First Posada Navideña of 2020
Let the nine days of posadas navideñas begin. Since this morning, December 15th, there have been sightings of Joseph and Mary’s quest …
This Devil Will Burn in Antigua Guatemala on December 7
The Christmas season in Antigua Guatemala begins with a cleansing pyromaniac ritual by burning the devil which represent all the negative feelings …
Nativity Scene at Capilla de Belén in Antigua Guatemala
This week will have a mini series on Nacimientos, Nativity scenes, a Guatemalan tradition that goes hand in hand with Posadas, the enactment of the search for shelter of Joseph and Mary right before Christmas.
First Antigua Estelar Festival
As part of the First Antigua Estelar Festival we were treated to a night of music recital, theater, plays, astrology talks, body …
Mariachi Music for The Dead
It is quite common in Mesoamerica to bring live music to the graveyards to serenade the dead loved ones. That’s exactly why …
Revisited: Sympathy for the Devil
After spending a week at the emergency room of the IGSS hospital, the Devil is back a few broken bones, but ready …
Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas in Antigua Guatemala
I came across celebrations for “Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas” in and around Antigua Guatemala. Here’s a peak view of one …
QuinTango and Sonidos Para La Vida offered a free concert in Antigua Guatemala
Last Tuesday the renown quintet QuinTango and Sonidos Para La Vida, an organisation with young musicians, offered a free concert at the …
Casa Popenoe Talks — Becoming Wilson Popenoe
This past Thursday Casa Popenoe, immortalised by Louis Adamic in his book “The House in Antigua”, treated several dozen guests to two …
Burning of the Devil Portraits
El hombre propone, Dios dispone y El Diablo lo descompone. What better way to caption these portraits of strangers at the Burning …
Lunch Time on the Streets of Antigua Guatemala
At lunch time one can find stands of food vendors pop up at street corners or around parks in Antigua Guatemala. These …
Devilish woman from Ciudad Vieja
This devilish woman from Ciudad Vieja had just finish her participation in the dance-drama called “Danza de la legión de los 24 …
Fresh and hot bread morning and afternoon
If tortillerías serve freshly made tortillas los tres tiempos, three times a day, panaderías, bakeries, offer freshly made bread twice a day, …
Let’s Celebrate Maximón Day
In Guatemala, Maximón is celebrated on October 28 by those who worship the Maya saint, also known as San Simón. Today, I …
Un Poco de Todo
I believe that the tienda or tiendita, the typical convenience store, is another Guatemalan institution. What’s the item you must often buy …
Free into the wind, your beautiful flag
Here’s Guatemala’s National Anthem in English in case you want sing along next time you hear it. Happy Guatemala, may your altar …
Swing, Blues & Cumbia Tonight in Antigua Guatemala
If you like swing, blues, cumbia or all the above, you are in luck because tonight between 8:30pm – 11pm you can …
Cacao Pods from Guatemala
Chocolate is created from the cocoa bean that come from cacao pods as seen here. Chocolate is quite possibly the most popular …
Agua as Hunahpú and Fuego as Ixbalanqué
Here’s another panoramic vista of volcanoes Agua, Fuego and Acatenango during the sunset of this delicious canícula or heat wave, which in …
Ceiba Trees Are Portals to Xibalbá
As I have shared with you before, the ceiba tree (Ceiba pentandra) is very important in Guatemala. For one, the Ceiba tree …
Maximón and Mishito
Here’s your Guatemalan Spanish word of the day: Mishito or kitty or gatito in plain Spanish. Now, the effigy next to the …
We’re Hombres de Maíz
As I have mentioned before, it is impossible to think of the Guatemalan, Mexican and Mesoamerican diet without maize. From the Popul …
It’s Time for Refacción!
