Festival Foto>30 2010 Opens in Antigua Guatemala

Foto 30 Inauguration by Rudy Girón

Guatemala’s largest photo festival Foto▸30 was inaugurated tonight in La Antigua Guatemala with two photo exhibits: Tribu and Que los muertos hablan.

Foto▸30 is celebrating its 8th anniversary with 30 photo exhibits held through out Guatemala. If you like photography, this is your opportunity to indulge in the universe of the Guatemalan imagery. Don’t miss it, all the events are free!

Here’s a slide show to give you an overview of the Inauguration at espacioce! in the Compañía de Jesús building in La Antigua Guatemala.

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Market Marchers Manifestation

Market Marchers Manifestation 5

La Antigua Guatemala sí es Guatemala after all. I hate to admit it, but Manolo was right!

Just when I think Antigua Guatemala is not the real world I come across a true Guatemalan-style manifestation with flags, slogans, chants and the works.

In short, the protesters, most of them vendors from the municipal marker, were demanding to throw away the plans to move the bus terminal away from el mercado, market. They were also demanding fair and just treatment towards the poor and the worker from the mayor and municipal council. I recorded several videos which I will link below in case you want a watch the clips of a Guatemala manifestation. Further down, there’s a slideshow with enough photos to give you taste of it all.

As I was about to turn right on 3a calle oriente, on my way to Parque Central, I noticed a large colorful crowd and before anybody knew it, the protesters had canceled out the entrance and exit of La Antigua Guatemala be their sheer numbers. I parked, grabbed the camera and iPhone and decided I was going to do my best to document this manifestation. I shot about a hundred photographs and a few videos. Some of the photos and updates when online in real time to Twitter, Facebook and videos to Qik. Believe it or not, I am getting good at this.

Without further ado, here are the videos recorded and uploaded in real time.

  1. El pueblo se manifiesta en contra de la Municipalidad de Antigua in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
  2. El pueblo se manifiesta en contra de mover la terminal de autobuses.
  3. Ya llegó la manifestación al Palacio del Ayuntamiento.

Please, let me know your feedback and thoughts regarding this event coverage!

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Half Marathon Las Rosas 2010 Part 2

The Winner of the Half Marathon Las Rosas 2010

The Antigua Guatemala’s Half Marathon Las Rosas consists of a route of 21 kilometers through La Antigua Guatemala, Jocotenango, Ciudad Vieja and back to Antigua Guatemala. The half marathon Las Rosas begins and ends at the Plaza Mayor, Main Square of La Antigua Guatemala. The half marathon Las Rosas is held one Sunday before the Santiago (St James) festivities which are celebrated on July 25. The half marathon Las Rosas is among the most popular long distances running competitions in Guatemala. The winners were Elisha Korir with a lapsed time of 1:02:52 for the men category and Judy Jesire with a lapsed of 1:13:20 for the women category.

Here’s my slide show of the half marathon Las Rosas 2010 in La Antigua Guatemala. I hope you like it!

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Nature-inspired Beauty Pageant Floats

Beauty Pageant: Guatemala Green Float

Here’s a lesson to be learned. Even though San Pedro Las Huertas was one of the villages that was hit the hardest in La Antigua Guatemala by Nature’s tropical storm Agatha, here they are building Nature-inspired floats for their annual beauty pageant. The people of San Pedro Las Huertas decided to show their appreciation for Nature and the environment by building most of their carrozas with green foliage plants, flowers, water, planet Earth, moon and the stars themes. They are not the least resentful about Nature’s recent catastrophes.

Below, I am sharing with you the rest of the photos I took; I hope you can get a feel for their beauty pageant, the atmosphere and the happy Guatemala smiles. Let me know what do your own feeling about it!

