Vehicles

The UNIMOG Hog

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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

2 Sí

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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

The Nun and The Limousine

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It is quite common to see nuns and priests walking around La Antigua Guatemala since this town is basically almost 100% Catholic. I have caught some them in previous pictures before. Well, you might remember the photo of a monk framed with one the arches of the iglesia de San Francisco el Grande, right? At … Read more

Only in LAG: Motorcycle clamps

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Surely you remember the photo of Clamping the automobiles on the No parking zone, right? Or how about the story of two police officers reporting that their patrol car was stolen, “Nos robaron la patrulla, cambio” in Guatemalan police anecdotes? Well, it looks like there is a traffic police officer who is not taking any … Read more

Chicken Bus Chronicles: El Ayudante

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Ayudante is title for the guy in the orange shirt. El ayudante, the helper or assistant has in reality many jobs and a meager salary. For starters he’s primary job is to help the chicken bus pilot; that’s where he takes his title. But he is also the fare collector, the usher, the carrier, the … Read more

Chicken Bus Chronicles: The Groceries

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Sometimes things are so obvious that one doesn’t mull over them; that’s the way things are and you accept it. While taking the shot of this basket with the day’s groceries bought at the market, a simple fact became crystal clear. I thought well this basket looks kind of heavy, I am glad to know … Read more

Chicken Bus Chronicles: DVD Players

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The world infamous chicken bus reinvents itself again. The chicken bus that was born out of a retired school bus from our neighbors from up north; a second life or recycling ( whatever you want to call it); transformed itself into a mass public transit bus for the rural areas of Guatemala. Well, the chicken … Read more

Gas Tanks are Ugly Too

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This is what Guatemalans think of when you utter Tanques de gas (gas tanks); it doesn’t cross their mind the fuel tank (gas tank) in the car. These stove gas tanks are ugly too and dangerous, if you ask me, to have around the house or on the street like in Calle del Arco. But, … Read more

Billboards and Large Banners and Signs are Prohibited in Antigua

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Somethings or their absence, really, make the lifestyle of La Antigua Guatemala very pleasant. The absence of billboards, banners and large signs make the whole colonial experience more enjoyable and authentic. Large advertising is another huge contrast between the ‘new’ Guatemala City and the ‘old’ Guatemala City (La Antigua Guatemala for you). As Manolo said … Read more

Buying the Afternoon Delivery Guatemalan Bread

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Somethings are changing in the Guatemalan lifestyle. Others, luckily, remain the same, like hot-just-out-of-the-oven bread delivery in the rainy afternoons in La Antigua Guatemala. Here we see an indigenous woman purchasing some pan frances and sweet bread to prepare the afternoon “refa” (short for refacción or snack break), the only refacción some people got in … Read more

Chicken Bus Terminal in La Antigua Guatemala

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Certainly there are other kind of buses in Guatemala, so, please can someone explain it to me, what is the fascination that Guatemalan feel for the old-looking chicken bus? By the way, did I mention that you can now buy prints from any photo available at La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo and in the process … Read more

The Tiny Story of Discrimination, Arrogance and Patronizing in La Antigua Guatemala

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Just doing my job, you know!

ACT 1:
So there I was, consumed by own thoughts, after having had a few moments at the Benches at the Museo del Libro Antiguo pondering the big tough questions in life, walking back to the office and I glanced over to my right and saw the wonderful light bathing the La Antigua Guatemala Cathedral (oh, life is beautiful and full of these tiny moments, I said to myself). A few more steps and I immediately saw a photo opportunity as there was a Guatemalan military chicken bus parked right in front of the Cathedral. See exhibit 1 below (first photo from the left).

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