Here’s your Guatemalan Spanish word for the day: Refacción o snack time. The Guatemalan labor code allows for two short breaks of …
Barber Shops Around Antigua Guatemala
Here’s your Spanish word of the day: Barbería or barber shop. There are still plenty of barber shops around Antigua Guatemala, especially …
Keeping the Banana Republic Alive
One of the benefits of having a Banana Republic (not the clothing store, but the real thing!) is the tremendous amount of …
The Licuados or Smoothies Culture of Antigua Guatemala
Let’s go grab a licuado! Sweet. Refreshing. Natural. Licuados are one of those treats that truly define a Guatemalan experience. The blended …
Countdown to Carnival Begins in Antigua Guatemala
If case you missed it, yesterday, February 2, was Día de la Candelaria. As I have explained before, around Antigua Guatemala, many …
Special Screening of “Dance of the Maize God” in Antigua Guatemala
Last night I had the opportunity to attend the Special preview screening of the documentary “Dance of the Maize God” by filmmaker …
New Year’s Eve Celebrations in Antigua Guatemala
Yo no olvido al año viejo (I don’t forget the old year) Porque me ha dejado cosas muy buenas: (Because it left …
Christmas Decoration Street Shop
Besides the omnipresent fireworks and firecracker street booths, one can also find Christmas decoration street shops when anyone can pick up Christmas …
Fireworks Rockets for Christmas season
Anyone who has spent Christmas and/or New Year in Guatemala can agree Guatemalans are bunch of pyromaniacs. Even Boing Boing editor Xeni …
Posada Nights in Antigua Guatemala
Since the night of December 15, there have been sightings of Joseph and Mary’s quest for shelter around the streets of La …
Enactment of the Guatemalan Nativity Scene
The other day I had the opportunity to make a couple of photos of the Nativity scene enactment or Nacimiento as people …
Guatemalan Nacimiento Enactment
With the Feast for the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception on December 8, antigüeños begin putting up their Nacimientos (Nativity Scenes); a …
Cucurrucucú paloma
Cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú, Cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú, paloma, ya no le llores… Here are the lyrics for “Cucurrucucú paloma” in Spanish. Enjoy the English …
Burn The Devil
On December 7 at 6pm the burning the devil and the bad spirits in a cleansing ceremony through the purifying power of …
The Time for Barriletes Is Around The Corner
At the end of the rainy season one begins to see this tissue paper kites being sold in tienditas, small town convenience …
Spanish Crown Emblem and Guatemalan Flag
Yesterday I read in on one of the social media networks that Guatemala is a country aspiring to enter the 21st Century, …
School Anniversary Parade
I believe that processions and parades are the most popular public manifestations of antigüeños. It’s almost impossible to conceive Antigua Guatemala without …
The #Guategrams Photo Exhibition Overview
I was privileged to have the opportunity to show some of daily life stamps I have recorded with my camera to a …
Foto por Vida Benefits Tonajuyú Buenos Aires
Photo for Life is how I translate this title. Foto x vida was a photo exhibition I attended last weekend. What I …
Antigua Architecture Walks
I was fortunate to accompany Guatemalan Architect José María Magaña Juárez, who specializes in conservation of monuments and historic centers and was …
Why is Belly Dancing So Popular in Antigua Guatemala
Who can explain to me why belly dancing is so popular in Antigua Guatemala. I have seen belly dancers in many activities …
Talk: Photojounalism in Guatemala During the War Years by Jean-Marie Simon
El fin es sólo el comienzo. The end is just the beginning. One of the aspects that I enjoy the most about …
Sandra Sebastián’s Introspectivas Photographic Exhibit Inauguration at CFCE Antigua
Last Saturday was the inauguration of the photographic exhibition “Instrospectivas” (instrospectives), a sampling of the human condition. These images are not just …
Corpus Christi in Antigua Guatemala
One aspect that I enjoy very much of the catholic rituals and celebrations is that there’s always food; food for every celebration. …
The Burning of Judas Iscariot on Holy Saturday
In many places of Guatemala on Holy Saturday an effigy of Judas Iscariote is burned. For those who don’t know who Juda …
