New Café Barista Sign in Antigua
Café Barista is the newest hipster kid on the block in La Antigua Guatemala. Café Barista opened its doors the week before …
Café Barista is the newest hipster kid on the block in La Antigua Guatemala. Café Barista opened its doors the week before …
Yesterday, I mentioned that La Antigua Guatemala’s Central Park is often used as stage for many free cultural and artistic events. Well, …
La Antigua Guatemala’s Central Park is the most often used stage around town for free culture events. In this particular case, the …
In my quest to bring to you ‘new’ vistas of the same ‘old’ places around La Antigua Guatemala, I present to you …
pushwigh#@%&?¿… blip! Alert, alert, we break from our regular programing Details, details, details to bring you this important news update. From early …
Interesting enough, last year when I published the Guateflora series, I overlooked the jacaranda trees, which are omnipresent in and around Antigua …
The winter weather in Antigua Guatemala has been wonderful: a little chilly, a little windy and a little warm, all in the …
Every year, On January 15th, thousands of pilgrims from Guatemala, the United States, Europe and other Central American countries flock to pay …
Central Park and the streets nearby were militarized for about 10 hours, beginning around 5 a.m. because El Señor Presidente of Guatemala …
On September 15th, at 6 p.m. all over main squares and central parks of Guatemala there is a civic act known as …
September has been one of the rainiest month thus far, but you would not know it by looking at the recent daily …
It’s easy to forget, after a while, how close we live to an active volcano in La Antigua Guatemala. The volcano you …
These little pre-primary school girls looked so cute with their uniforms for Independence Day Celebrations. I had to get the camera all …
I have other photos from the Guatemala’s Independence Day Celebrations which I would like to share with you and since September is …
Once again, La Antigua Guatemala’s Parque Central and the streets around it served as scenario for a celebration. This time the Central …
As part of La Antigua Guatemala’s town fair celebrations of Santiago, there are books stands right on Central Park. These book fairs …
Support My Efforts, Use Art Photos For Your Wall Decor! You can now purchase high-quality prints (digitally signed) of any photo available …
Guatemalans have a tendency to adopt foreign foods easily, but always adding the Guatemalan twist. That’s how you explain shucos from hot …
L-R: Ronald Flores, Ana María Rodas, Javier Payeras, Julio Serrano, Francisco Alejandro Méndez As I have shared with you, last Saturday I …
The poster above is about a concert promoting the Human Rights in Guatemala. The concert was held in La Antigua Guatemala’s Central …
Even though the new Guatemalan President Álvaro Colom Caballeros, a 57-year-old industrial engineer and textile businessman, was sworn in for a 4-year term in Guatemala City in a ceremony at the Miguel Ángel Asturias National Theater, ceremonies and celebrations were held in the rest of the country too.
New Year’s Eve Celebrations in La Antigua Guatemala:
For starters there are many things that make New Year’s Eve similar and different than Christmas’ Eve. If Christmas’ Eve is celebrated with the family at home at your parents’ home; New Year’s Eve can be celebrated anywhere: a discotheque, a park, the beach or La Calle del Arco, a popular venue in La Antigua Guatemala
Christmas’ Eve or Noche Buena in La Antigua Guatemala is celebrated by staying up all night burning firecracker, eating tamales or turkey and drinking real fruit punch or hot real chocolate, visiting family, friend and neighbors for the respective abrazo de Noche Buena and buenos deseos (Christmas hug and wishes); many even go to midnight mass. At midnight the presents under the Christmas tree, around the nacimiento (nativity scene), are opened and everyone laughs and hugs indiscriminately everyone around. These celebrations rate the highest on nostalgic memory scale; everyone living abroad wishes to be in Guatemala for this season and for this night in particular.
In the picture above you see two foreigners taking Spanish classes in a Restaurant/School named Korea with omnipresent beer posters. Here’s the Spanish word/phrase of the day: Quiero más cerveza por favor (please, I’d like to have more beer). Life is though for the Spanish students in the Spanish school capital of Latin America.
Believe it or not, the land around La Antigua Guatemala was a very ‘fertile’ arid zone before the introduction of the coffee bush as a crop in 1875. I know fertile and arid sound like two mutually exclusive words, but they were not in Guatemala before 18th century where the Nopal and Maguey cactuses were grown in plantations. I’ve even seen photographs of the nopal plantations around La Antigua Guatemala in the CIRMA Fototeca (The Photo Archives at The Center for Mesoamerican Research).
The photo above was taken on August 31st, which was a payday and that is why you see all those people were queuing to get their salary from the banks. Tomorrow, Guatemalans will be queuing again to cast their vote. Also, this was the first time (this year) I noticed the Guatemalan flags that will adorn the buildings through September, which is the independence month. Guatemala’s so called independence from Spain is celebrated on September 15th. Check out the Independence Day Slideshow from last year.
