Color Palette: Yellow and Green
It’s been a while since I last updated the color palette category. What do you think of the new colors?
The Return of Kitschy Broom-head Romans
Last year, on March 15th, I first introduced you the Broom-head Romans soldiers; I believe it was Domingo de Ramos or Palm …
Holy Week Processional Carpets
Some people have traveled the world over just to be present for the world-famous Holy Week in La Antigua Guatemala. Some people …
Parque of San Pedro Las Huertas
I have shown quite of few pictures of the park in San Pedro Las Huertas , a village within the La Antigua …
It’s Time for Some Sweeping
Every once in a while you reach certain marks in your life and in your projects and they serve to mull over …
Playing Football at the Local Basketball Court
It seems like Claudia and I are synching our thoughts lately. She makes a comment regarding her nostalgia and memories and I …
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 …
No, This is Not a Cake from Antigua Guatemala
Regardless what you may be thinking right about now, this is not edible. Believe it when I tell you this is not …
New Facelift and Restoration to San Pedro Apostol Church
Do you really want a long name, here’s one: “Parroquia San Pedro Apostol, San Juan Bautista of San Pedro Las Huertas, La …
Esquisuchil Tree in San Pedro Las Huertas
What’s so special about the Esquisuchil trees around La Antigua Guatemala? For starters, the esquisuchil trees (bourreria huanita) are very old and …
Would-be High School Teachers Learning History
I caught these would-be High School teachers learning Guatemalan history on Sunday in front of the Church of San Pedro Las Huertas. …
Small Procession in San Pedro Las Huertas
Processions are majestic, huge and long in La Antigua Guatemala. You can browse the Processions category to get an idea of the size of the processions in La Antigua Guatemala. There are smaller and more humble processions in the villages and small communities surrounding La Antigua Guatemala. This year, I will try to focus more in the Holy Week celebrations and processions in the villages where you can still observe the fervor, regardless of the size, for all these Catholic rituals. The photo above was taken in the village of San Pedro Las Huertas, while the procession made a pit stop or parada as they are known in Spanish. Well, I think that is the name, maybe somebody more knowledgeable in Catholic rituals can provide the actual name for the stops the processions make every so often at specific spots.
Styles Barbershop
For some unknown reason, many Guatemalans opt for misspelled Spanish bastardizations of English words to name their businesses. For instance, the image above has the name Stilos (Estilos is the proper Spanish spelling) as a way to relate to Styles the English word for this barbershop (peluqueria in Spanish).
I’m Ready to Fly!
With November come the strong winds (Vientos fuertes would say Miguel Ángel Asturias). With the strong winds come the kites. With the kites come the celebrations of the day of the dead and all saints day. With the day of the dead celebrations comes the fiambre, the food to share with our dead. Stay tune for background information on the kite flying rituals and its me
Guatemalan Fair: The Pine-needle Processional Carpets
The making of these processional carpets is such a community-forming and bonding activity since in the process participate many, if not all, of the neighbors and family members. These traditions, festive calendar dates and special celebrations mark very strongly what makes a normal human being into a hard-core Guatemalan. You break the link or access to these experiences and you only have a person that was born in Guatemala; a fact as worthless as the fact of having had a pair of boots once.