Holiday lights (photo: Rudy Girón/www.rudygiron.com)

We are introducing a new series: People and Projects, and for December we’d like to tell you about Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala, NGO Networking and the Cojolya Association.

The Mystery at Tak’alik Ab’aj is about the discovery of an unprecedented stone sculpture that, as in the case of all archaeological finds, provides some answers but provokes even more questions.

The soon-to-be-released book ISTMO is a gorgeous hard-cover volume featuring stunning aerial views of Central America by internationally acclaimed photographer Ange Bourda in collaboration with Rubén Najéra, María Isabel Quezada and Evelina González de Herrera. It will debut in Guatemala in January 2009.

Our People Profile is the lovely ballerina Bette van Lunteren who choreographed the upcoming staged production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” performed by local children and members of the National Ballet of Guatemala. See DateBook for more information about this performance along with many other scheduled activities including art shows, musical concerts, theater, film presentations, workshops and a special Holiday Calendar.

Our seasonal offering includes Sensuous Guatemala: Holiday Mélange, Christmas Music from Renaissance Antigua, The Night Before Navidad and The Gift of Giving.

Reminder to photographers: the January 2009 Revue will be our 6th Annual Photography Issue. We are accepting submissions only until December 10.

We wish you all Happy Holidays and a very Prosperous New Year. —JBT

Carrera de Charolas (photo: Leonel Mijangos/enantigua.com)

This month’s cover, the photo by Leonel Mijangos, features participants in the annual Carrera de Charolas. Organized by the Restaurants La Fonda de la Calle Real in La Antigua Guatemala, the race is now in it’s seventh year.

The Saga Continues is an update by Joy Houston on the Convent La Concepción; she explains how researchers continue to uncover new colors, secrets and surprises.

Though many praise the merits of Guatemala’s excellent cabinet makers, few would guess that these talented carpenters can also build boats. Not Your Traditional Artesanía tells how Ira Lewis recruited local craftsmen to build a classic wooden catboat.

November heralds an abundance of DateBook events: music, art, dance, theater, workshops, lectures and films, highlights include the Museo Ixchel’s Christmas bazaar, AGIT (Guatemalan Assoc. of Interpreters & Translators) weekend seminar, the Carrera de Charolas, and in celebration of Garífuna Settlement Day, is a concert in honor of Andy Palacio, an iconic Garífuna musician and cultural advocate. Plan ahead for December with performances of the Messiah and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Dr. Karmen writes Crossing Over and how difference cultures relate to life and death. “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes” (B. Franklin), so next up, Steve Pittser writes about Wages vs Self-Employed and what this means to the IRS and foreign nationals living and working abroad.

Cooking with Class, written by Dianne Caro-fino, takes us inside a delightful classroom where you can learn how to cook authentic and delicious Guatemalan meals.

Can ET call home from Guatemala? is a question pondered by Dwight W. Coop in his new column Lake Views. Find out what he thinks has changed most since his arrival in Guatemala 20 years ago … “besides my hairline.”

In international travel, we learn why we should visit El Volcán de Salvador.

Border Crossings: We say goodbye to Gene Inman and Bruce Barclay. This edition is dedicated to their memory. —JBT

Let it fly... (photo: Iván Castro/ivancastroguatemala.com)

Party with a Purpose celebrates the conclusion of the Panchoy 50’s first phase: completing the formation and analysis of 10 volunteer committees that focused on an integral, 50-year development plan for the Panchoy Valley.

Humble Beginnings is the story of the Ruins of San Jerónimo. Once a school, a chapel, then in 1766 it was transformed into the Royal Customs House. The site was abandoned in 1773 when the town was destroyed (again) by a massive earthquake that ultimately resulted in moving the Spanish capital to what is now Guatemala City.

But before the Spanish, the Maya ruled the region. Time, Imagination, and La Profecía Maya 2012 recaps a conference, attended by more than 1,200 people, that explored the link between the Mayan ball game, the creation myth found in the “Popo Vuh,” carvings from a site at Izapa and the galactic alignment set to occur on December 21, 2012, ending the 5,125-year Mayan Long Count calendar.

Dr. Karmen brings us The Art of Listening, and in a new column, ‘Lake Views’, Dwight Wayne Coop has a lot to say about Birthday Parties. As we’re approaching the end of another year, it is time to think about Avoiding vs Evading, offering a few tips on U.S. taxpaying and IRA accounts.

El Salvador is gearing up its Regional Cuisine and some local photographers unveil a lovely El Salvador pictorial.

Enjoy your month. —JBT

Browse In FlashPaper
(19.5 MB)

Independence Day Celebrations by Rudy Girón

This month, 187 years later, Guatemala and most of Central America celebrates that independence in many forms. Ken Veronda describes many of them in his latest installment of the Sensuous Guatemala series. The stunning cover photo by Rudy Girón is from last year’s celebration on the 15th.

Our dynamic duo of Jack and Joy Houston have once again made the past come alive with the story of La Recolección, one of the last built and most impressive ruins in La Antigua.

Dwight Wayne Coop offers up a few articles including One more time tunnel: El Capitol. After reading some books by María del Carmen Escobar, Mr. Coop poses a question in Who is Latin America’s finest scribe? He then goes on to introduce us to one of Panajachel’s colorful personages in Just call me Indio.

Throughout the magazine the quotations that we normally scatter about have a common thread in this issue. We’re sure you won’t have any problem figuring out the theme.

The Transformation of the Compañía de Jesús is an inspiring story of beautiful restoration work and increasing educational resources in the new home of the Centro Iberoamericano de Formación.

We also have an historical quiz from Carlisle Johnson, and questions about the future from the Panchoy 50 Foundation.

As always we have a complete cultural guide via DateBook as well as more information and facts to help you enjoy your September.

—JBT

I am sometimes asked, “Why do you spend so much of your time and money talking about kindness to animals when there is so much cruelty to men?” I answer: “I am working at the roots.”
—George T. Angell

Browse our September issue in a new window through the Flashpaper technology

Browse the September issue
In FlashPaper (19.2 MB)

Revue Cover for August 2008, designed by Rudy Girón

August is traditionally dedicated to Guatemala City’s downtown Historical Center. Starting with Sensuous Guatemala, a feast for the senses in the great square that is flanked by the National Palace and the Metropolitan Cathedral. Next up, The Time Tunnels of Zone One, a trip through four fascinating ‘pasajes’, along with a sentimental journey to those golden bygone days. The final homage to zone 1 is Portal to the Past, featuring El Portal, Guatemala City’s oldest and continuously-operating restaurant. If those walls could talk.

Within the ‘Ruins of La Antigua’ series is the not to be missed Mysterious Monument, the story of the Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza de Religiosa Capuchinas. Flashback: 1937 offers you a chance to guess which town the author is writing about … “real estate sells from $2.50 an acre to $8.50 an acre.”

The Zen of Fin and Fondo is aptly named for we have come to the end of this popular column—at least for now. Our thanks and appreciation to writer Dwight Wayne Coop who, after some 55 The Zen of… articles, would like to shift gears and introduce a new subject, beginning next month.

The August DateBook is jam-packed with events all month long; in El Salvador the Festival de Maíz (Celebrating Corn in Suchitoto) will be held on August 17.

Thank you for reading the Revue; with 20,000 in print monthly, the magazine is also available in Flash Paper or PDF format online at www.revuemag.com

—JBT

Browse our August issue in a new window through the Flashpaper technology

Browse the August issue
In FlashPaper (19.5 MB)