Maya woman cooking corn on the cub
Who wants freshly made corn on the cob? As I have mentioned before, we are hombres de maíz, men of maize, therefore …
Kite Catchers Around Antigua Guatemala
Kites hanging off trees, balconies and electric posts are, of course, another typical vista of the dry season. By the way, Guatemalan …
Beautiful Light and Sunsets in Antigua Guatemala
I am enamoured with the quality and quantity of light during the dry season. In my opinion, the light and cold winds …
Scenes from Central Park, Antigua Guatemala
Parque Central, or Central Park, is the heart of Antigua Guatemala. And just as any heart, it pumps fresh new blood through …
Let’s Celebrate Maximón Day
In Guatemala, Maximón is celebrated on October 28 by those who worship the Maya saint, also known as San Simón. Today, I …
Guatemala is the Ultimate Stew Country!
Here’s your Mayan word of the day: Ik or hot, spicy, or picante in Spanish. You find the word Ik at the …
Things Not to Eat in Guatemala, A Warning For The Foodies
Some of the things you should avoid when you come to Guatemala are ice cream and small tropical fruits, especially so if …
Panoramic vista of the things to do in Antigua Guatemala this weekend
There is plenty to do in Antigua Guatemala this weekend. The weekend kick off with the Señorita Antigua beauty pageant on Friday …
Maximón and Mishito
Here’s your Guatemalan Spanish word of the day: Mishito or kitty or gatito in plain Spanish. Now, the effigy next to the …
We’re Hombres de Maíz
As I have mentioned before, it is impossible to think of the Guatemalan, Mexican and Mesoamerican diet without maize. From the Popul …
Barber Shops Around Antigua Guatemala
Here’s your Spanish word of the day: Barbería or barber shop. There are still plenty of barber shops around Antigua Guatemala, especially …
My bicycle takes me everywhere in Antigua Guatemala
Even though nowadays motorcycles are much more popular as means of transportation around Antigua Guatemala, you can still find plenty of bicycles, …
Meet the giant Guatemalan winged-leaf-cutter ant: Zompopo
Once again the May zompopo ants have arrived on time this year! Here are some facts and myths about the giant leaf …
Holy Week Elements: Dolorosas
With this picture of the dolorosas or hermanas cargadoras, the women who carry the smaller floats of the Virgin Mary or other …
Holy Week Elements: The Roman Soldiers
Since everyone is taking colour photographs of the Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala, I decided to do a black and white coverage …
Holy Week Elements: Cucuruchos
Purple or violet is the color of Lent and the Holy Week. Cucuruchos, bearers, wear their cone-head purple robes as a sign …
Guatemalan Portrait: La Abuelita
We finish this first leg of the Guatemalan Portrait with a picture of the typical Guatemalan grandmother. In Guatemala is one of …
Guatemalan Portrait: Gypsy Woman
One important aspect of the Guatemalan Portrait series is to show the rainbow of people that Guatemalans can be, although many only …
Guns on the Streets of Guatemala
I do’t believe that more guns on the streets make a place safer. For instance, more guns on the streets of the …
Buying banana leaves for tamales
Almost eight years ago I set out to bring you images of the daily life in and around Antigua Guatemala and for …
Fuente de las Sirenas, Antigua Guatemala
Here are some the notes from the talk “Las Sirenas de La Antigua Guatemala” by Dr. Miguel F. Torres that I attended …
Roof repairs before the rains
During the dry season Antigua Guatemala goes through a lot repairs and paint jobs. In my opinion, the paint jobs are to …
Fountain at San Juan del Obispo, Antigua Guatemala
The question should be, when was the last time you visited San Juan del Obispo? If the answer is not recently or …
Panes con pollo at vigils in Antigua Guatemala
As I have mentioned before, panes con pollo or chicken sandwiches are the staple food of velaciones, vigils, along with batido, a …
