AntiguaDailyPhoto.Com

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.

La Antigua Guatemala has an antique aesthetic beauty which goes beyond the colonial architecture and the gorgeous wood and metal works. Antique items as mundane as coffee grinder find their way into the homes and business of Antigua Guatemala. I have also seen antique keys, locks, clocks, and decoration artifact as part of the aesthetic of Antigua Guatemala.

I know am skipping so many things, what other antique items have you seen while strolling around Antigua Guatemala?

I found this booth selling piñas colada and mojito smoothies at the doorway of pseudo Mexican restaurant. I had the mojito flavor and it was very, very good, especially for the hot weather we had today in Antigua Guatemala. Of course, these a good way to observe the Cinco de Mayo, a very important celebration for Mexicans everywhere except almost all of Mexico. However, I would order lime and pineapple margaritas or any citric smoothie with a few shots of tequila or mezcal, don’t you agree?

I was showing my cousin some photos of Antigua Guatemala and the first thing she mentioned was that there were flowers everywhere year round. You know I always try to look at Antigua Guatemala with the eyes of visitor so I can notice that things that go unnoticed to the locals. Also, I have spend a great deal of time showing the different kinds of flowers and the most often found flowers around Antigua Guatemala. However, I have to admit I have become accustomed to the excessive amount of flowers that one can find everywhere.

The flowers above were found at the table of a local restaurant. Do you know what kind of flowers are these?

On May 3, many countries in Latin America, including Guatemala of course, celebrate the Day of the Holy Cross and also the Day of the Construction Worker. The Day of the Holy Cross is known in Guatemala as Dí­a de la Santa Cruz and you can see many Albañiles (construction workers) placing an adorned cross at their current construction site.

The legend has it that when they were unburying Jerusalem, they found three crosses, one of them larger than the other two. When some of the diggers touch the larger cross, their ailments healed and the cross were thought to be miraculous. The priests on site called a funeral passing by and the dead man’s hand was made to touch the cross and he resurrected and walked away. The cross was taken immediately to Rome, the Vatican to be precise, and a chapel was built for it. This chapel was built in record time and for this reason and for the fact that the man who resurrected was a construction worker who had died while at work a few days earlier, this date became the day of the construction worker. All of this as seen on tv, a few details more or less.

Also, I just learned that for 4th time there will a Festival de la Santa Cruz which this year will be held on Sunday between 10am and 6pm at Cerro de La Cruz; thus the photo above. I will try to stop by and bring you some photos, videos and information about this festival. Stay tune!

If you manage to get to rooftop of a house in Antigua Guatemala, you could get a panoramic vista of volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenango (left to right). If you’re lucky enough to have a poniente vista (that’s looking west) you might also be able to enjoy glorious sunsets during the dry season, and electrifying thunder and lighting storms during the rainy season. Either way you look at it, it’s a win win vantage point, don’t you agree?

Today AntiguaDailyPhoto.com is celebrating its sixth anniversary. Also, the CityDailyPhoto community around the world is having the monthly theme day which is Bakeries. As many of you know, I try to participate as often as I can on the monthly theme days. The picture above was taken at the Santa Clara bakery, just south of the Santa Clara convent ruins. The Panadería Santa Clara has some of the best bread available in Antigua Guatemala.

Feed me, the letter slot says!

The first time I requested post cards was an experiment entitled Postscript; a test we ran back in 2007 when we wanted to test how efficient was the regular Guatemalan Postal Service.

We were delighted by the kind words and to see postal stamps from many cities and countries. So, if you appreciate the work we do at AntiguaDailyPhoto and want to show it or simply participate in testing the snail mail system AGAIN, please, send a post card or letter from wherever you find yourself now to the address below:

RUDY GIRON
P.O. BOX 139 EL CORREO
LA ANTIGUA GUATEMALA, C.P. 03001
GUATEMALA, C.A.

For the sixth anniversary (2192 consecutive daily updates) I am happy to report that the AntiguaDailyPhoto concept continues expanding in Quetzaltenago, the city in the highlands (Los Altos we call it), with its XelaDailyPhoto and to Guatemala City and the rest of the country with GuatemalaDailyPhoto. To me there is no greater satisfaction than to be able to share with others, to lend a hand and to provide all the interesting information I come across. Of course, none of it would be possible without the support from my wife, family and friends. A big THANK YOU for all their and your support!

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 globe.

These colorful public transit buses are just another way Guatemalans recycle the junk from the U.S. and Canada. Of course, we live in a colorful culture where women wear the Spring on the blouses and rich saturated colors are the norm, so it comes as no surprise that take the boring yellow school buses and make then uniquely Guatemalan. Of course that’s not the only modification that these buses undergo, the engine, transmission, suspension, breaks, seats and interior are replaced and improved.

