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What kind of business do you think corresponds to El Cofre sign?

Like every first of the month, today is theme day for City Daily Photo community around the world and this month’s theme is Funny signs. El Cofre sign is not necessarily funny, let’s just call it not a serious sign.

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.

One of the things I enjoy very much of visiting my dear friend Pascu, manager of Antigua Canopy Tours, is having a good cup of coffee from Finca Filadelfia’s Cafetenango restaurant. I also enjoy the coffee-themed signs like today’s and the Latté lover parking only sign previously shown here.

Somehow, today’s sign portraits exactly how I feel each morning, especially today.

Have you visited Cafetenango in Finca Filadelfia yet?

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Stucio C took part in the realization of visual effects for more than 350 shots for the movie “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”. Studio C has also participated in the following films: The Ring 2, Armaggedon, Sphere, Space Jam and Angels in the Outfield, just to name a few.

Studio C has their headquarter offices in La Antigua Guatemala. Now, I guess we can also say, Movies-R-Us!

La esquina means the corner so what a fitting name for this restaurant and shop located on a corner house one block south of Central Park.

Trust me, do no trust your nostalgic memories; they will mislead you.

Today’s sign of al Macarone is a very good example how the signage regulations of La Antigua Guatemala can actually improve a logo and brand graphics. Take a look at al Macarone original logo and compare it to the transformed logo appearing above. I really like the texture of the mothy logs.

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When was the last time you had chocobananos or chocofresas? Do you know what they are?

Last month I shared with you La Antigua Guatemala Sign Ordinances. I will again post the information below to keep fresh. One thing I forgot to mention last month is the fact that only “ONE” sign is allowed per business or institution.

How many signs do you see in the picture above?

Here’s a little summary of what the PDF documents below describe at length:

The sign can be any of this three dimensions 0.70m x 0.70m square, .50m x 1m rectangle and .25m x 2m rectangle. The sign can only include any two of the following materials: wood, metal, ceramic tiles, bronze and forged metal. Three is the maximum limit of colors that can be used; with a matte finish. The business sign can only have a logo and name of business and nothing more. The sign must be in Spanish and following the grammatical rules set forth by the Real Academia de la Lengua Española; text in other languages can be included as long as it’s set at a much lower size and must include at least French and English. The typography (font) should be roman typeface (up and lower case) and can not be a modern-looking font. Synthetic materials and glass are forbidden.

No advertising signs and/or billboards can be placed within 4 kilometers on the road coming from Guatemala City; anywhere on the roads between La Antigua Guatemala and Alotenango, Santa María de Jesús and San Luis las Carretas (road to Chimaltenango).

Here are the three PDF documents which are required to obtain a sign license:

• Lineamientos para obtener Licencia de Rótulos — Sign License Requirements (PDF download at CNPAG)
• Reglamento para la colocación de rótulos o letreros — Sign Placement Ordinance (PDF download at CNPAG)
• Solicitud de Licencia de Rótulo — Sign License Application (PDF download at CNPAG)

The La Antigua Guatemala sign ordinances were enacted on March 23, 1973. All existing signs were given 12 months to comply with the new sign ordinances.

Guatemalan Film Trailers Aside: Once again, we continue showing trailers of Guatemalan films and short films. These trailers are for Un día de Sol, which was recently filmed Guatemala by Códice Cinema and directed by Rafael Tres. If you would like to see the photos behind the scenes and the making of, follow the white rabbit.

Algunas imágenes de la película Un día de Sol grabada en Guatemala en el 2009. Cast – Ana Lucia Martinez, Giuliana Vettorazzi, Alexandra Wever, Johann Boy, Sammy Morales, Amabilia Alvarez, Vera Mansilla y Tatiana Palomo. Película ha estrenarse a principios del 2010. —Rafael Tres

Some images from the film Un día de Sol, filmed in Guatemala in 2009. Cast: Ana Lucia Martinez, Giuliana Vettorazzi, Alexandra Wever, Johann Boy, Sammy Morales, Amabilia Alvarez, Vera Mansilla y Tatiana Palomo. Un día de Sol will be released in the first quarter of 2010. —Rafael Tres

Beautiful, simple and elegant sign made with six ceramic tiles. Now, I wish I knew what they do or sell at Alforja. Does anyone know what kind of shop is Alforja?

