Guatemala English language Magazine
by Erol Reyal In the first few week of October 2005, the Pacific Coast of Central America was affected by severe winds and rains of Hurricane Stan. The heavy rains took the communities of Guatemala completely by surprise and created massive landslides and floods. This catastrophe not only caused material damage but it also took the lives of hundreds of […]
Read moreI did not pick the name “Lake Views” for this column, but it stuck nonetheless. So I should probably make the lake my topic at least once. There is no counting the number of times—it is too many—that I have read that Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) called Atitlán the world’s most beautiful lake. He would know, being one of the best-traveled […]
Read moreIgnore the deep sky-blue, the forested green Highlands, the foamy ocean surf, the coffee browns, the rich oranges and yellow lemons stacked high in market stalls. This month, drink in Guatemala’s Valentine colors—bright reds, soft pinks, pure whites. Valentine reds are long-stemmed roses in the markets, bougainvillea spilling over walls, poinsettias still in bloom from the holidays, brilliant scarlet huipiles […]
Read moreChildren dance to raise scholarship funds by Nancy Hoffman Niños con Bendición is a group of 16 children ages 6-13 who perform folk dances before various audiences to raise money for scholarships for their schooling and to help cover daily living expenses. The group was founded in 2004 to give children in the village of San Antonio Aguas Calientes a […]
Read moreby Marcia Foxx No, I’m not dyslexic, I really do mean dog Chilly Willy is the dog in question and how he came to be ours is quite a story. My daughter, Kika, and I were walking our only dog Koko (a well-behaved, totally trained 10-year-old rescue dog from a beach in Belize) when we came across a young boy, […]
Read moreDozens of civic leaders, arts aficionados and business executives helped launch the XI annual Paiz International Festival of Art and Culture at a reception Thursday night, Feb. 10, at the Casa Santo Domingo in La Antigua. Guests mingled and listened a series of speakers at the hotel’s Galería Quiroa, where a retrospective of works by Guatemalan artist Carlos Mérida (1891-1984) […]
Read moreBarrie Hartley, a pillar of expat society in Rio Dulce and Panajachel, has died. He was 75. Born in Wales to an opera singer and a steelworker, Barrie met Daphne Carter at a boarding school; both were 16. Five years later, they wed and left for Canada the next day. While working for BellTel of Canada, Barrie attended a seminar […]
Read moreby Liz Ballantyne-Jackson Exposure to smoke from cooking fire kills approximately two million people worldwide every year. Globally, nearly three billion people use polluting, inefficient stoves or open flames to cook their food. The result is deforestation, carbon emissions and often-fatal illness. Inhaling the toxic fumes while preparing tortillas and frijoles puts rural Guatemalan women and children at risk of […]
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March 8 The second annual Antigua Masquerade Ball, a colorful, Venetian-style charity event, is coming to the ruins of San José El Viejo on Fat Tuesday, March 8. In addition to costume contests, the ball will feature dining, cocktails, music and raffles. There will also be an auction of four unique pieces of art, which the artists will “speed paint” […]
Read morePeople go to church for many reasons: to worship, to study scripture, to sing hymns, to seek healing, to earn a black belt in karate. Wait a minute—to earn a black belt? Now you have heard it all. Churches do some unchurchy things to help bring in money, like holding aerobics classes, bake sales and bingo nights. But karate? First […]
Read moreThe 11th annual Paiz International Festival of Art and Culture—a nearly year-long series of music, dance and art—opens in spectacular fashion on Friday, Feb. 11, when two legendary groups perform together for the first time in more than a decade. The Guatemalan rock group Alux Nahual and Éditus, the Grammy-winning jazz group from Costa Rica, will reunite in a not-to-be-missed […]
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February 3-6 The Guatemala Orchid Association presents the XXXVII National Orchid Exposition, featuring a colorful array of orchids and informative workshops, from Feb. 3-6 in Guatemala City. The event will be at Cervecería Centroamericana, Salón José Mariano Arzú Castillo, 3 ave. 17-16, z. 2. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is Q25. Guatemala, the Land of Eternal Spring, […]
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A chronicle of conquest written by Ana Lucía Ortiz & Pierina Piedra Santa Its size is as great as its content is complex. The Lienzo de Quauhquechollan reveals to the viewer amazing feats of both the winners and losers in the conquest of Guatemala. This masterfully created canvas records many valuable details of an important event. Painted with natural pigments […]
Read moreLove is in the air! Cupid’s bow is drawn and his wings are rustling. Whether the legend is the feast in honor of Juno, the goddess of women and marriage, the Roman St. Valentine, or the mating time of birds, around the globe, Valentine’s Day has traditionally been a celebration of romance. In some cultures, the Valentine’s Day festival has […]
Read moreAfter living in La Antigua in 2002-03 and moving back recently, I’ve noticed a lot of changes, from striking to subtle. In no particular order, they include: • New landscaping along much of the highway from Guatemala City to Antigua. Medians and shoulders sprout colorful groundcover, lilies and shrubs. Nice. • Traffic cops at busy intersections in Antigua, adding an […]
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In the Popol Vuh a toad is one of the messengers of the gods of Xibalba. The message starts in the belly of a louse, which is swallowed by a toad. The toad is swallowed by a snake. The snake is picked up by a falcon or hawk and delivers the message of the gods to the Hero Twins.
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Very few of the buildings in Antigua have original plans. This 1763 plan (first floor) was found at the Archives of the Indies in Seville, Spain. The description is fascinating but may have actually been a proposal for the approval of the building permit by Luis Diez de Navarro, a Spanish engineer who was in charge of the new structure which was completed in 1764.
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February is one of my favorite months—not because of Valentine’s Day. I love February because it means January is over. And except for New Year’s Day, I hate January. Everyone who coasted since Thanksgiving is enthusiastically sending e-mails with ideas, projects and goals for the New Year. To which I ask: What have you been drinking? If it’s a toad-juice […]
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