Well, old and retired school buses from the U.S. get to live a real second life as camionetas (the street name for public transit buses in Guatemala). Revue Magazine published an in-depth article about The Birth of a Camioneta which detailed step-by-step how an old retired school bus became a powerful camioneta ready for the curvy roads of the mountain ranges of Guatemala.

Slowly, but surely we progress in our own unique way.

Just before we leave Ciudad Vieja, I wanted to share with a follow up post to Having Ice Cream in Antigua Guatemala where I tried to explain that despite the crime and violence that is shown in the news, most people in our Latin America find the time and love to spend quality time with friends and family. We can not negate the violence, it’s all there in the statistics, but most of it happens in Guatemala City, sadly. Take a look at the picture above, this is not the violent country you see on the news all the time.

But don’t believe just my words, let’s hear from a group of students from Northeastern Illinois University who took an alternative Spring Break:

… This weeklong trip was a combination of cultural immersion and community service. During the first full day in Guatemala, we were given a first hand look at coffee farming, from seed to cup. Who would’ve thought that the coffee you drink in the morning starts as a pebble sized fruit similar to a cranberry…

One of the most rewarding experiences of the trip was helping Timoteo, a local craftsman, build a middle school for his community. Prior to this, middle school students in San Miguel Escobar attended classes outside of the primary school. Knowing that a small group of farmers took it upon themselves to fund and build a school for future students is inspiring. Overall, this was an experience of a lifetime and the lessons learned about community, collaboration, and sustainability will not be forgotten. Read the entire story about the Alternative Spring Break at The NEIU Independent.

It’s good to see the natural drains for Volcán de Agua sort of clean since the rainy season will soon begin discharging enormous amounts of water all around Guatemala and Water Volcano is a natural formation that accumulates lots of water, thus its name, and often the excess water runs down the natural drain channels. When these drains are blocked, we end up with lahars and lots of destruction in San Miguel Escobar and Ciudad Vieja.

In my recent incursions to Ciudad Vieja I’ve happily surprised of all the new improvements done around the town. The plazuela right in front of the Ciudad Vieja cathedral is one good example of the new works being performed by the Municipality. I also two municipal pools and improvements to the municipal stadium and children’s park. I guess that when our local governments really do work for the people and not for themselves, one gets to see a lot of progress; don’t you agree?

It had been a while since I visited Ciudad Vieja, the town about two miles from Antigua Guatemala. I was surprised to see all the changes and improvements made around Ciudad Vieja.

Ciudad Vieja is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Sacatepéquez. According to the 2002 Guatemalan Census, the municipality has a total of 25,696 people. Ciudad Vieja was the second colonial capital of the country. Many of the recent photos have been taken in Ciudad Vieja and/or in San Miguel Escobar, a community of Ciudad Vieja.

San Miguel Escobar is the modern name for the district that contains the ruins of the second colonial capital of the Guatemala region. The Spaniards founded their capital here in 1527, after their previous capital at Tecpán Guatemala became untenable. The city was destroyed by a catastrophic lahar from Volcan de Agua in 1541, and the survivors had no choice but to abandon the site. The capital was again refounded several miles away at Antigua Guatemala in 1543. (source: Wikipedia)

Make sure you pay Ciudad Vieja and San Miguel Escobar a visit next time you come to Antigua Guatemala.

If Antigua Guatemala means the Former Guatemala City, then Ciudad Vieja (Old City) would mean the former former Guatemala City.

For a while now I wanted to do a backlit fountain shot and the opportunity appeared the other day when I paid a visit to Ciudad Vieja, the former former Guatemala City. I was also able to include a couple kissing on the same frame to make the photo more interesting.

As always, I feel lucky to be able to share with you quotidian vistas from Antigua Guatemala and its surroundings. Next Tuesday AntiguaDailyPhoto will be celebrating its 6th year anniversary of everyday life images, stories, art and news from Antigua Guatemala.

I don’t know about you, but I like the design of most things done before 70s. I mean just take something as mundane as a refrigerator and back in the 1950s the design was better. Obviously cars are the best example of that. Take the 1953 Ford coupe above, come on, cars back then had style, personality. Nowadays, most modern cars look the same and you have to look for the brand to realize what they are; there are some exceptions, but most modern cars look generic to me. Of course I’m being simplistic and make some broad generalizations, but you get the general idea, right?

What do you think, am I crazy to think designer really use the Gestalt theory and principles before the 70s?

Video trivia: Guess where “El Gordo” who is actually “flaco” is playing at?

I read somewhere that the relationships among siblings are the longest of all. In this case, these two brothers are building a very strong relationship from the start. I like how the older brother wraps his arm around his little brother in a sort of protection way.

This is just another daily life stamp from Antigua Guatemala, I hope you enjoy it.

By the way, next Tuesday AntiguaDailyPhoto will be celebrating its 6th year anniversary of bringing you everyday life images, stories, art and news from Antigua Guatemala.