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Antigua’s New Year Celebrations Slide Show

Who said New York is the only city that never sleeps? The New Year celebrations is one of the occasions in which Antigua Guatemala does not sleep! I didn’t get much opportunity to take many photographs of the crowds, as it was indeed crowded. It was fun, activities all over, lights all over, people all … Read more

Virgen de Guadalupe Celebrations in Antigua Guatemala

In La Antigua Guatemala, religious celebrations draw together all kinds of heterogeneous people and the feast day of Virgen de Guadalupe is no exception. On December 12 celebrations of La Virgen de Guadalupe, Our Lady of Guadalupe, you can find gringa moms, indigenous mamás, ladino madres and white mamás all taking their children dressed with … Read more

Slide Show of Burning of the Devil in Antigua Guatemala

All year long he hides under the bed or in the junk piled up in the corner, casting misfortune or worse on helpless mortals. But on Wednesday, December 7, at 6 p.m. sharp, the Devil gets his comeuppance, as he is tossed out of the house along with the trash and set ablaze in the … Read more

Skateboarding in La Antigua Guatemala’s Central Park

Skateboarding in La Antigua Guatemala's Central Park

Roller skaters and skate-boarders using the Central Park is something you don’t see very often. There are plenty of skaters in La Antigua Guatemala, but they are not allowed to use Parque Central. The exception was made on December 1 as part of activities for Día mundial del sida (World Aids Day).

I also took advantage of the relax atmosphere I took quite a number of jumps. Check out the slide show. Enjoy!

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Colorful Fiambre Chapín

Colorful Fiambre Chapín

Guatemala is such a colorful country; everything from flora to textiles, from architecture to food is saturated with the richest rainbow. If the entries from the last seven days weren’t proof enough, take a look at today’s colorful fiambre chapín.

Have you ever seen more colorful salad?

The Fiambre Creator of La Antigua Guatemala

Here I present to you the fiambre creator from La Antigua Guatemala. Every first and second of November he withdraws the fiambre recipe that has delighted the taste buds of the most demanding fiambre connoisseur for over 27 years. From his unassuming Lo-Mix comedor set on 7a calle poniente No. 25B, he begins, like an artist, to paint the canvas with different shades of green lettuce, adding more colors, textures and flavors with each layer from a tasteful palette of over 40 ingredients.

Below you can find a slideshow with each step of the process of creating the colorful fiambre chapín.

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A dance of fire and joy

Tuesday the 13th, a day of much superstition, was the day of the a fundraising event at JP’s Rumbar for the non-government organization Niños de Guatemala. Perhaps, many people thought of it as a very unlucky day, yet, no one that attended the activity thought so. It was crowded! La Raíz played, candles lit the … Read more

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 1996, which put an end to Guatemala’s 36-year civil war since the CIA-orchestrated overthrow of the democratic reformist government of Jacobo Arbenz in 1954 (read more…). School parades with their martial music bands … Read more

The Hauling Down of the Guatemalan Flag

On September 15th, at 6 p.m. all over main squares and central parks of Guatemala there is a civic act known as La arriada de la bandera (Haul down of the flag). The ceremony include several solemn activities like Juramento a la bandera (pledge alliance to the flag); Canto del Himno Nacional de Guatemala (Singing … Read more

The Loud Voices of the Guatemalan Writers of the Post-War

L-R: Ronald Flores, Ana Marí­a Rodas, Javier Payeras, Julio Serrano, Francisco Alejandro Méndez As I have shared with you, last Saturday I went to listen to the Guatemalan writers of the post-war in a dialogue they held about Contemporary Central American Literature. Those of us who attended were lucky enough to listen to the opinions … Read more

Alain Derbez Jazz Trio in La Antigua Guatemala

Alain Derbez Trio en La Antigua Guatemala - 11

Honest, I don’t mean to brag. But I have to say sometimes life can be pretty good in La Antigua Guatemala. Let me explain. In La Antigua Guatemala, sometimes you get access to free events like music concerts, photo exhibits, plays, paintings exhibitions, et-cetera.

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Children’s Area at the Compañí­a de Jesús Library

Children also have a reading and play area at the Compañí­a de Jesús Library. This picture was taken early in the morning, before kids show up and fill the place with their happy noise and laughter.

I was glad to see a reading and play salon for the kids. Reading is a habit that should be acquired at the earliest age possible.