Psychology and Equestrian Sports

written by Asa Bjorklund and Judith Gibbons photos by Asa Bjorklund Have you ever “choked” in the face of an important competition? Many athletes have panicked and become paralyzed in the arena, even to the point of giving up sports they really liked. In June, Sandy Venneman, psychology professor and equestrian, visited Club Ecuestre La Ronda in Finca Azotea in […]

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Emerald

Quetzal (photo: Thor Janson)

Yes, emeralds are found in our jewelry stores, but only imported gems. Emerald, however, is a rich sight in the Highlands of Guatemala, especially now with the rainy season polishing the leaves and enriching the grasses. And yes, we’ve our own emerald stones too, the deep imperial of Guatemala’s very special jadeite jewelry, but it’s the deep green tones of […]

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Up the Carretera a El Salvador in a Gullwing

written by Eduardo Linares Batres More than a quarter of a century ago, a pal of mine lucked into acquiring a Mercedes-Benz classic, a used-but-babied 300SL “Gullwing.” To say that this is one of the all-time, absolute greatest cars ever made is, in my opinion, an understatement. When it was introduced around 1952-3, it was as an all-out race car […]

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Antigua Guatemala Patron Saint Celebrations

Santiago Monument by Leonel Mijangos/EnAntigua.com

9 Fri., 7pm — BEAUTY CONTEST: Elección y Coronación de Señorita Antigua 2010-2011. Q50. Salón César Brañas 5a calle poniente # 44-A. 10 Sat., 2-5pm — DANCE: Folk dances featuring municipal dance groups. Salón César Brañas. 10 Sat., 8-4pm —ART: Outdoors Painting Festival. Central Park. 11 Sun., 7pm — MUSIC: Concert by Colectivo Dharana, Central Park. 16 Fri., 7pm — […]

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Heart of the Forest

Corazón del Bosque (Heart of the Forest)

Showcases Mushrooms and Temescales If snack wrappers blemishing the Guatemalan countryside dishearten you, take heart. There are places you can go where litter is not only unseen, its demise is being plotted. They are snapshots of Guatemala’s glory before the modern container revolution. And, primero Dios, they are foretastes of the coming restoration of that glory. The revolution in question […]

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How ‘bout a Coffee?

Schumann, Wagner and Goethe met frequently to chat at Coffé Baum in Leipzig, Germany. Established in 1694 and Germany’s oldest coffee house, Coffé Baum still serves satisfied customers and includes a popular coffee museum on the third floor. In his spare time from his duties as choirmaster at Thomas Church in Leipzig, J.S. Bach composed his Coffee Cantata in 1732, […]

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Juan Matalbatz a.k.a. Aj Pop’o Batz

written by Bob Makransky The only instance, in the entire Spanish conquest of the Americas, when the local chieftain was permitted to retain the power of government. By the year 1543, after several unsuccessful military expeditions against the warlike Q’eqchi’ Indians, the Spanish conquerors were desperate. At the same time, it had become evident to the chieftain of chieftains of […]

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How I Got Gelded and Respected

We all recall that Rodney Dangerfield’s one-liner, “I get no respect,” became his middle name. His fans (including me) suspected that before turning pro, Rodney worked countless, tedious day jobs. But there was (and still is) something that any man can do to summon for himself beaucoup respect, one that will knock him on his back— somewhat literally. I refer […]

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The Art of the Gourd

The women show their latest creations (the author is in the front on the right)

Mayan Hands is a small, fair-trade organization that has been working with Mayan artists since 1989. It works with approximately 200 weavers, organized in groups of 12 to 50 women in 11 western and northern Guatemalan highland communities. Its mission is to assist these women by providing the skills and markets necessary to earn a regular income, enabling them to provide for their families and gain control over their lives.

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Who was St. James?

Santiago monument (photo: César Tián/Revue)

La Antigua Guatemala was founded as Santiago de Guatemala (St. James of Guatemala). Located previously at the Kaqchikel site of Iximché in 1524 and then next door to Ciudad Vieja (San Miguel Escobar) in 1527, the first city council met in this valley on March 10, 1543. Since St. James is the patron saint of Spain and was the patron […]

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July 2010 in Revue Magazine

Cover: Jungle green by Thor Janson

Green has pervaded our July pages in several shades and forms, starting with Jungle green on the cover. Few can capture natural beauty as vibrantly as phototographer and wildlife conservationist Thor Janson. From the palette of Ken Veronda’s Sensuous Guatemala we are offered Emerald in all of its splendor. In Could Weeds Turn Guatemala Green?, Oliver Thornwhistle looks at two […]

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