Geotagging photographs and maps aside: Some of you may have already noticed that there’s a map at the bottom of the most recent entries showing where the photo was taken. Also, there’s a new Antigua Maps page on the Main Menu where you will find a map with the 20 most recent geotagged photographs and their location. Below that map, there’s another map with the option to see at full screen with pins showing where the photographs were taken. Finaly, if you want to scan the location for well over 300 photographs at Flickr, just follow the white rabbit. That’s a lot map options for you. I hope you find this new feature valuable or at least interesting. I will try to include a map showing the location of the photos in all future entries, unless you tell me otherwise. Enjoy!

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Perhaps the fact that I am a graphic designer is what causes me to stop and take pictures of signs in La Antigua Guatemala all the time. I can’t help it, I am addicted to collecting photos of signs.

Am I the only who enjoys these photos of signs?

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Pollo Campero is Guatemala’s most successful transnational company. With its tender, juicy and crunchy fried chicken, Campero has done what other Central American companies can only dream of, take their brand the world over. There are now many business schools and consultants doing Pollo Campero case studies. Pollo Campero: Conquering the World of Fried Chicken is one such case study from the Foster School of Business of the University of Washington.

Because of the avalanche of news of Campero’s success in the U.S. and other countries in Asia, a while ago I decided to write a parody entitled Resistance is Futile, We are Pollo Campero Borg. I share it with you again for your enjoyment.

Soon everyone will be familiar with this logotype. Resistance is futile, all of you will be assimilated, we are the Campero Borg Collective. Juan José Gutiérrez and Dionisio Gutiérrez remind me of Pinky and The Brain because of their weekly plans to take over the world. The first plan began over 35 years ago, 1971 to be precise, in a tiny joint in Guatemala City. Their plan was very simple: let’s make a clone of Kentucky Fried Chicken and let’s sell it the world over. So far their plan has taken them as far as many U.S. cities, Madrid and Jakarta and in ten days to Shanghai. In China, Pinky and The Brain Gutiérrez plan to open up 500 new restaurants in the next five years; that is little over 8 restaurants per month. The Gutiérrez plan is to convince or convert the world over to their recipe of fried chicken which is tender, juicy and crunchy by way of plain logic: after all, how can 1.7 billion Chinese be wrong, right?

So if you didn’t know anything about this tiny banana republic in Central America by the name of Guatemala, soon you will! You will know our Campero fried chicken, you will know our babies, and you will know about our workers (undocumented immigrants), among other not-so-glamorous facts. Stay tune or not, either way you will be assimilated!

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We continue feeding the sign category with a sign made from ceramic tiles. There are over 106 sign entries thus far.

You know, there are sign ordinances that stipulate the size and materials that can be used in signage in and around La Antigua Guatemala. Would you like to learn what the sign ordinances are?

I believe the Muni should begin posting these signs all over town. Let licuado lovers be aware!

When he had fished the last fish,
poison the last river,
and cut down the last tree,
man will realize that
he can not eat his money.

With today’s sign I inaugurate a new non-consecutive series called Let the signs speak, which will aggregate signs that speak for themselves. If they need translation, I will do so, but for the most part, I will let the signs speak.

Can you guess where can you find this sign?

Just by walking around the streets of La Antigua Guatemala you can learn a whole new vocabulary by reading sings. If you don’t believe me, take a trip to the Signs category where you will find a brand new vocabulary like paninos, berengenas, pietra, molletes, torrejas, gasolina, luz, sirenas, et cetera; there are 99 specimens categorized already. How many different languages can you find among all those words?

Today’s new word is tartines, a fancy French open-faced sandwich topped with spreadable ingredients. You can find the Tartines sign on 4a calle oriente, half a block from the Parque Central. Bon appetite!

I love signs; as the Sign category can testify with 98 entries so far. I am sorry about that since you have to experience La Antigua Guatemala vicariously through my eyes. Oh well, c’est la vie!