I read recently (I don’t recall where at the moment) that to be truly independent a country must have sufficient wealth as to not have to depend on an outsider (duh!); well, let me break it to you guys, Guatemala has not been an independent country for the last 500 years or so. When I was teenager, I remember reading a Mafalda anthology where Mafalda was reading a history book and all of sudden she screams: You mean we were part of Spain, who the hell had the bright idea of independizarnos (freed us from Spain)! Back then, I laughed so hard at the comic strip, but just now I get the joke. Thanks Quino. 🙁
It is official: The California avocado if from La Antigua Guatemala. I had mentioned a couple of times the antigüeños are known as Panzas Verdes (green bellies) because of all the avocados they eat (see trivia 2) and that one Wilson Popenoe took the antigüeño avocado to California (see trivia 3).
Santiago was a very popular name for the conquistadors to use as they rechristen the new lands of the American continent. If you check the entry for Santiago in Wikipedia, you will there are over 60 cities and towns throught the world that carry that name and that is a very short list since you could probably find about 60 towns with the Santiago name, just in Guatemala. But why was Santiago such a popular name for the Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors?
In La Antigua Guatemala even transnational companies have to bend their rules of signage and corporate identity to blend and be in harmony with the architecture and colonial style of the town. Check out the Transnational series signs I did back in October 2006.
June 17th is the date when Father’s Day is celebrated in Guatemala, always on the same date every year. Many Guatemalan families …
The original post Opposite Ends of Life, in La Antigua Guatemala DP, was published on May 23rd, 2006 and it was about a little girl and an old lady helping each other cross the street. It is an interesting shot, if I may say so, you should see if you haven’t done so already.
Today’s entry is about different women and their opposite position in the spectrum of life.
Two things still with us after we considered them long-dead: Polaroid and Polyester. Here and in many parks of Guatemala you can …
Almost everyone who visits La Antigua Guatemala is taken by its laid-back atmosphere. It is almost like when you first approach La …
One aspect of life in La Antigua Guatemala which drives many people to move here is the temperate weather. Even in the …
Fountains come in all shapes, but one thing is common to all of them: they need maintenance. Here you see La Antigua …
On the weekends the center garden around the fountain in La Fuente strip mall and restaurant is carpeted by Guatemalan textiles on …
Back on December 16th and 17th, 2006, I showed you what Parque Central (Central Park) looked like with the Christmas lights all …
Fountains are very popular in La Antigua Guatemala. Fountains can be found everywhere: parks, restaurants, cafes, churches, schools, hotels, homes, government buildings, …
On the north side of Parque Central (Central Park) stands the Antigua Guatemala’s Town Hall, Municipalidad in Spanish or Muni for short. …
Since several of the Daily Photo Cities are publishing images with low-light or taken at night, I decided to continue with other …
This outdoor folk-art market sets on the street outside the El Carmen Ruins on the weekends only, located about two blocks from …
“Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.” —Pradip I found two great quotes about the rain at …
The typical or traditional sweets at la Dulcería de Doña María Gordillo are “… made from milk, condensed milk, coconut, almonds, marzapan, …
Antigua is the tourism capital of Guatemala. Almost all the tourists flee away from Guatemala City as soon as their airplane lands …
It is impossible not to stop and admire these motorcycles. Besides, when the motorbikes arrive with their loud roaring and begin to …
It is quite a show to look at the motorcycle clubs arrive in Antigua. Many people gather around them to see their …
So, the answer for yesterday’s photo is: the arrival of the motorcycles. I told you before that Antigua is only 45 kilometers …
Guatemalan author Miguel Ángel Asturias, Nobel Prize in literature, wrote a book called Week-end en Guatemala (that is the title in Spanish). …
Panadera’s arch, originally uploaded by rudygiron. On the west side of the Central Park in Antigua you can find the Portal de …
This is the main church in Antigua, yet it is not the most beautiful. Here you see it from the Central Park. …
Arches in the Police and Government Building. This is in the south side of the Central Park. In the north side of …
At the end of a recent afternoon photo walk I ended by the parque central and while sitting down to reply back to pending messages and emails, the light were turned on and the already nice ambience at the main square became beautiful. I made this shot of one of the mermaids from Fuente de las Sirenas from my mobile office, I mean the bench I was sitting at. Enjoy!
