Guatemala English language Magazine
by Hanna Wallace Bowman Scrambling into the back of a pickup truck, wielding a machete and setting off into the Guatemalan countryside to build stuff: Now that sounds like an excellent way of spending a Saturday in La Antigua Guatemala. Or, at least, the local bartending population certainly seemed to think so. Trading shot glasses for shovels and cheeky behind-the-bar-banter […]
Read moreby Martin Leadbitter Walter White Jr.—humorist, socialite and inventor—died in January this year, aged 80. Walter was the life and soul of the original anglophone ex-patriate community in La Antigua Guatemala, and his passing is felt as both the loss of a friend and as the loss of a symbol and unifying force. For almost 30 years (“I came down […]
Read moreThe 2012 phenomenon by Kevin García On December 21st, 2012 the ancient Mayan Long Count Calendar will complete a 5,125-year cycle. A New Age interpretation of this transition posits that during this time Earth and its inhabitants may undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation, and that 2012 may mark the beginning of a new era. Others suggest that the […]
Read morePotent spirit opens new chapter for Antigua outpost by Brendan Byrne Not unlike its original customers, or more honestly its booze-filled reprobates turned employees, Café No Sé in La Antigua Guatemala has truly grown up over the last years. This change is fourfold. Firstly and ironically, some of the infantile antics and genuine boyish bonhomie that epitomized this legendary watering […]
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What started out as a tiny neighborhood taqueria with only two tables celebrates its 16th anniversary this month as well as a prestigious honor from Trip Advisor. Now a dining favorite with 30 tables in La Antigua Guatemala, Fridas Cocina Mexicana & Bar serves authentic Mexican cuisine seven days a week in a spacious location at Calle del Arco #29, […]
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“You can buy it as your house or buy it as a business—either way it’s the same price!” said Hartmut Zersch, the previous owner. With that agreed to, Mesón Panza Verde, La Antigua Guatemala’s first European-style bed and breakfast which opened in 1986, had two new owners: Laurel Jacobson and Bruce McCowan. For the first half dozen years after assuming […]
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written by Val Liveoak An international gathering of facilitators for the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) will be held Oct. 2-8 in La Antigua Guatemala at Posada Belen. Approximately 100 attendees from 20 countries are expected, and the gathering will be fully bilingual (English and Spanish). AVP began in 1975 in New York’s Green Haven prison, where inmates requested the […]
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October’s arrival should give us more confidence to venture out without umbrellas as the rainy season yields to more sunshine and more reasons to enjoy Guatemala’s treasures. Looking for getaways? With a mirror-like cenote surrounded by a rainforest, Laguna Lachuá in Alta Verapaz is a stunning destination (p16). Meanwhile, San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta in San Marcos offers a […]
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Celebrating their nation’s 190th Independence Day, Guatemalans streamed into streets and central squares across the country on Thursday, Sept. 15, to enjoy parades, music, food and fireworks. Communities large and small marked the occasion with torch-bearing runners, drumbeats of school bands, concerts and speeches. Food vendors served a mouth-watering variety of dishes as locals and tourists alike joined the annual […]
Read moreby Kevin García There are many varieties of bananas in Guatemala. Bananas are very tasty, complete fruits; they are easy to digest and have many nutrients, such as vitamins A, B, C, E, calcium, magnesium, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, iron and sodium. They are particularly rich in vitamin B6, folic acid and potassium. The bananas most commonly found in Guatemala are Cavendish […]
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Musicians, artists, NGOs and community groups were among participants in Libre al Viento, a festival of civic and cultural activities that was held Saturday, Sept. 3, at the Palace of the Captains General in La Antigua Guatemala. Antigüeños and tourists alike streamed through the palace throughout the day to enjoy the activities and displays, which included an array of restaurants […]
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U.S. President Barack Obama has named Arnold A. Chacón, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, as ambassador to Guatemala, succeeding Stephen G. McFarland, who held the post since 2008. Officially he remains a U.S. designee until his credentials are accepted by the Guatemalan government. Chacón, whose nomination was confirmed last month by the U.S. Senate, had been deputy […]
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September is always a festive month with Guatemala’s Independence Day on the 15th. Expect lots of fireworks, parades, music and events as Guatemala celebrates 190 years of independence (page 15). And with presidential elections coming up on Sept. 11, this month will be especially significant (page 54). Also in this issue: Unicorns in Guatemala? Conservationist / photographer Thor Janson reports […]
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Sundays, 7, 14, 21 & 28, 11am & 4pm — (Spanish) THEATER FOR KIDS: ImaginaMar, the new musical adventure for the whole family written by John Tartaglia, chronicles the underwater adventures of three fish friends who discover a treasure map. The Spanish version is produced by Fundacion Paiz and presented as part of the XI Festival Internacional de Cultura […]
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Author/photographer: Thor Janson Published by Artemis Edinter Spanish/English 240 pages, color photography “Biologist, conservationist and photographer Thor Janson has worked in Central America for nearly thirty years. In this book he reveals his deep love and respect for the land and its inhabitants through 250 stunning color photographs accompanied by short descriptive text. An introduction by anthropologist Robert […]
