For being such a tiny country Guatemala, it tops some lists, not all bad either. For instance, Guatemala is a top producer of premium coffee. Also, Guatemala is the top producer of poinsettias, pascuas as we call them here. Furthermore, this tiny country is also a top producer of sugar. Believe it or not, Guatemala … Read more
Here’s a sampling of the most popular Christmas decorations used in Guatemala. How many Christmas decorations do you recognise or which one are used where you live? By the way, if you want to take a photographic tour through the different Guatemalan Christmas decorations, follow the white rabbit. Enjoy the tour and let us know … Read more
You can sense the Christmas spirit already in and around La Antigua Guatemala, alright. From the processions, the convites, the town fairs, the food, the Christmas baskets, the poinsettias, on and on. Soon the posadas will begin as well, in fact, I believe they start on December 15. Anyhow, here I captured the moment before … Read more
As I have explained before, Nacimientos are Nativity (Navidad in Spanish) scenes shrines made to celebrate during the December until Christmas or Navidad in Spanish. On December 8th, the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated and with this the ‘Religious Christmas Season’ is officially started. For those who are not well verse in Catholic … Read more
Here’s your Spanish words of the day: Noche Buena or Christmas Eve. As in previous years, I saw a caravan with Santa Claus delivering toys in the villages of Antigua Guatemala on Christmas Eve. What caught my viewfinder was that fact that this caravan was sponsored by former major Dr. Adolfo Vivar and his crew. … Read more
Did you know that the official name for Antigua Guatemala’s parque central is actually Plaza Mayor? Also the benches around the Fuente de las sirenas, mermaids fountain, in Parque Central, are a great place to enjoy the spirit of Navidad, especially at night with all the Christmas lights providing a beautiful enchanting atmosphere.
This picture was taken from the second floor of the municipal palace, around 7pm, even though the City Hall building closes its doors around 5pm. So, how does one manage to get access to the second floor of the Muni after the doors are closed? Well, if one happens to know that the days the … Read more
Once again Parque Central is looking radiant for the Christmas season with the help of over 200,000 lights. It is a very wonderful experience to seat at bench and watch people and look at serendipity at work. Hones, this is too much of a good thing. Come and enjoy it for yourself!
Since the night of December 15, there have been sightings of Joseph and Mary’s quest for shelter around the streets of Antigua Guatemala. María and José are walking around Antigua Guatemala, knocking on people’s doors to ask for posada.
This boy, Kevin, was observing the altar made by his family to receive the San Gaspar Vivar procession on Día de los Reyes Magos. I guess Kevin was making sure that this little shrine looked as good as it could considering it was built inside the garage. If you were to imagine the thoughts going … Read more
In Christian tradition the Magi (Greek: μάγοι, magoi), Three Wise Men, Three Kings or Kings from the East are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts. They are mentioned only in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 2) , which says that they came “from the east to Jerusalem” to worship the Christ, … Read more
One thing I can not share with you is the aroma of Christmas that I get while walking around town. The Christmas aroma is composed of pine-needle, manzanilla, tamales, ponche, firecracker powder, et cetera. Too bad smells can not be transmitted via de the web yet.
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 … Read more
The burning of fireworks and firecrackers for Christmas Eve is less than for New Year’s Eve, but impressive nonetheless, especially when you consider people all over are burning pólvora [fireworks powder]. Here are two images showing the burning of fireworks in the village of San Pedro Las Huertas. There’s the audio again so you can … Read more
In Antigua Guatemala we woke up to this sunny and gorgeous panoramic vista of the volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenago with a comfortable temperate 16ºC/61ºF temperature. Would you like to have this weather every day for Winter? if so, then come on down to Antigua Guatemala where we promise you a daily dose of sunshine … Read more