Velación [Vigil] de San Felipe de Jesús
As explained last year, velaciones, vigils, are a very important tradition during Lent and Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. Velaciones are altars …
The Licuados or Smoothies Culture of Antigua Guatemala
Let’s go grab a licuado! Sweet. Refreshing. Natural. Licuados are one of those treats that truly define a Guatemalan experience. The blended …
The Platanina Maker of Antigua Guatemala
Plataninas are green plantains chips. Plantains are like bananas, but much bigger and with a unique flavor. Guatemalans eat plantains or platanos …
The Capture vs The Pose on Ash Wednesday in Antigua Guatemala
I love doing street photography and capturing candid images from the streets of Antigua Guatemala. In the almost eight years I have …
Panoramic Vista of Antigua Guatemala’s Main Square
We are on the last leg of the Winter season on the northern hemisphere, that’s where Antigua Guatemala is located, yet we …
The New and Improved Rincón Típico
I believe it was in 2010 or early 2011 when I first had lunch at what I called La Cocina De Rosario. …
Every Day is Laundry Day Around Antigua Guatemala
As I have mentioned before, it doesn’t matter what day of the week one stops by the public washbasins, lavaderos around Antigua …
Countdown to Carnival Begins in Antigua Guatemala
If case you missed it, yesterday, February 2, was Día de la Candelaria. As I have explained before, around Antigua Guatemala, many …
Stereographic Projection of Compañía de Jesús building in Antigua Guatemala
As explained the other day, I had set myself the goals of producing stereographic projections [tiny planets] and panoramic vistas of the …
Flowers of Guatemala
Perhaps this is why Guatemala’s slogan is “El País de la Eterna Primavera” or “The country of the Eternal Spring” for those …
Guatemala’s Children’s Day, A Day to Reflect
I believe that Guatemala’s Children’s Day, Día del Niño in Spanish, is a great opportunity to reflect on the needs of children …
German Sausages and Hot Dogs in Antigua Guatemala
This bratwurst mit sauerkraut, German sausage, can be had at Wurst Eck, about half block north of the Tanque de La Unión …
Necklace Handicrafts from Antigua Guatemala
Necklaces are other popular handicrafts and jewelry produced in Guatemala. There are plenty of shops and ambulant vendors where one can buy …
Every Wall in Antigua Guatemala Is A Backdrop
Antigua Guatemala is the photographer’s paradise because almost every wall provides an excellent and unique photographic backdrop on top of the so …
Café Barista Recycles Used Coffee Grounds
Café Barista is the Guatemalan coffee house chain equivalent to what Starbucks is in the U.S. more or less. I don’t visit …
Photowalks in Antigua Guatemala
I started the photowalks in Antigua Guatemala last month and so far they have been a total success. This past Saturday I …
Talk: Photojounalism in Guatemala During the War Years by Jean-Marie Simon
El fin es sólo el comienzo. The end is just the beginning. One of the aspects that I enjoy the most about …
Strange-looking plants seen at the nursery
Guatemala is certainly rich when it comes to flora and fauna. Here’s a really strange-looking plant that I found at Vivero La …
Facts and Myths about the Giant Guatemalan Sompopo Ant
Once again the May sompopos ants actually arrived in May and on time! Are you ready to drop your jaw and say, …
Wooden Kitchen Utensils from Guatemala
Here are some samples of the typical kitchen utensils made in Guatemala. I don’t know about you, but I prefer wood and …
Sunbathing during the rainy season in Antigua Guatemala
That’s right, I said THE rainy season, or invierno (winter) as most people call the rainy season in Guatemala. I thought of …
Last images of the Holy Week 2013 in Antigua Guatemala
With this selection of the hermanas cargadoras, the women who carry the smaller floats of the Virgin Mary or other virgins for …
What Are Antigua Guatemala Velaciones (Vigils) Like?
