), Mexico ~~ 50 Cape Town, South Africa ~~ 51 Boston (MA), USA [Fénix] ~~ 52 Sequim (WA), USA ~~ 53 Melbourne, Australia [Michael] ~~ 54 St. Kilda, Australia ~~ 55 Maple Ridge (BC), Canada ~~ 56 Nottingham, UK ~~ 57 Brookville (OH), USA ~~ 58 Mainz, Germany ~~ 59 Cologne (NRW), Germany ~~ 60 Oslo, Norway ~~ 61 Al Ain, UAE ~~ 62 Inverness (IL), USA ~~ 63 Manila, Philippines [Pusa] ~~ 64 Zurich, Switzerland ~~ 65 Toronto, Canada ~~ 66 Bellefonte (PA), USA ~~ 67 Mumbai, India ~~ 68 Nantes, France ~~ 69 Grenoble, France ~~ 70 Calabria, Italy ~~ 71 Paris, France [Jeremy] ~~ 72 Moscow, Russia ~~ 73 Lyon, France ~~ 74 Austin (TX), USA ~~ 75 Hong Kong, China ~~ 76 Joplin (MO), USA ~~ 77 Tokyo, Japan ~~ 78 Seoul, South Korea [Sunkyoung] ~~ 79 Kyoto, Japan ~~ 80 Chandler (AZ), USA ~~ 81 Kansas City (MO), USA ~~ 82 Singapore [Andrew] ~~ 83 Sydney, Australia [Nathalie] ~~ 84 Miami (FL), USA ~~ 85 St. Louis (MO), USA [Soosha-q] ~~ 86 Arlington (VA), USA ~~ 87 Selma (NC), USA ~~ 88 Olympia (WA), USA ~~ 89 Port Angeles (WA), USA

The house where my wife (Esperanza), our three cats (Lolita, Camilo and Tito) and I live has windows facing south and west. We prefer the view from the windows on the west side of the house because we can only see Gravilea and Coffee trees and birds, lots of them, But I thought you might find this vista a bit boring since you can not hear the singing of the birds or smell the sweet scent of the coffee trees. So, I decided to show the window and balcony view of Volcán de Agua, Water Volcano for you. Volcán de Agua appears in many of the photographs with a south view of town. Check the Volcanoes category for more photos or the entry Fire and Acatenango Volcanoes Wallpaper where you can consult a Google satellite map of Southern Guatemala and look at the relationship of La Antigua Guatemala and its volcanoes. I know this view could also be considered uninteresting since there are not many things going on, unlike Volcán de Fuego (Fire Volcano), but we prefer it that way. Wouldn’t you?

Over 85 Daily Photo City sites are participating in the June 1st Theme Day: The View from the Bedroom Window, please use the links below to visit them.

Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.

Seattle (WA), USA - Manila, Philippines - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Toruń, Poland - Baton Rouge (LA), USA - Seoul, Korea - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Vantaa, Finland - Madison (WI), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Cleveland (OH), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Omaha (NE), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Stockholm, Sweden - Grenoble, France - Lubbock (TX), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Arradon, France - Hyde, UK - Joplin (MO), USA - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Kansas City (MO), USA - Naples (FL), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Manila, Philippines - Sydney, Australia - Stavanger, Norway - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - London, UK - Chandler (AZ), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Singapore, Singapore - Hamburg, Germany - Sydney, Australia - Tenerife, Spain - Moscow, Russia - Lyon, France - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Villigen, Switzerland - Anderson (SC), USA - Oslo, Norway - Evry, France - Hayle, UK - Mumbai, India - Kitakami, Japan - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Los Angeles (CA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - La Antigua, Guatemala - Paderborn, Germany - San Diego (CA), USA - Ampang (Selangor), Malaysia - Madrid, Spain - Lyon, France - Selma (AL), USA - Shanghai, China - Baziège, France - Cologne (NRW), Germany - North Bay (ON), Canada - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Stayton (OR), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Austin (TX), USA - Hong Kong, China - Trier, Germany - Joensuu, Finland - Paris, France - Greenville (SC), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Cork, Ireland - Bastia, France - Vancouver, Canada - Brookville (OH), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Mainz, Germany - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Zurich, Switzerland - Torino, Italy

Tags: Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo / Antigua / Guatemala / arches / fountain / Compañía de Jesús building

I am sure that construction workers and road workers will be among the most popular photographs for the 65 Daily Photo sites around the world for the March 1st theme day of “Men at work.” I had planned to use a snapshot of the cobblestone street repair crew ever since I learned about the subject for the theme day. But, I then read my friend’s, JM Magaña —an architect and first conservator of La Antigua Guatemala—, excellent article on construction workers for the upcoming March issue of Recrearte Magazine (Available in Spanish on the March 1st). Here’s the introductory paragraph:

Architecture arose from man’s necessity to shelter from the environment. First, he used the caves where he left registered scenes from his daily life, to then build, with the materials found in nature, his home. As humankind organized socially and the jobs became specialties, the first masons appeared and transformed the natural materials such stone and wood, and invented others like adobes and bricks from clay. (fragment from La mano de obra en la arquitectura from JM Magaña in Recrearte Magazine, page 8, available in Spanish as a PDF download)

Guatemalan houses are now mostly built from pumice stone blocks, pebbles stones, river sand, concrete and iron rods. Here is another shot of the same construction workers at the moment they are finishing the concrete roof (fundición del techo in Spanish), one of the most work-intensive stages in the house-building process.

