La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo’s Top 12 of 2007

1. Antigua’s Cathedral and Central Park Illuminated, 2. Partners in Adversity, 3. Public Water Distribution System, 4. Desfile nocturno del Día de la Independencia, 5. Street Lamp and Street Sign, 6. Grafito de Rigorberta Menchú, 7. San Cristobal El Bajo Church, 8. Guatemalan Sweet Bread Sampler, 9. Monk in San Francisco Church In Antigua, 10. Children Procession, 11. Jacarandas at Central Park, 12. Volcanes de Fuego y Acatenango Wallpaper

Any top list is bound to be subjective and there can be as many top list as there are people to make them. So with this in mind, I present you: my Top 12 Photos of 2007. Why a top 12 and not a top 10? Simple, I just pick my favorite photo for each month of 2007 and so that is how I arrived to these top 12 photos of La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo of 2007.

I am sure YOU can come up with a different list of photos or entries as your to 12; there are plenty of entries to choose from for 2007 (365 to exact). Please, share with us which photos or entries were in your top 12 and let us know what was your criteria to arrive at your Top 12 Entries of LAGDP. Thanks everyone for sharing your top 12 with us.

New Year’s Eve Celebrations in La Antigua Guatemala:
For starters there are many things that make New Year’s Eve similar and different than Christmas’ Eve. If Christmas’ Eve is celebrated with the family at home at your parents’ home; New Year’s Eve can be celebrated anywhere: a discotheque, a park, the beach or La Calle del Arco, a popular venue in La Antigua Guatemala. At Calle del Arco, two fireworks signs are put on each sign of the clock at the arch: one for 2007 and the other for 2008 and fireworks are burnt right at midnight to celebrate the arrival of the new year. As Christmas’ Eve, everybody stays up all night long (or mostly all night) awaiting the turning of a new year at 12 o’clock. There is plenty of hugs, food, partying and dancing. New Year’s Eve is less religious than Christmas’ Eve and there are many more parties to go to. There is a particular song which is played at every single party and danced to… El Año Viejo. I leave you below a section of the song which is sang by everybody as reminder of the good things in life. Further down, I leave you a awesome version of El Año Viejo by Los Socios del Ritmo. I am sure this song most be the most-often-played music throughout Latin America on New Year’s Eve. Please, if you are Guatemalan, I don’t want to hear you cry… better sing …Ay yo no olvido el año viejo with your friends and family. Enjoy pues! 😉

My best wishes to everyone and please have the happiest New Year Ever!

For a more detail explanation of the New Year’s Eve celebration, check out last year’s entry which describe with luxury of detail all the stuff that happens at New Year’s Eve.

Yo no olvido al año viejo (I don’t forget the old year)
Porque me ha dejado cosas muy buenas: (Because it left behind good things for me:)
Me dejó una chiva, (It left me a goat,)
Una burra negra, (a black donkey)
Una yegua blanca (a white female horse)
Y una buena suegra… (And a good mother-in-law…)

Lessie says:

December 31, 2007 at 12:47 pm

You did a good job IMO of picking the photos — they illicit emotion when I look at them and I want to see them up close again. 🙂

Carmen says:

December 31, 2007 at 3:04 pm

These would be so great for a calendar! (Hint, hint). 😉 I especially remember pictures two, three, eight, nine, and ten. Those stick out in my head. For example, I remember telling a friend of mine about Semana Santa in Guatemala and the picture of the little kids’ procession was right around the time when we were exchanging messages.Listen, I like all your pictures (as always), but the ones mentioned above are the ones I remember in particular. HAPPY NEW YEAR RUDY! 🙂

Manolo says:

December 31, 2007 at 3:28 pm

Pues I remember the two distinguishable Red periods of pictures where we(or wast it only me?) were able to know more about the man behind the lens… I love the pictures of pan dulce because is possibly the only “thing” I miss about Guate… Ah, and I am sure I have seen at least one of those pictures in print either on Recrearte or Revue. Thank you for a year of friendship and common adventures Don Rudy. If one of my resolutions comes a reality I might be able to hold your hand (heck give you a hug) in person before 2009. ¡Salud compañero!
Ah and I think is “deja’o cosas muy buenas” and it did indeed…

Sara says:

December 31, 2007 at 3:44 pm

Rudy,
Happy New Year!!! Thank you for all of your pictures! It reminds me of the time I spent in Antigua two years ago with my sister. I am so grateful for the music you have added lately. I hope you keep adding more.

erica says:

December 31, 2007 at 4:17 pm

hm well the cat & dog pic and all the night pics have to be one of my top favs but it so hard to choose cuz all your pics are so beautiful and captivating! i’ve never been to guatemala nor anywhere outside the US of A, but after seeing all your pics makes want to come visit!

Claudia says:

December 31, 2007 at 6:14 pm

Lots of health, prosperity, kisses and hugs everyone – Happy New Year. Let’s make it a good one. My aunts always sing that song. . . alas, la buena suegra – it’s day late dollar short for me.

Jerry B says:

December 31, 2007 at 7:51 pm

Happy New Year, Rudy and all the readers! All the photos, tossed in a pot, give a wonderful flavor of La Antigua. Great job, and stay after it please.