Can you name all the seeds in the photograph? I will help you with the one my finger is pointing to: Chile Cobanero. You may need to click on the photo above to zoom into the details. Good luck! Numerical Sidenote: For many Western cultures the number 13 is bad luck; thus Tuesday 13th, Friday … Read more
Fact #1: Right now is winter in Guatemala as it is located in the Northern Hemisphere. You might not be believe this by looking at the photo above. Fact #2: Guatemala is a tropical country with a temperate weather. The reason for the pleasant temperatures is the high altitude where most of the towns are … Read more
According to Wikipedia, translucent emerald-green jadeitite is the most prized variety of jade both now and historically. Quetzal jade, or translucent emerald-green jadeitite, was treasured by Mesoamerican cultures. Guatemala and Burma are the principal sources of modern gem jadeitite. All the jadeite in Mesoamerica, used by the Olmec, Maya, and all other cultures since ca … Read more
This is a close-up view of a Huipil, sort of a blouse worn by the indigenous Maya women and sometimes even the tourists get in the mood for wearing one. To fully appreciate the colors, the patterns and the threads, please, do click on the photo above to zoom in. This photo is dedicated to … Read more
We continue the color tour around Antigua with something simple and utilitarian like kitchen gloves. I am sure Meg would love a pair of these since she loves textiles. Here you get to see how the Indigenous people can have such wide palette of colors and yet the whole piece be harmony. Also, you can … Read more
Do I love yellow or what? To appreciate an old colonial town like La Antigua Guatemala you need a new set of aesthetic values. See the beauty of many things in Antigua reside in their many imperfections; sometimes they are made to look like that. For instance, forged metal railings are hammered while red hot … Read more
Sometimes when you start a series you don’t know where to begin. I have colors, rich saturated colors for you. But, I will start slow; raising the intensity as we progress; kind of like rising the volume. Which remains me of another photo with lost of colors: Pump up the color. In the Daily Photo … Read more
The informal economy is the basis for making a living for most Guatemalans. That is why you have shoe-shining boys, orchids sellers, furniture sellers, textiles sellers, handicrafts sellers, vehicle watchers, ice cream handcarts sellers, market merchants and a very long et-cetera. As matter of fact, Guatemala’s SAT, IRS equivalent, has a tough time collecting the … Read more
Two sources of night light that are available at dusk. I’ve been a bit busy, but tomorrow expect a very hot topic: Plagiarism. Best wishes for this Monday morning. Take it easy, you have all week to meet your deadlines.
There’s an unspoken rule against publishing photos of your cats on your blog. I am breaking the rules on the request of my lovely sister. Here two my cats: Camilo the large black and cat and Lolita, the little white pussycat in the background. Oh, how I wish I could live worry-free as these two. … Read more
I must confess, I have a weak spot for colors and patterns. Maybe it is the fact that I am, after all, a graphic designer that makes me set the view-finder on colors or patterns. As a matter of fact, three my favorites photos were basically that: 1. Shadow Casting Lamp, 2. Antigua’s colors, post … Read more
Cobblestone streets are yet another characteristic of La Antigua Guatemala’s life-style (see photos 1, 2, 3). They are hard on the automobiles, trucks, bicycles and humans. Cobblestone streets require a lot maintenance. In the photo above you can see just one of the workers responsible for the streets’ repairs and if you follow the next … Read more
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 … Read more