PLEASE VISIT: 65 Daily Photo sites are participating in the March 1st theme, “Men at work”, please use the links below to visit them. Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.

1 (Greenville SC (USA) ) -2 (Hyde (UK) ) -3 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -4 (Albuquerque, NM (USA) ) -5 (Stayton, OR (USA) ) -6 (Rotterdam (NL) ) -7 (Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) ) -8 (London (England) ) -9 (Richmond, VA (USA) ) -10 (Sydney -Sally (Australia) ) -11 (Newcastle upon Tyne (England) ) -12 (Constanta (Romania) ) -13 (Evry (France) ) -14 (Lubbock, TX (USA) ) -15 (Szentes (Hungary) ) -16 (Villigen (Switzerland) ) -17 (Mumbai (India) ) -18 (Tel Aviv (Israel) ) -19 (Twin Cities, MN [USA] ) -20 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -21 (Houston -Candice & Megan, TX (USA) ) -22 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -23 (Singapore - Zannnie (Singapore) ) -24 (Dubai (UAE) ) -25 (Singapore -Keropokman (Singapore) ) -26 (Madrid -Dsole (Spain) ) -27 (Mazatlan -Kate (Mexico) ) -28 (Nelson (New Zealand) ) -29 (Vantaa (Finland) ) -30 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -31 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -32 (Joplin, MO (USA) ) -33 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -34 (Sequim, WA (USA) ) -35 (Menton (France) ) -36 (Minneapolis, MN (USA) ) -37 (Istanbul (Turkey) ) -38 (Sydney -Nathalie (Australia) ) -39 (Sharon, CT (USA) ) -40 (Seattle, WA (USA) ) -41 (Anderson, SC (USA) ) -42 (Monte Carlo, (Monaco) ) -43 (Milano, (Italy) ) -44 (Grenoble (France) ) -45 (Wailea, HI (USA) ) -46 (Guelph, ON (Canada) ) -47 (Melbourne - John (Australia) ) -48 (New York City (USA) [Ming_the_Merciless] ) -49 (Cebu (Philippines) ) -50 (Bandung (Indonesia) ) -51 (Antigua Guatemala (Central America) ) -52 (Hamburg (Germany) ) -53 (London -Jonemo (UK) ) -54 (Hong Kong ) -55 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -56 (Paris (France) ) -57 (Naples, Florida (USA) ) -58 (Saarbrücken (Germany) ) -59 (Shanghai (China) ) -60 (Quito (Ecuador) ) -61 (Zurich (Switzerland) ) -62 (Joensuu ( Finland ) ) -63 (Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) ) -64 (Cheltenham (England) ) -65 (Brussels (Belgium))

Many of the streets of La Antigua Guatemala are owned now by people who ask and demand to take care of your vehicle while parked. They ask in return for a small tip. So far so good. If you tell them you don’t need to have your car looked after, some of them will scratch it or somehow damage it. Sometimes they demand a high fee for having your automobile parked on their street. Some people say these people actually work in tandem with the thieves as look-overs; I can not say that is true, but I can not deny it either. This is one thing that really annoys me about La Antigua Guatemala. The streets are public and we pay taxes to have them clean and available for walking, driving or for parking.

52 Daily Photo sites are participating in the February 1st theme: “What really annoys me about my city”, please use the links to below to visit them.

Due to time zone differences and other factors, the theme photo may not be displayed until later if you are viewing early in the day.

1 (Porto (Portugal) ) -2 (Stayton, OR (USA) ) -3 (Albuquerque, NM (USA) ) -4 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -5 (Greenville, SC (USA) ) -6 (Dubai (U.A.E.) ) -7 (Evry (France) ) -8 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -9 (London (UK) ) -10 (Sequim, WA (USA) ) -11 (Buenos Aires, (Argentina) ) -12 (Seattle, WA (USA) ) -13 (Minneapolis, MN (USA) ) -14 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -15 (Joplin , MO (USA) ) -16 (Nelson, New Zealand ) -17 (Milano, Italy ) -18 (Singapore (KeropokMan) ) -19 (La Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala) ) -20 (Nottingham UK ) -21 (Singapore by Zannnie (Singapore) ) -22 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -23 (Not Strictly Seattle, ) -24 (Bandung (Indonesia) ) -25 (Vantaa (Finland) ) -26 (Hyde (UK) ) -27 (Madrid by Dsole (Spain) ) -28 (Oulu (Finland) ) -29 (Saarbr?cken (Germany) ) -30 (St. Paul [Carol] ) -31 (Sydney (Australia) ) -32 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -33 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -34 (Trujillo (Peru) ) -35 (Shanghai (China) ) -36 (Rotterdam (NL) ) -37 (Chicago, IL (USA) ) -38 (Nice, (France) ) -39 (Naples, Florida (USA) ) -40 (Hong Kong ) -41 (Santa Clara, CA (USA) ) -42 (Quito, Ecuador (South America) ) -43 (Cottage Grove, MN (USA) ) -44 (Paris, (France) ) -45 (Manila (Philippines) ) -46 (Brussels (Belgium) ) -47 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -48 (Newcastle upon Tyne(England) ) -49 (Houston, TX (USA) ) -50 (Sydney by Nathalie (Australia) ) -51 (Mumbai (India) ) -52 (Anderson, SC (USA)) -

