AntiguaDailyPhoto.Com

This is a typical vista at a construction site. Motorcycles are becoming the most popular vehicle in Guatemala. In La Antigua Guatemala, row after row of motorcycles as shown in Motorcycles are Us. Motorcycles have also turned into the family vehicle as shown in Fine for a Family of Four.

Is it just me or there’s an influx of English vehicles in Guatemala. Just two weeks ago we saw the Land Rover Defender in the photographic stream of AntiguaDailyPhoto. Two Triumph cars appeared in GuatemalaDailyPhoto in the last of couple of days, a white and a red versions. And now I spotted this gorgeous Mini Cooper on the streets of Antigua Guatemala. I fell in love with the Mini Coopers after having watched the 1969 film “The Italian Job” about years ago. I decided back then that when I grew up I would have a Mini Cooper as my day-to-day car.

As always, follow the white rabbit to check out other interesting vehicles that have appear in the photographic stream of AntiguaDailyPhoto. Enjoy!

Without realizing it I posted a mini series about vehicles. What do you know, my unconsciousness has been behind the wheel of AntiguaDailyPhoto in the last few days. C’est la vie!

La Antigua Guatemala is a rough town with its cobblestone streets on pedestrians and vehicles. To be honest, I don’t think these colonial style cobbled streets were design with automobiles in mind. So it is no wonder that suspension repair are quite common. Of course, it is better if you have a rough vehicle for this rough town; actually, make rough country.

By the way, does anybody know what brand this SUV is?

Sin darme cuenta he publicado una mini-serie sobre vehículos. Al parecer, mi inconsciente ha estado detrás del timón en los últimos días. Así es la vida, pues.

¿Sabe alguien qué marca es esta camionetilla?

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!

It is amazing how many classic cars one can find in La Antigua Guatemala. Just follow the white rabbit to see some of the classic cars that have be shown in AntiguaDailyPhoto.

By the way, I grew up with the Holywood notion that Volvos are safe and ugly square boxes owned by mothers or teachers who are over zealot about safety, so please explained to me the smooth lines of the Volvo above or the sporty design and good looks of the white Volvo in Even Volvos Look Great in Antigua Guatemala? What ever happened to Volvo? I want answers, I can handle the truth!

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?

Police patrol trucks, really? I am sure that’s a normal question asked when people are told that all police patrol units in Guatemala are actually trucks; well most of them for sure. I believe police trucks are used in Mexico and Central America, but I am not sure if they use trucks anywhere else as police patrol vehicles.

Have you seen police trucks in other countries outside of Central America and Mexico?

I don’t recall exactly when tuk tuk motorcycles arrived in Guatemala, but they were absorbed as part of the Guatemalan traditions and culture very quickly. Tuk tuk motorcycles became very popular in a short time and before you knew it, tuk tuk bikes were used as quick and inexpensive taxis, by the Tourist police, and grocery delivery vehicles. Tuk tuk motorcycles even showed up in the handicrafts market as toys, along the chicken buses. So, it is not surprising at all to find tuk tuk motorcycles as part of the vehicles of the Voluntary Fire Department of Antigua Guatemala.

What other unexpected uses for tuk tuk motorcycles have you found in your travels?

La Antigua Guatemala is full of interesting looking automobiles. The Tomcar is just one among the strange, rare rather, vehicles found in the streets of Antigua Guatemala. I will make it a point to capture other rare vehicles I have seen around town to share with you. Perhaps, these are not rare in your neighborhood.

I had never seen a Tomcar before, have you?

Bike riding is among the best ways to get to see all of Antigua Guatemala and its villages. For a long time I wanted to photograph tourists bike riding since they always seemed to have a big smile on their faces, but for one reason or another I never got the chance or a good shot. Interesting enough, this photo was taken with the iPhone, my new carry-at-all-times camera.

Have you taken any bike rides during your visits to Guatemala?

Among my photographic resolutions for 2011, I have written down: Documenting all the chicken bus kitsch decorations.

How about a teddy bear and an archangel to get started?

While I was taking the picture of this classic Packard in perfect mint condition I learned that this automobile was the cover for the most recent issue of a magazine profiling classic cars from Guatemala.

I believe classic cars look their best with La Antigua Guatemala as their backdrop. I have already showed you several classic automobiles on the streets of La Antigua Guatemala. If you don’t remember them, here are the links to some of them: a 1948 Custom Kaiser 4 Door Sedan in Waiting; a Mercedes Benz 300 in An Old Automobile for An Old Town; and a sporty Volvo coupe in Even Volvos Look Great in Antigua Guatemala.

Which one out of those four choices would you pick as your classic car?

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?

This how imagine a parking lot looked like at the beginning of the 20th Century in La Antigua Guatemala.

Nowadays, however, I believe these antique bicycles with their old bicycle license plates are just a publicity stunt by La Cuevita de los Urquizú to make people stop and visit their typical Guatemalan cuisine buffet. That’s what I call creative and much better than vulgar vinyl signs or a few dozen signs.

What do you think, would this publicity stunt make you stop?

Like every first of the month, today is theme day for City Daily Photo community around the world and this month’s theme is Reflections.

I decided that instead of participating with an image similar to my classic Upside Down Arches reflection or Arches Reflected on Tanque de la Unión [my photo with most copyright violations ] which involved water, I was going to show you a landmark building from La Antigua Guatemala reflected somehow. Well, here it is the Cathedral of Antigua Guatemala reflected on the window of a Volkswagen Beetle. I hope you like it!

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 planet.