Independence Day: Practicing Student Bands
School bands and parades were the norm to celebrate Independence Day before the December 29 signing of The Guatemalan Peace Accords of …
Independence Day: Patriotic Fire Marathon
So, what kind activities are done in Guatemala to celebrate Independence Day? Most people in Guatemala often say that Guatemalans are not …
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Maya is a civilization really preoccupied with the unbearable lightness of being and masochistic on top of it all by keeping a long count which shows how insignificant we really are. We humans, however, we really muddle ourselves with all kinds of fixations, preoccupations and obsessions like dates.
Free Culture
In La Antigua Guatemala we are so lucky to have plenty of free culture. The Festival Internacional de Jazz en Antigua and …
Red Lantern District
Not a farol left over from last year’s posadas. Nor indeed a house of ill repute, except perhaps with regards to the …
Local Bottled Water Station Hunapu
In Guatemala exists a near monopoly of bottled water called Salvavidas; surely you remember the photo of the pile 5-gallon jugs known …
Water Tanks and Colonial Style Social Networks
Today, as in colonial times, these public water tanks and washbasins serve as the places for doing the laundry and for water …
Public Water Faucets Are Today’s Fountains
These recently renovated colonial-styled public water faucets can be found in and around many of the villages of La Antigua Guatemala. Like …
Who owns the water in Guatemala?
All Guatemalans, of course, just like the air. Water belongs to the Guatemalan people and it’s managed by the government; national and …
Making Guatemalan Tortillas
Blame this photo on Eric, who just yesterday invoked the tortilla-making ladies. It is interesting how the aroma of freshly-made tortillas can …
Guatemalan Chuparrasco
Last year I mentioned about that thanks to the wise weather gods, in Guatemala any time of the year is good for …
Guatemalan Musical Instruments
To play this game you simply try to name as many musical instruments as you can from the musical stand above (you …
Photographing the Quinceañera
Yesterday, I mentioned that La Antigua Guatemala’s Central Park is often used as stage for many free cultural and artistic events. Well, …
FICCUA VI: Music from Panama
La Antigua Guatemala’s Central Park is the most often used stage around town for free culture events. In this particular case, the …
Mayan Ceramic Pot
I am worry that with technology we are turning a personal history into ephemeral instants. See the early Maya wrote their history, …