Antigua Guatemala Semana Santa Photos
With this gallery of Semana Santa photos from Antigua Guatemala, Nelo Mijangos shares with us an overview of the many vistas one …
The Voca People at Ermita de la Santa Cruz, Antigua
Last night was the presentation of Vocal People at Ermita de la Santa Cruz ruins, Antigua Guatemala’s concert venue, as part of …
10 Days of Cultural Events Were Inaugurated Last Night with the Paiz International Cultural Festival
The night of February 1 was chosen as the inauguration of XII Festival Internacional de Cultura Paiz to be held for ten …
Laundry Day in San Juan del Obispo
This is what a typical laundry day looks like at any of the public washbasins and water tanks in and around Antigua …
Catholic Guatemalan Woman Fundraiser
I came across a group of catholic women who were raising funds for their church. One of the women carry an image …
12.12.12 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Antigua Guatemala
Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe in Antigua Guatemala As I have shared with you in previous years, in La Antigua Guatemala, …
The Burning of the 13 Baktun Devil in Antigua Guatemala
La Antigua Guatemala is a very small town, heck Guatemala, the country, is just slightly bigger than Antigua Guatemala when it comes …
Photos of Julian Marley’s Reggae Concert in Antigua Guatemala
“The son of The King” was the song used to introduce Julian Marley, Bob Marley’s son at the most recent reggae concert …
The typical taco stand in Guatemala
Just as with pizza, tacos are now part of the Guatemalan gastronomy. You can find tacos in every town fair, at parks …
The Pizza Transaction
I don’t know when or how, but now pizza slices are an staple of the Guatemalan town fairs. Of course, like everything …
Who knows what the dead want?
Well, it looks like the Guatemalan fiambre is taking off as it’s being covered by publications abroad such as Saveur Magazine. Here’s …
Kite Season Decoration
The kite season is upon us already so it comes as no surprise to see Guatemalan kites being used as decorations. Through …
Gallo Lager Bier Famous Since 1896
Among other news this week was the controversy and rage about Guatemala’s Gallo beer on the social media networks, especially on Facebook. …
Lighting Up the Independence Torch
The Liberty Torches Marathons Have Began. As in previous years, people from all over Guatemala begin a marathon to go to another …
#MiércolesDeCumbia from Guatemala to the World
After marimba music, cumbia has been the most popular musical genre in Guatemala. The phenomenonal comeback of Cumbia music in Guatemala is …
Making Alfombras for Corpus Christi Feast
The making of carpets from sawdust, pine-needles, flowers, vegetables, et cetera is a community-forming tradition. People get together by block or near-by …
Presentation of the Ballet Nacional de Guatemala in Antigua Guatemala
Tonight we were very lucky in Antigua Guatemala because we had the rare opportunity to see the Ballet Nacional de Guatemala performed …
On the way to the maize mill
This has to be one of the most frequent vistas in rural Guatemala. A woman or girl carrying a load of cooked …
Siesta time in Antigua Guatemala
Siesta time used to be sacred in Antigua Guatemala. Almost all business stop for lunch and siesta time between 12pm and 3pm …
Spring into Primavera or Winter
Soon the cloud-free dark blue skies will be nothing but a memory and gray skies and rainy days will be the norm …
Public Schools for Girls Only
In Guatemala there are public schools for girls, para niñas, for boys, para varones, and mix, mixtas. The same, of course, applies …
Colorful Eggshells for the Guatemalan Carnival
As published last year, these colorful Guatemalan cascarones [eggshells] filled with confetti are known as cascarones de carnaval [carnival] and they mark …
Buenos días, Buenos días
Life is short but there is always time for courtesy. —Ralph Waldo Emerson Buenos días, buenos días, que le vaya bien, they …
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love – The Blues Brothers by Blues Brothers Soundtrack on Grooveshark In Guatemala Valentine’s Day has a much …
Volcán de Agua Climb: Subida por la vida
On January 21, Under the name of Subida por la vida, there were over 8,000 people climbing Volcán de Agua (Water Volcano) …
Every day we die a little
