As explained last year, velaciones, vigils, are a very important tradition during Lent and Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. Velaciones are altars or shrines made for the catholic figures that later on will be on top of the floats, andas in Guatemalan Spanish, which are the nucleus of the processions. The velación shown here was … Read more
Here’s my second attempt at capturing the new looks of the façade of the gothic church in San Felipe de Jesús, the village to the northwest of Antigua Guatemala and home to Finca Filadelfia, which was recently renovated. I tried a new angle and orientation to highlight the gothic architecture of this parish. Below you … Read more
It was almost a decade since this parish was last painted, the only gothic church in and around Antigua Guatemala. I will try to make new photos with the sunset light to get the rich warm colors to pop out and with better perspective. Stay tune! Hacía casi diez años desde la última vez que … Read more
San Felipe de Jesús is just a small town next to La Antigua Guatemala, which has its own particularities. San Felipe’s church is gothic, its market is cozy, there are many options to have some delicious food… So, why not pay a visit to San Felipe on a Saturday or Sunday? I guess I am … Read more
Earlier this year, on September 30, I showed you the entrance to the San Felipe Church, which is the only gothic church around Antigua Guatemala. This is an exotic tower for this area since must of the façades are colonial Spanish baroque. I will have to dig up the history of the church and post … Read more
Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala offers so many comfort foods, such as garnachas, a street food originally from Xelajú [Quetzaltenango]. Today’s portrait shows a Honduran woman selling garnachas quetzaltecas [from Xela] in the village of San Felipe de Jesús as part of the velación [vigil] the day before Palm Sunday. The world is on an … Read more
As I have been showing you each day this week, Semana Santa is a family religious event. It is also a time for bonding with sons and daughters while passing along the traditions of Guatemala. This Good Friday I share with you the portrait of cucurucho carrying his daughter while carrying the processional float from … Read more
Here’s your Spanish word of the day: Aldea for village. When was the last time you visited one of the villages of La Antigua Guatemala. If you live here, you have not excuse. In fact, if you are only visiting, you have no excuse either. If you really want to get a glimpse of what … Read more
For some reason, Arcángel San Miguel is quite popular in Guatemala. Around Antigua Guatemala there at least two communities that carry San Miguel as part of their name. Do you know why San Michael is so popular as a patron saint for so many towns? These are some of the names of villages, towns and … Read more
The San Bartolo procession is among the biggest from the Antigua Lent Processions series. In fact, I remember publishing in previous years that San Bartolo and San Felipe procession were the biggest of all the procession in Guatemala. So, I will split the all the photos in two days. When we started the Antigua Lent … Read more
Today I share with you the view of Finca Filadelfia and the village of San Felipe de Jesús and the municipality of Jocotengo as seen from one of the trails from the village El Hato at an altitude of 2,350 meters, 7,700 feet, above sea level. The panoramic vistas of Antigua Guatemala found in the … Read more
Within two weeks the harvest time will commence around Antigua Guatemala for corn. Normally, maize is harvested from the end of October through December depending on the milpa fields. Beans are harvested from November through December in most places in Guatemala. Who knows how much will be harvested this year since we experienced a severe … Read more
Often times I have wonder why do we have so many non-governmental organisations, NGOs, in and around Antigua Guatemala. Also, I have wondered why do we have so many volunteers come over to Guatemala and give up their vacation or their walk-about time to help x or y project. I believe I have some answers … Read more
This is the look of the typical Guatemalan sweets booth at town fair. If when you visit Guatemala you can not find a town fair happening near Antigua Guatemala, you can always take a short trip to San Felipe which happens to have this kind booths all year round. What kind of Guatemalan sweets are … Read more
This image of a stand of the typical Guatemalan sweets was captured in the little market on the main square of San Felipe de Jesús; one the best places to have Guatemalan typical food and not be overcharge as in my restaurants in downtown Antigua Guatemala. San Felipe de Jesús is also a good place … Read more