We continue with another installment of the Pandemic Photo Project from Antigua Guatemala with a candid shot of the coconut vendor catching up with the latest news while waiting for potential clients to walk by.
Not everyone waving a white flag is asking for food or economic assistance to feed their family. Some people waving a white flag are simply asking for the opportunity to work and earn a day’s wage to feed their family. Read yesterday’s post to understand why there are people waving white flags in the streets … Read more
Guatemala came to standstill on March 16, 2020 and with a single declaration of state of calamity and lockdown a large number of the population lost their way to earn an income. Only essential jobs were allowed to continue. The government of Guatemala started providing economic assistance at the end of May and first week … Read more
As I said yesterday, Guatemalans are resilient. Motorcycles and bicycles have turned into the preferred vehicles for all home deliveries. Of course, just about anything can be delivered to your door nowadays, from freshly harvested veggies from the organic farm to medicine from the pharmacy to even craft beers. Whatever you need, there’s a delivery … Read more
With so many people who have lost their jobs or their main source of income, pop-up stands are showing up everywhere to sell anything and everything. People are doing everything to survive and put food on the table. And that’s how a car wash turns into a raw chicken shop or butchery.
Honestly, I wonder how many people are still buying lottery tickets. Covid-19 has proven to be a formidable virus, turning the world upside down. Almost no industry has been spared. Just today I was reading an interview with one of the AirBNB executives who said that it took them over 12 years to build a … Read more
Just like many ambulant vendors, shoe shiners must find a way to generate some income to put food on the table during this trying times. Since mid March when the central government forbade non-essential activities, leaving a large percentage of the population, including myself, without means to earn an income. That’s over 100 days, many … Read more
Back in May 2006 I set out to share with y’all images of daily life from Antigua Guatemala and its surroundings even though most website focused on the city were touristic sites. Of course, the photographs were much different than what was available online at time or even today. 14 years later, I am still … Read more
Welcome to the new normality in Antigua Guatemala. Restaurants can only serve to go or delivery; thus their gorgeous dining areas remained closed. Interesting enough, I made a fisheye view of the dining area on March 16, 2020, the last day restaurants were allowed to serve customers at the tables. Take a look at the … Read more
Not everything is bad about the Cover-19 pandemic. Farmer’s Markets and local fruit and veggie stands are popping up everywhere. For instance, where we live, now we have a community farmer’s market three times a week where the farmers who live in town and grow their crops in and around the community are now able … Read more
In Guatemala face masks are obligatory everywhere outside of your home. Even though face masks have been a common sight in other parts of the world, now masks are becoming the “new normal” sight in Guatemala as well. Are face masks mandatory or recommended where you live?
In Guatemala all the restaurants were forced to close their dining areas, so queues outside for food pick-up or to order to go are a common sight of this pandemic. How is it in your neck of the woods?
Here’s your illustrated Spanish word of the day: Sastre for tailor. In this challenging times many of us we have to reinvent ourselves or perhaps point our skillset in a different direction as this tailor did by switching to making face masks to help keep a steady supply of protective face masks.
La Calle del Arco, actually 5th avenue, is the landmark street of Antigua Guatemala and certainly always packed with people, except during this pandemic. Even though we don’t have a curfew during the day, only from 6pm to 4am, it is recommended that everyone, except essential workers, stay at home. A quick look at Calle … Read more
Masks are obligatory in Guatemala whenever you head out of your home. Even though masks are a common sight in other parts of the world, masks are still an unusual sight in Guatemala, but with almost two months of seeing them, we are becoming accustomed. Who know how long this practice will remain in place, … Read more