I have posted many photos of bicycles in and around Antigua Guatemala and I even said that bicycles are among the most-widely used vehicles in La Antigua Guatemala. It is only logical that many bicycle repair shops exist to fix them. Here is a glance at a tidy and messy bike repair shop. Come back … Read more
During the Lent period (Cuaresma in Spanish) many houses and businesses are decorated with purple or violet strips of textiles and bands as the one above seen at the Santo Domingo Hotel.
Even simple details like the marker for the men’s bathroom is done with style in many places around Antigua Guatemala. Here you can see the stain glass marker for the bathroom for señores. Nothing like an image to be universally understood. This photograph was taken at La Fuente as well.
Here is a better shot showing how the Guatemalan textiles literally carpet the garden around the fountain (fuente in Spanish) at La Fuente. I had to underexposed the fountain and the people in the background to get a better view of the colors and textures of the textiles in the foreground. As always, if you … Read more
On the weekends the center garden around the fountain in La Fuente strip mall and restaurant is carpeted by Guatemalan textiles on sale; awesome stuff, by the way. La Fuente is one my favorite places to have lunch and meet with people. You can recall the entry about Six Degrees of Separation at La Fuente … Read more
Is it motorcycle or automobile? The meeting of the tuk tuk drivers and the police was to define the tuk tuk as either a motorcycle or an automobile so that the drivers can have the proper license and insurance. Interesting enough, they meet to decide this after the introduction of the tuk tuks mototaxis. Even … Read more
Architecture arose from man’s necessity to shelter from the environment. First, he used the caves where he left registered scenes from his daily life, to then build, with the materials found in nature, his home. As humankind organized socially and the jobs became specialties, the first masons appeared and transformed the natural materials such stone and wood, and invented others like adobes and bricks from clay. (fragment from La mano de obra en la arquitectura from JM Magaña in Recrearte Magazine, page 8, available in Spanish as a PDF download)
Dante Alighieri also crossed the Atlantic Ocean in search for wider public for his Divine Comedy. It seems like the old folks had better sense of humor. Alighieri, Cervantes and Shakespeare had great sense of humor and for sure they would needed it if they saw what we done with this world. Not even 33 … Read more
In the first decade of 1600s, one ingenious Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra set out to write a humorous tale about a tall, thin, fancy-struck knight by the name of Quijote (Quixote in old Spanish) and the fat, squat, world-wearing Panza. He succeeded in writing a very comic story and a best-seller, but little did he … Read more
I am sure this doorway will fit perfectly in MarieMC‘s Doorways Around the World. Well, I may be wrong because since she updated her submission guidelines she now only accepts doorways that are beautiful. We’ll see. Angelina is decor shop in Antigua Guatemala with ‘big things for big budgets,’ I overheard someone saying once. It … Read more
Even though most, if not all, of the quick photo labs are digital now in La Antigua Guatemala, the old and traditional photo studios still remain open. How long will they stay open, I don’t know. I saw how in less than 18 months all the quick photo lab went digital and how the Guatemalan … Read more
Back on February 8th, 2007 on the entry New Aesthetic Values for an Old Town, I mentioned how many things are still made completely by hand, thus it is impossible to get two items to look the same. The angels in this wall at Doña Luisa Xicotencatl are a very good example of the beauty … Read more
The restaurant and bakery housed under the name of Doña Luisa Xicotencatl, on 4a calle oriente #12 in La Antigua Guatemala, has become a landmark of the town. Many people meet here for breakfast on the weekends or lunch during the week. I believe one the reason this business has become a landmark is the … Read more
A little over a week ago, Mary Johnston asked if I could publish a photo of Jacarandas. Well, I found some trees in Parque Central, out of all places, and in the process I manage to snap a shot of Central Park which I believe to be quite original. At least I haven’t seen this … Read more
In the Catholic realm the Holy Week Celebrations begin today with the Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Cuaresma, the Spanish term for the forty days of the Lent season. The Holy Week celebrations in La Antigua Guatemala end at this church: El Calvario. Back in January 18th, I showed you the El Calvario … Read more