Velaciones, vigils, are a very important tradition during Lent and Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. Velaciones are altars or shrines made for …
Perpetuating The Holy Week Traditions in Antigua Guatemala No. 3
As I have mentioned before, Lent and Semana Santa is an equal-opportunity tradition. As you can see here, even little girls get …
Perpetuating The Holy Week Traditions in Antigua Guatemala No. 2
As I mentioned yesterday, there will be Lent and Holy Week celebrations in Antigua Guatemala for a long while. These religious traditions …
Antigua Guatemala Celebrates it’s 470th Anniversary
The fountains are decorated with flower arrangements as part of the low profile celebrations for Antigua Guatemala’s 470th anniversary this March 10th. …
Fresh Tropical Fruits Available Year Round
We are so fortunate in Antigua Guatemala to have a fresh plentiful supply of tropical fruits all year long. And quite inexpensive …
Colourful Guatemalan Carnival Eggshells
Ordinarily, I begin by asking readers to recall their earliest memories to provide a context for corpocratic historians of the future… Could …
Firewood fuel delivery Around Antigua Guatemala
After having covered the Ecoleña fuel briquette as an alternative for the leña (firewood) I decided to ask around what kind of …
The Giant Guatemalan Tamal
The gigantic tamal from oriente (Eastern Guatemala) is the equivalent of 4 to 6 typical tamales or about a dozen Mexican typical …
Tropical Fruits for Sale
Even though Antigua Guatemala is located in the Sierra Madre high lands at 1,530 meters above the sea level, that’s above 5,000 …
Have A Peek at Antigua Guatemala’s Security Camera Surveillance System
The first phase of the Antigua Guatemala security camera surveillance system, sort of the chapín Skynet, came online on February 2012 with …
Antigua Guatemala is a hide-out for the comfortably off and the harmlessly dotty…
This is quite possibly the best description I have ever read about La Antigua Guatemala and it comes from the pen of …
Sunday Morning Bicycle Rides With Family and Friends Around Antigua Guatemala
As I mentioned before, If you are the kind of person that enjoys jogging or riding a bicycle, the roads around Antigua …
Antigua Guatemala Rainy Season What, When?
This year the rainy season has been fabulous so far. Crystal clear skies and sunny mornings to mid-afternoons with some light rains …
Jogging Around Antigua Guatemala
If you are the kind of person that enjoys jogging or riding a bicycle, the roads around Antigua Guatemala provide an excellent …
Zompopos FAQ
This year the May Zompopos actually did arrive in May. Even though the Guatemalan winged sompopo ant appears every year in May, …
Enjoying the Sunset in Ciudad Vieja
Slowly, but surely we progress in our own unique way. Just before we leave Ciudad Vieja, I wanted to share with a …
Slideshow: Holy Week 2012 in Antigua Guatemala
The traditions of Guatemala are kept alive by the faith and fervor of the people and that’s exactly what Nelo wanted to …
Photographing the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
As Nelo have shown to us this week, many photographers are looking for their unique angle on the Holy Week in Antigua …
The Cucurucho Photographers of the Holy Week
As shown at the beginning of the series Holy Week Photographers in Antigua Guatemala, being a cucurucho (carrier) and taking photos of …
Visiting to photograph the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala
Visitors are also among the photography crows that follow the processions during the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala. You can find all …
Penitence and Photography in Antigua Guatemala
Even though mister Leonel Mijangos, simply Nelo for those us lucky to him, is doing an fantastic job with series Holy Week …
Every day is laundry day at los lavaderos
It doesn’t matter what day of the week you stop by the public washbasins, lavaderos, you will always find the ladies doing …
Evangelical Churches
While catholics take the spot lights during Lent and the Holy Week in Antigua Guatemala, evangelical churches (that’s what protestant churches are …
It’s Jacaranda Season in Antigua Guatemala
Sometimes it feels like the jacaranda trees begin flowering to coincide with the Cuaresma to add the natural purple to the 40 …
Guatemalan Cuisine: Mojarras fritas
Mojarras fritas, fried tilapia fish, is one of the Guatemalan foods, like chow mein dish, found everywhere in the country of the …
Colorful Eggshells for the Guatemalan Carnival
