Underneath a Holy Week Float in La Antigua Guatemala

I did want to say a thing about it; just show the pictures and don’t even mention it; that was my plan. But no, Jerry T gave me away; sort of a behind the scenes of the Holy Week, he said. See the problem with showing pictures of Semana Santa year after year is that you tend to repeat yourself. I do not want to do that, not if I can help it. So if last year I presented the normal approach to the Holy Week in La Antigua Guatemala, this year it has to be different.

Find a new angle always; that is my goal for this site. This was my goal since day 1. What good would it be if I just take the same shots that everybody else is doing. Because of how I earn my living, I get to see thousands of images of La Antigua Guatemala. Furthermore, I follow several photo groups and La Antigua Guatemala is among the most often photographed places in Guatemala. It is virtually impossible not to take the same shot that somebody else already did. And that’s the challenge!

So much mumble jumble to present the underneath view of a Holy Week float in one of the villages of La Antigua Guatemala. Andas (floats) are not only the affair of cucuruchos, women also participate; and sometimes even chuchos (street dogs) get involved in the penitent act of carrying the heavy float! 😉

Shelley says:

March 19, 2008 at 10:03 am

Thanks for the inside/underside view of the anda!

janna says:

March 19, 2008 at 10:37 am

This is exactly what makes your photos so unique – you show us a side of Antigua we wouldn’t normally see, even if we were there. Thank you for the opportunity to visit the unseen parts of La Antigua through your gifted lens. Cuídate 😉

coltrane_lives says:

March 19, 2008 at 2:38 pm

I echo the other bloggers comments. Definitely not something one sees every day. Thanks for this perspective.

Manolo says:

March 19, 2008 at 2:57 pm

This seems to be a co-ed “anda”… is that more common nowadays? I remember there were specific men/female/children “processions” depending on the “image” (Saint?) and the weight. Do equal opportunity is permeating the good ol’ RC church in Guate? Or is it a sign that LAG is not Guatemala?

Claudia says:

March 20, 2008 at 7:41 am

I didn’t even know there was an underside to those – I always assumed it was just a solid box . . . tx Rudy.

MO says:

March 20, 2008 at 12:32 pm

Whose palm did you have to grease in order to get access to the underbelly of this float? or did you just sneaked underneath it and hope not to get caught or crushed to death? LOL.

I bet your periodista credentials granted you an “all area access” pass.

Rudy says:

March 21, 2008 at 12:00 am

Shelley, thanks for your visits and comments.

Janna, gracias mariposa en la pared.

Coltrane_lives, I am glad I could show a new angle for some of you and me.

Manolo, in the villages sometimes you get to see andas carried by men and women. I know I have pending the entry La Antigua Guatemala is not Guatemala; thanks for the remainder.

Claudia, I can see you never carried an anda before; shame on you! 😉 Actually I have never done it either and probably never will. 🙁

MO, no periodista credentials for this photoblogger. 🙁 I simply follow the procession for a few steps, shooting like a crazy paparazzo, and then I approached the rear end of the anda and lower my camera and adjusted the settings for low light, and click a few more shots.

Did any body follow the link to see the chucho under the float?