Guatemala English language Magazine
Some of us Anglophones disdain the phrase ‘at this point in time’ It is a redundancy that probably made its inventor look articulate but which today is so much filler. I once had a supervisor who had very little to say, but she never had to pausebecause she could always use these five syllables when a more word-frugal person could […]
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Christmas colors in Guatemala don’t stop with red and green, and dreams of a white Christmas must also include the entire rainbow. Yes, the brilliant red poinsettias and fragrant green pine needles, the ripe red berries and deep green leaves of the coffee trees, give all Central America the traditional Christmas colors of much of the world, but holidays in […]
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The nacimiento is still the star of the show in Guatemala. What is now the most important celebration of the year came to the Americas with the Spanish Christian evangelists. The Guatemalans, already an innately spiritual people closely in tune with nature and in whom creativity thrives, had no trouble adapting to the new religious event. The timing was good. […]
Read moreby Linda Green I highly recommend that your dog sleep inside the house at night. No matter what your reasons for wanting your dog outside at night, I believe there are many more good reasons for keeping him inside with you. The usual logic cited for keeping a dog outside is security. Dogs are considered to be useful as an […]
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The Orden Diego de Porres – Gold Award – was awarded to Elizabeth Bell at Capuchinas by the Consejo Nacional Para la Proteccion de La Antigua Guatemala on December 1st. The following is the speech she gave following the presentation. Autoridades eclestiásticas y civiles, Miembros del Consejo Nacional para la Protección de la Antigua Guatemala, Conservador de La Ciudad, y […]
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Spices are important in Guatemalan cooking, especially in many sweets and drinks around the holidays. Spice colors are rich in the landscape this month also, which seems fitting as spices were what the Europeans sought when they first sailed west to bump into these shores. Guatemala produces some spices, but joins the rest of the world in adding clove, cinnamon, […]
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From many viewpoints in Guatemala’s western Highlands, the Volcán Santa María stands like a sentinel overlooking its kingdom. Wrapped in a vortex of clouds, the volcano is a constant reminder to the population of Quetzaltenango and environs of its eruption a century ago that almost completely destroyed Guatemala’s second largest city. Yet today, Santa María stands as one of the […]
Read moreThroughout the country children dress in typical clothing paying homage to the Virgen de Guadalupe. One such procession begins at La Merced Church at 3pm. Typical food for sale outside the church, La Antigua. Photos by Rudy Girón
Read moreby Jack and Joy Houston “My name is Thompson because da Vinci was already taken,” Al quips in his typical, quick humor. In fact, there are similarities between the 15th century artist and Al Thompson, born in 1928. Both justly claim a diversity of talents: painting, sculpting, inventing, writing, to name a few. An exhibition of Al’s most recent creations […]
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Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa, Not a creature was stirring ¡Caramba! ¿Qué pasa? Los niños were tucked away in their camas, Some in long underwear, some in pijamas, While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado, In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado, To bring all children, both buenos and malos, A nice batch of […]
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text/photos by Carla Berryhill I have been to Lake Atitlán several times since moving to Guatemala. For me, there really is no one town or village on the lake that stands out more than the other because I think they are all interesting, beautiful and unique—but, my personal favorite is Santa Cruz La Laguna. There are no roads to Santa […]
Read moreThe Mayan ruins of Quiriguá in Izabal and El Zotz in Petén, as well as the historic architecture of Belize City, have been included on the World Monuments Fund (WMF) 2012 Watch, a list of cultural heritage sites around the world at risk of damage or destruction from a variety of threats. With a mission of preserving the world’s architectural […]
Read more8 Thurs. through the end of the month — Art Exhibit Rabinal Achi by Harry Danvers at Casa N’oj in Quetzaltenango. A visual representation in miniature paintings of the ancient Maya dance-play Rabinal Achi. HARRY THOMAS DANVERS did not begin his artistic career until he arrived in Guatemala in the early 70s. There he began to study drawing in the […]
Read moreA year ago we reported on the back story of the restoration of the Palace of the Captains General in La Antigua Guatemala. The project met all restoration standards with a Q16 million budget and a projected two-plus years worth of work. I have been trained in architectural conservation (ICCROM/Rome), and I am very picky about restoration projects. The palace […]
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IGA provides an array of educational development programs “We have a commitment to culture in Guatemala and want to make it accessible to all,” said Adriana Recinos Matheu, cultural director of IGA (Instituto Guatemalteco Americano). “We need to educate our audience and for that we have to start with the kids.” Since 1945, IGA has been providing individuals of all […]
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written by Maritza Ortiz CasaSito will host its Third Arts Festival on December 3 at La Cooperación Española in La Antigua Guatemala. Over 100 Guatemalan children and youth will enchant locals and visitors with their artistic talents. The festival will delight everyone with a wonderful art exhibition, music shows, and theater and dance performances. The art exhibition begins at 10 […]
Read more“I worked in the garbage dump for 12 years but I much prefer it here,” says Rosa Cristina Aguierre Marroquín. “I feel more confident, I can support my children better, and I trust all the people I work with.”
Read moreCelebrating its 15th year anniversary, La Antigua Galería de Arte invites you to come and view an amazing collection of artworks by established artists from Latin and Central America, the U.S. and the Caribbean. La Antigua Galería de Arte (tel: 7832-2124), 4a calle oriente #15, La Antigua.
Read moreIn Guatemala: People of Tradition, we see the depth of feeling, reverence and respect that has created the colorful outward pageantry that identifies Guatemala to the rest of the world.
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Dec. 2, 2011 — Elizabeth Bell was honored in a lovely ceremony last night at Capuchinas where she received the highest award given by the Consejo. The gold Orden Diego de Porres was awarded to her for “her untiring work over many years in allowing people to know La Antigua Guatemala through her multiple books and lectures and constant activities […]
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If Sacatepequez boasts La Antigua Guatemala, Alta Verapaz offers Semuc Champey and within Peten’s jungles lie the impressive ruins of Tikal, El Mirador and other ancient cities, what exactly is there to see and do in the department of Jalapa? Answer: extreme adventure combined with biodiversity! Just over two hours outside of Guatemala City, hidden in the subtropical mountains of […]
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If you are not sure what to buy a loved one for Christmas, or any occasion for that matter, we have some suggestions. In the book category, turn to page 17 for Dianne Carofino’s preview of Guatemala: People and Tradition. Photographer Santiago Albert’s black and white work evokes the splendor of the human experience in a unique style that speaks […]
Read moreI expect this year’s Tikal Solstice to be an even bigger solstice, which will happen on December 22 at 05:30 a.m. Here’s a fragment about the Solstice from Wikipedia. Many cultures celebrate various combinations of the winter and summer solstices, the equinoxes, and the midpoints between them, leading to various holidays arising around these events. For the December solstice, Christmas […]
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