The taxi service in La Antigua Guatemala is anything but reliable. Taxi vehicles come in all colors and makes, mostly Toyota and Nissan. There is not a radio taxi service because all the taxis are owned by their respective drivers and they haven’t see fit to band together and offer a central calling number, so you have to carry three or four different business cards to make sure at least one taxi will be available when you need it. Besides the taxi automobiles, there are Tuk Tuk mototaxis (or tuc tuc in Brighton, England), but they have become unsafe for many reasons including delinquency; there is even Tuk Tuk Police Units now.

So, if you still want to see the taxis in Antigua, just click here. To look at different taxis from 45 Daily Photo Cities around the world just click the links below.

Have a great ride, but before you go, put on the song Historia de un Taxista (Tale of a taxi driver) by Ricardo Arjona, Guatemala’s most famous folk-pop-singer, as your soundtrack!

1 (Porto ) -2 (Albuquerque ) -3 (London ) -4 (Seattle, WA (USA) [Kim] ) -5 (Edinburgh ) -6 (Stayton, OR ) -7 (Greenville, SC ) -8 (Budapest ) -9 (Antigua Guatemala ) -10 (Alexandria, VA ) -11 (Manila ) -12 (Twin Cities ) -13 (Szentes ) -14 (Paris ) -15 (Portsmouth ) -16 (Ryde ) -17 (Sydney ) -18 (Oulu ) -19 (Singapore [keropok] ) -20 (Santiago ) -21 (Melbourne, Aust ) -22 (Dubai UAE ) -23 (Bandung (Indonesia) ) -24 (Copenhagen ) -25 (Sequim ) -26 (Singapore ) -27 (Tenerife ) -28 (Sharon, CT ) -29 (Tuzla, B&H ) -30 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -31 (Rotterdam ) -32 (Brussels ) -33 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -34 (Aliso Viejo, CA ) -35 (Oshawa, ON, Canada ) -36 (Vantaa, Finland ) -37 (Trier (Germany)) -38 (Newcastle upon Tyne ) -39 (Hong Kong ) -40 (Shang Hai ) -41 (Brussels ) -42 (San Diego, CA (USA) ) -43 (Sydney (Nathalie)) -44 (St Paul (USA)) -45 Trujillo, Perú

Warning: Due to time zone differences and other factors, taxis may not be available at your destination city as you arrive, but they will show up eventually on October 1st (What a reliable service that is!). If you view them after the date (also depends on the time zone) then you may probably find the taxi photo in the archives for October 1st.

When Nuno declared on August 1st that the theme for September 1st was going to be doorways I was determined to win, even though this is not a competition, so they say. I am sure that there are heavy contenders out there; it is big world, you know. But, I narrowed down my rivals. First, MarieMcC, from Alexandria Daily Photo, because she had a three months experience already with her Doorways Around the World. Second, Nuno, from Porto Daily Photo, with his unassuming “the most usual doorway here. They are everywhere.” (Big mistake Nuno, you foretold us what you had in your hand). La Antigua Guatemala is a tiny town, but I know we can compete against the big cities with doorways. You can see even more Antigua’s doorways here or at Doorways Around the World where MarieMcC has been so kind to publish them.

Now, the story behind today’s photo. I knew my doorway had to be spectacular; I thought it has to be a church or a ruin doorway. They don’t make doorways like that anymore. So, the choice was simple: Iglesia de la Merced with its bright yellow and baroque-styled walls was impressive and one of Antigua’s landmarks. I waited for a day without rain and a beautiful sunset, I didn’t wait long. The church of la Merced is facing west so the light of sunsets makes it even more yellow and warm. I took a few shots at different angles, and after reviewing the photos for best composition and color, I discovered this image where I had framed the shadow of a tourist. This vista had all the things I wanted: a doorway, human life, color, shadows, contrast, elaborate details, and a surprise. I hope you like too; tell me your opinion either way.

You can go now to visit the other doorways that the Daily Photo Cities have for you today. Enjoy the trip, I know, it will be well-worth your time.

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