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Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship in Guatemala written by Reid Lustig To fry an egg is no simple task. One must tromp through the forest harvesting wood with a machete, haul a hefty bundle back to the house on foot, arrange the sticks in a fire pit and nurse the flame to life. There are more than 8 million people in […]
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Author/photographer: Hanne Linder KOM Publishing (www.komforlag.no) Graphic design: MILLA Design Printed in Guatemala by Print Studio 222 pages, color photography www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrOX29x1zvg “My Guatemala brings you a powerful encounter with the people and the environment the author has gotten to know throughout more than 20 years. It all comes together as a colorful and fulfilling book about the country, the culture […]
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If a picture is worth 1,000 words, the Fotokids NGO could fill a library with its successes. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this month, Fotokids was founded in 1991 by photojournalist Nancy McGirr with the aim of using photography to break the cycle of poverty for the children of the Guatemala City dump. From six students using three cheap plastic cameras, […]
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Dozens of patrons enjoyed cocktails and appetizers Saturday evening, July 16, at a fundraiser for Niños de Guatemala (NDG), an NGO that operates a school for poor children in Ciudad Vieja, among other education-related services. Guests met with blue-shirted staff and volunteers and viewed a series of photographs depicting children and teachers at NDG’s school, Nuestro Futuro, which offers quality […]
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by Eric Mencher Years ago in the infancy of my photojournalism career, after I complained yet one more time about a dropped credit line under one of my artful, award-winning photos (or so I had naively thought), an editor once told me that only mothers and other journalists read credit lines and mastheads. I can’t vouch for the mother part, […]
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20 years of improving lives by Hannah Wallace Bowman Malnourished kids are among the many who benefit Guatemala has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in Latin America, with 45 percent of children under the age of 5 suffering from this chronic and life-threatening illness. When Jose Alberto arrived at Casa Jackson, an emergency recovery center for infants suffering […]
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Changing lives through surgery by Astrid Barrios Since 2004 the NGO Compañero en Salud (CENS) has been providing surgical and health services to needy villagers in rural Guatemala. Our mission includes acting as a bridge between foreign surgeons and the Guatemalan patients. National and international doctors, nurses and medical personnel have helped more than 40,000 patients (75% of them women […]
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Many years ago, Viaventure purchased a school bus and had it driven down to Guatemala from the United States by two staff members. The bus was never used to the extent that had been anticipated by the La Antigua-based tour operator; it remained parked for long periods of time. During a recent conversation with friends from Global Visionaries, the idea […]
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A pageant like no other commands our attention this month as young indigenous women from across Guatemala trek to Cobán and compete for the title of Rabin Ajau—Daughter of the King. Featuring some 80 contestants proudly dressed in regal traje, it’s among the most spectacular events of the Mayan world. Thor Janson attended last year’s coronation; his words and emotive […]
Read moreHabitat for Humanity conference in honor of Guatemala success by Anna-Claire Bevan It’s not often that Guatemala is described as a global leader, but in the world of Habitat for Humanity, that’s exactly how it’s known. The NGO´s international president Ken Klein recently visited the country to celebrate the success of Habitat Guatemala and learn from its effective disaster-response program. […]
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Dermalogica, the world’s leading professional skin-care brand, recently launched FITE—Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship—to help women entrepreneurs in Guatemala and other developing nations to develop or expand their business. In establishing FITE, Dermalogica partnered with the KIVA organization, a non-profit microfinance leader that provides loans to people without access to traditional banking systems. Dermalogica has also launched a new product line, […]
Read more“Water, Rivers and People / Agua, Ríos y Pueblos,” is an international traveling photographic exhibit that takes a critical look at water conflicts around the world. The exhibit focuses on the human and environmental costs of contamination and catastrophes, ecosystem degradation, water as a human right, privatization and mega-development projects such as hydroelectric dams and open pit mining. The exhibit […]
Read morewritten by Hannah Freiwald Asociación Manos Abiertas (AMA) was founded in March 2008 in response to the urgent need for reproductive health services in Ciudad Vieja. Our mission is to offer a safe and welcoming place where health services are provided for women by women, in a respectful and confidential manner without discrimination. We strive to treat the woman as […]
Read moreSan Juan Olintepeque, a historic town about 6 kilometers north of Quetzaltenango, celebrates its patron, St. John the Baptist, with a colorful festival. This area is generally considered to be the site where the famous Maya-K’iche’ prince, Tecún Umán, died in battle against Pedro de Alvarado in 1524. The annual festival features costumed dancers, the traditional dance of the bull, […]
Read moreA luxury getaway on a coffee plantation by Tanya Hughes “The hardest part is stepping off the edge,” my canopy-tour guide said encouragingly. Dubiously, I peered over the 40-foot drop. After a couple of deep breaths I took that step and I was flying through the air, held securely in place by my harness. Both youngsters and adults can line […]
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