Guatemala English language Magazine
by Jack and Joy Houston Panchoy 50 celebrated the conclusion of its first phase in September with a glitz-and-glitter gala at Hotel Casa Santo Domingo. The project, launched in February, completed formation and analyses of 10 volunteer committees working toward an integral, 50-year development plan for the Panchoy Valley. In the next phase the committees will set goals and objectives. […]
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Written by Ignacio Ochoa The history of kite making in Santiago Sacatepéquez On November 1 and 2, a powerful force stirs in all the towns of Guatemala. Traditional markets are filled with flowers of sempa (orange marigolds), chrysanthemums, wild daisies and the smell of copal—a pre-Columbian incense made from pine resin. People clean family graves and adorn them with cut-out […]
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The Story of the Ruins of San Jerónimo The spacious, bright and well-kept flowered lawn of the San Jerónimo ruins at the north end of Alameda Santa Lucía welcomes visitors to the site of a school that functioned barely four years and closed with five students. In Colonial Architecture of Antigua, Sidney Markman wrote, “Very little remains of the school […]
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Scholars believe Buddhist monks took mangoes on voyages from Asia to Persia in the Fourth and Fifth centuries B.C., and that the Persians subsequently took them to Africa in the 10th century. From there the Portuguese introduced them to Brazil during its 16th century colonization of the New World. And from Brazil the mango spread to Central America. Although there […]
Read moreWASHINGTON (Sept. 17, 2008) – Humane Society International (HSI) signed a grant with the U.S. Department of State last week for $396,000 to continue work on wildlife habitat protection in Central America. The grant will support the production of sustainable cacao, which is grown on small farms that also provide valuable wildlife habitat for animals such as woodpeckers, sloths, and […]
Read moreJennyStar DVD Rentals presents the top 10 horror rentals for October* 1» Hostel 2» 1408 (Stephen King) 3» The Amityville Horror 4» Wolf Creek 5» Texas Chainsaw Massacre (remake) 6» The Descent 7» Wrong Turn 8» The Ring Two 9» Final Destination 3 10» Saw III * according to jennystardvd.com
Read moreQuestion: How do I know if a newborn puppy is healthy, and what should I do if the puppy feels cold? Answer: Healthy puppies should be plump and firm with pink mucous membranes. The heart rate is usually more than 200 beats per minute until 2 weeks of age. Respiration rate ranges from 15 to 35 times per minute. And the rectal temperature […]
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Written by Elizabeth Hart – photos: Georgeann Johnson It may be difficult to find friends and family outside of Guatemala who know much about the Mayan calendar. But here, the calendar—and especially the significance of its end date in 2012—are regular topics of conversation, as Guatemala’s ancient history was likely a part of the original intrigue for many of us. […]
Read moreFor the most part listening is an art many of us have not yet mastered. A testimony of this lies in the volumes of books that have been written on how to develop listening skills. There are even courses on the topic! It’s truly a mystery that something so simple can be so elusive! In our everyday lives we encounter […]
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My sons are still in their cavity-prone years, so I attended 19 birthday parties last year—three for my boys and 16 for their playmates. Each had its odd turn or twist. To avoid the charge of ethnocentrism, I’ll admit here that Central Americans do no worse a job of honoring their birthday boys and girls than do parents in the […]
Read moreWritten by Steven Pittser A few tips on U.S. taxpaying and IRA accounts “I haven’t filed taxes for six years— ever since I’ve been down here.” That was the comment from my co-expat from the States, who had just bought me a drink at my favorite bar in La Antigua Guatemala. “I have had income every one of those years, […]
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Excellence in gastronomy as a tool for the tourist industry Food has always been a fundamental part of traveling. The dining experience is continuously claiming ground as a new element of cultural tourism. The main motivations are found in the search of pleasure through unique or unusual dining experiences, leaving behind mainstream fare in favor of the genuine, typical dish […]
Read moreCafé de El Salvador participated for the second year in a row as a sponsor at the Roasters Guild Retreat’s eighth annual edition August 14-17th in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Roasters Guild is an association of roasters supported by the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which each year gathers roasters from all over the world for three days of activities focusing […]
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Though the giant kites won’t be flying until El día de los difuntos (Day of the Dead) on November 1, we’ll be seeing much smaller versions for sale throughout the month; also, there will be kite-making classes and excursion opportunities (make your plans early) on the Day of the Dead to Santiago Sacatepéquez to watch the kites as they soar […]
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