The Plazuela de la Escuela de Cristo is one of my favorite parks in Antigua Guatemala. In fact, I really like the …
Since the Municipal government has forbidden the ambulant vendors in all the parks of Antigua Guatemala, including the world-famous Parque Central, vendors …
There are two or three food vendors that show up around noon in Parque Central to feed the ambulant street vendors and …
La Antigua Guatemala is always full with buenas vibras, good vibes, and that is why you often see visitors and locals with …
Here’s your illustrated Spanish words of the day: Noche Buena, literal good night, for Christmas Eve. Noche Buena is such an important …
Networking 101 for La Antigua Guatemala: Hang out at Parque Central. The main square of Antigua Guatemala has been our social media …
As I have mentioned before, we make images with everything that we have read, watched, listened to and experienced. If we think …
The little plazuela in front of the Escuela de Cristo church is among my favourite parks around Antigua Guatemala. Not many visitors …
Everything is ready to wave goodbye to 2014 and welcome 2015 in Antigua Guatemala. As in previous years, there will activities at …
Honest, I didn’t believe it when I read the articles in the USA Today and The Daily Mail which declared that Latin …
Yo no olvido al año viejo (I don’t forget the old year) Porque me ha dejado cosas muy buenas: (Because it left …
We’re at the end of the December, so we’ll be saying our goodbyes to 2012. I would like to take this opportunity …
There are many hangouts in Antigua Guatemala such cafes, restaurants, bars, pubs, parks, ruins, etc., but Parque Central or main plaza is …
Here’s a follow up to yesterday post so you can see a little more about the surroundings of this lovely little park …
It’s amazing how people outside Latin America don’t realize that despite the crime and violence that shown through the news, most people …
You know me, every chance I get to share with you a shot of classic cars parked in the enchanting Antigua Guatemala, …
This morning Guatemala is taking baby steps towards justice by having a historic public hearing of retired General Efraín Ríos Montt on …
Perhaps it is the fact that La Antigua Guatemala is surrounded by so many coffee plantations and fincas (farms) as well as …
Yes Eric, Palacio de los Capitanes will be the new building for Museo de Santiago, which is the city and departamento’s museum. …
It’s been a while since AntiguaDailyPhoto participates in the Theme day of the City Daily Photo community; since the theme bright colors …
12. Colorful Guatemalan Balls, 11. Cathedral Spot Lights Zooming, 10. Sunday Mornings Begin with Coffee and Online Newspapers, 09. The Ages of …
On October 1 Guatemala celebrates Día del niño translated Child’s Day or Children’s Day. I grabbed my camera and went to the …
La Antigua Guatemala sí es Guatemala after all. I hate to admit it, but Manolo was right! Just when I think Antigua …
The two most famous Guatemalan hot dogs are shucos and cheveres. I have covered Guatemalan shucos hotdogs often enough that I believe …
Se empieza cediendo con las palabras. —Esperanza, mi novia We begin to yield with words. —Esperanza, my girlfriend Psychology 101: we begin …
I believe the Muni should begin posting these signs all over town. Let licuado lovers be aware!
La Antigua Guatemala is so full of antique signs that you can find while strolling around the ruins, buildings and parks. Today’s …
I am sure that most people that visit La Antigua Guatemala get to see the fountain at the Main Square; some might …
As the Guatemalan Independence Day approaches, one begins to see all the bunting in windows and doorways around Antigua Guatemala. Since Jeff …
The two blocks from the 5a avenida norte (5th North Avenue) that separate El Parque Central (Main Plaza) and the La Iglesia de La Merced (church) are known as the Calle del Arco (the Arch Street) and the weekends this strip becomes a pedestrian’s throughway. In my humble opinion, the whole city should turn the streets in pedestrian only walkways before it’s too late.
On the December 8th, It was Carmen who said, “Baby Jesus was put in his spot within the Nacimiento after we came back from the Misa de Gallo…” in the comments of the entry about the Nacimiento Shrine Niche at Capilla de Belén. Well, I am glad to know that our fellow readers and visitors are eager to fill in all the details and ephemerides that I leave out (out of ignorance). Follow the link if you would like to learn about Nacimientos tradition in Guatemala.
“Chevere” is a Venezuelan Spanish word which means cool, fine, excelent, okay, just to mention a few of its meaning. Well, about the origin of the chevere word, I don’t know; perhaps it is not even Venezuelan. Nonetheless, the word is understood and used in Central America.
In Guatemala, a company of hot dogs decided to use as its name in the late seventies or early eighties. The company did things right and it was a total hit and the Chevere brand became almost as omnipresent as Coca Cola, Pepsi and the Gallo Beer. It was everywhere.
On Fridays, between 4 and 6 p.m., you can seat on one of the benches in Parque Central and enjoy of a …
I showed you these palm trees on August 28th as they reflect on the water tank at the public washbasins at Parque …
Best coffee in the world, originally uploaded by rudygiron. We produce the best coffee in the world: coffee from Antigua. I said …