I never realized how much people die every day until I lived in a town where almost each death is announced by …
We’re Women of Maize
As I said before, it is impossible to think of the Guatemalan, Mexican and Mesoamerican diet without maize. From the Popul Vuh …
Selling Comales
What better way to start the new year than with a brand new clay comal to cook the best tasting tortillas. A …
Guatemalan Nacimiento for Christmas Eve in Antigua
Here’s a simple Nacimiento made from corn husks to celebrate Navidad. As I have described before, with the Feast for the Virgin …
Posada Enactment for the Elders
Beginning on December 15, there are sightings of Joseph and Mary’s quest for shelter around the streets of La Antigua Guatemala. María …
Guatemalan Guadalupano
I took over one hundred photos for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, but by and large the portrait of this …
Burning of the Devil in Antigua Guatemala
La Antigua Guatemala remains as one of the few places where you can meet with hundreds of people willing to Burn the …
Students Paying a Visit to The Antique Book Museum
Here’s another day trip away from regular school day. Boy, when I was a kid anything to get me away from a …
Paca Nation
Because I am a politically correct person I will say that Guatemala is one of major recycling centers for things discarded in …
Antorchas de Independencia
As every year, on September 14, people from all over the Guatemala begin marathons to go to another part of the country …
Guatemalan Alienation
This year FOTO»30, Guatemala’s Photo September, a month full of photographic exhibits has as the encompassing theme the concept Nation. I remember …
Aide-de-camp Models Dressed As Indigenous Women
Can anybody help me understand why a country with a +55% population of indigenous Maya hires European-looking models to dress as Maya …
Business In A Basket
The basket business could easily be another series about the ambulant food vendors who make a living selling all kinds food from …
Much Ado About Nothing
The chicken bus barely stopped while crossing over 4a calle oriente; the main artery that becomes the exit to Guatemala City. A …
Separation of Church and State In Antigua Guatemala
For those who don’t know, the building that appears in the photo is La Antigua Guatemala Municipal government building, simply known as …
The Germans in Guatemala 1820-1944
In case you didn’t know, in Guatemala we had a large influx of Germans for over a century. Regina Wagner, a Guatemalan …
XI Festival Internacional De Cultura Paiz Begins
XI Festival Internacional De Cultura Paiz opened with a energy-charged reunion concert by the two most representative bands from Central America: the …
Old-style Butcher Shop
Sometimes I feel that I am capturing through my photographs a rapidly disappearing lifestyle. It’s kind of weird to photograph a colonial …
AntiguaDailyPhoto’s Top 12 of 2010
12. Colorful Guatemalan Balls, 11. Cathedral Spot Lights Zooming, 10. Sunday Mornings Begin with Coffee and Online Newspapers, 09. The Ages of …
Guatemala Is A Pyromaniac’s Hell
Guatemala’s a pyromaniac hell or paradise, what is it? I remember reading earlier this year a tweet from Xeni Jardin, one of …
Colorful Guatemalan Balls And Full Lunar Eclipse
These plastic balls are the most popular and thus the most often seen balls in Guatemala. They are very inexpensive and very …
Nine Days of Posadas
We interrupt our regularly scheduled December comfort foods series to bring you the following special bulletin. Since yesterday night, December 15, there …
Unmounting the Christ Figure from the Cross
At the end of the mass service for the Feast of Out Lady of Guadalupe while I was trying to get out …
Eucharistic celebration on Our Lady of Guadalupe Day
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, 2010 in La Antigua Guatemala began at midnight with firecrackers, firebombs and …
Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
This year’s Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been the best one I have covered in La Antigua Guatemala thus far. …
Diablo Piñatas for Burning of the Devil
La quema del diablo (Burning of the Devil) used to be this tradition, little known outside of Guatemala. I say “used to …
“Los Abuelitos” Guatemalan Tamales Shop
Question: If La casa de Los Abuelitos has already a red lantern signaling that they sell tamales, then why on earth would …