Weekend en (La Antigua) Guatemala

Here are the elements of a weekend photo of LAG on a weekend afternoon: The Bride and Groom The SUV The locals (whatever that means) The tourists The hippies The old cars The motorcycle The ice cream cart … Loteria! Every picture you take from anywhere around el parque central (is it called that way … Read more

Fun for All Ages

So who’s fit to go on such a daredevil adventure of soaring like a bird? Antigua Canopy Tours assures that anyone from the age of five an older can go, provided the participant possesses a reasonably healthy physical condition. That means even toddlers and grandparents can “fly” if they’re brave enough. Children under the age … Read more

Birds-Eye View of Nature

Antigua Canopy Tours isn’t just about the unique experience of gliding… it’s about gliding through a tropical rainforest or cloud forest canopy. It’s about experiencing nature in an unforgettable way. Finca Filadelfia operates over a sprawling 750 acres, 660 of which are used for farming. One-fourth of the farm is strictly preserved as an ecological … Read more

Have a Safe Flight

“The three most important factors for the canopy tour are security, a family-oriented experience and promoting nature,” Antigua Canopy Tours Manager Pascu Robredo asserts. And man do they take security seriously. Before obtaining permission to participate in the canopy adventure visitors are asked a series of questions about their health to ensure they are in … Read more

Constructing a Canopy Course

“We could see the topography was just perfect,” Victor Gallo confidently asserted. Victor Gallo is the expert Antigua Canopy Tours hired to construct its professional and secure canopy zipline course. Gallo says the terrain is ripe with dense oak trees, which is crucial. Hardwood trees are an absolute necessity when constructing a canopy tour because … Read more

El Santuario

Platform One is where the “flying” begins. After a thorough explanation and demonstration of the special techniques required to properly enjoy the Antigua Canopy Tour, visitors launch into their first “flight” from what has been fondly referred to as “El Sanctuario.” Antigua Canopy Tours Manager Pascu Robredo explains that the nickname refers to the quick … Read more

Pick Your Poison

Just how daring are you? There are two zipline circuits offered by Antigua Canopy Tours. The first is Forest Express: six distinct zipline “flights” that send you plunging from platforms into tunnels of canopy foliage in spurts that last anywhere from 50 up to 220 meters in length. Each track is positioned at varying heights, … Read more

The UNIMOG Hog

What a beast. The journey of “flying through the forest” with Antigua Canopy Tours begins with a ride in the unique UNIMOG, a vehicle made specifically for ascending mountains. Aside from being quite fun to say, these military green monsters offer an enhanced riding experience because of their special design. UNIMOG Mercedes Benz off-road vehicles … Read more

Gliding Through the Treetops

Dangling like a spider on a web, he slightly rocks back and forth in his harness as he awaits the “okay” to go. At the cue, he lifts his legs, bends his knees… and takes off, plunging into a tunnel of thick, forest foliage. A whirring sound follows in close pursuit as he soars above the sloping forest floor, suspended meters – at times more than 100 meters – above the ground. To onlookers below, he looks like nothing more than a fragile doll that is somehow managing to cling to a nearly invisible cable as he races across the treetops.

2 Sí

Back in April the Guatemalan government, following the lead taken by Colombia and Venezuela some years ago, issued the Ley de Transito-Motocicletas decreto 105-2009 (PDF file) which, simply stated, stipulates one person per motorbike. At the time 6 out of every 10 murders in Guatemala were reportedly being carried out by gunmen on two wheels. … Read more

Day Care

Market day in La Antigua Guatemala is much more than just getting your weekly produce or enjoying a photo moment of local Guatemalan life. To me it’s a sneak peak into the hard lives of the market workers and their families. The markets of Guatemala are full of little kids that have to spend their … Read more

Guatemalan Cuisine: Ejotes Envueltos Recipe

Back in January Rudy marked his 1000th post with a pic of pacaya cooked in egg batter and duly polled readers for their interest in a series on comidas envueltas en huevo. There did seem to be some enthusiasm for this at the time, so I thought I’d relate here how my girlfriend and I … Read more

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 quality of Guatemalan grub to be purchased there. For whatever a doorway in a narrow, dark alley illuminated by little red lantern might mean back where you come from, here it means ‘come … Read more

Antigua Oasis

I can remember everything about this Antigua moment except exactly where it is. All the recent discussion about water reminded me of this place. We had been following Holy Week Processions, walking for hours or pressed into dense crowds standing under the mid-day sun inhaling dust from parched roads and the time worn pavements. Our … Read more

Above and Beyond the Clouds

Can you have too many shots of La Antigua Guatemala’s volcanoes? I think not. This one was taken from the rooftop view of Hotel Centro Colonial Antigua. I think the railings along the terrace offer an interesting perspective and great “leading lines” for the photograph. Just yesterday I was headed to Antigua Gardens with a … Read more