As published last year, these colorful Guatemalan cascarones [eggshells] filled with confetti are known as cascarones de carnaval [carnival] and they mark …
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love – The Blues Brothers by Blues Brothers Soundtrack on Grooveshark In Guatemala Valentine’s Day has a much …
Antigua Guatemala Parking Permits
These news may come as total shock to some of you, but I figure today is as good day as any to …
We’re Women of Maize
As I said before, it is impossible to think of the Guatemalan, Mexican and Mesoamerican diet without maize. From the Popul Vuh …
Architectonic Details: Búcaro Fountains
A búcaro fountain is half fountain normally embedded in a wall, normally near an inside patio, but it can be anywhere. I’ve …
Flowers, Sunshine and 15°C Weather Now Available in Guatemala
The title says it all. So what are you waiting for to book your flight and come to land of the eternal …
Students Paying a Visit to a Church
Just like the separation of State and Church is not an issue in Antigua Guatemala, taking students from a public school to …
Iglesia San José El Viejo sign
It seems like most churches and buildings in La Antigua Guatemala have a sign similar to the one above. Another such sign …
Sushi Bars in Antigua Guatemala
You may or may not know this: Guatemala is divided politically in Departamentos which are the equivalent of States or Provinces in …
Metal Figurines
Metal handicrafts are also very popular so there are plenty of artisans around Antigua Guatemala that work with metal. Often you will …
Corn Husk Dolls
Since We’re Men of Maize it’s no wonder that we also do many things with the by-products of maize. We use corn …
Man-made Tree-looking Structure
Today’s entry is a follow up to Camouflaging Cellular Towers where I mentioned how fortunate we are in La Antigua Guatemala where …
Children at Playground
This photograph was taken at the entrance of El Hato village, located about 5 kilometers from La Antigua Guatemala. El Hato villages …
Real Casa de la Moneda sign
This sign can be found in the hallway of the SAT building in La Antigua Guatemala. By the way, SAT is the …
Las Conchas Sign
This is a follow up to the Pearls and Pans and Don’t Put All Your Eggs In One Basket posts where I …
Guatemalan Slang: Shuco and Chapin
Double hit today for the Guatemalan Slang category. Shuco(a) is the Guatemalan slang for dirty. Shuco is also used for Guatemalan hot …
Roasting and Grinding Coffee In Situ
We are very fortunate in La Antigua Guatemala because we have great coffee available all year. In case you didn’t know delicious …
At Guatemala’s RENAP DPI Station
RENAP stands for Registro Nacional de las Personas or National Registry of Persons. RENAP is the government institution in charge of replacing …
Guatemalan Cuisine: Tortitas de carne
Tortitas de carne, beef patties, are a classic staple of the Guatemalan gastronomy. They are usually served with a simple tomato sauce …
Cucurucho Candles
You’d be amazed on everything that might be for sale on the streets of La Antigua Guatemala during Lent. This time while …
Nelo’s Vantage Point
Norman Ávila, the brains and enthusiastic person behind ClimaYa (Guatemala’s real-time weather reports), sent me these images of Nelo at work hanging from an electric pole. Later on Nelo sent me a photo he took from this vantage point with his iPhone 4. Thanks to Norman Ávila we get the real-time weather reports in AntiguaDailyPhoto, GuatemalaDailyPhoto and XelaDailyPhoto.
Antigua Holy Week Cucuruchos
Cucuruchos with their purple or violet cone-head rebes are another prominent element of Semana Santa in Antigua Guatemala. Purple is worn as …
The Holy Week Photographers
Okay, the 365-day wait is over. The world-famous Holy Week in La Antigua Guatemala is here. Get your cameras ready and join …
Separation of Church and State In Antigua Guatemala
For those who don’t know, the building that appears in the photo is La Antigua Guatemala Municipal government building, simply known as …
Fair Food: Panes con pollo
Simple Guatemalan fair food. Take some pirujo bread, add lettuce, mayonaise, tomato sauce, chile sauce and shredded chicken meat you have panes …
Repairing The Spanish-tile Roofs
People repairing streets, façades and roofs are also very common during Cuaresma [Lent]. Everyone wants La Antigua Guatemala to look its best …
Cascarones de Carnaval
These colorful Guatemalan cascarones [eggshells] filled with confetti are known as cascarones de carnaval [carnival] and they mark the arrival of carnaval …
Roof Top and Palo de Izote
Palo de Izote is the Guatemalan equivalent of the Joshua tree. In fact, Palo de Izote is the Mesoamerican cousin of the …