GuatemalaDailyPhoto

Here are some photographs of the Critical Mass ride, Guatemala.
Critical Mass, Guatemala started 8 years ago, an event to promote the use of bicycles as primary commuting method.
There is still much to do, specially breaking the cultural barriers. Here in Guatemala if you ride a bicycle to work; you are poor. If you do well, you have to drive to work or the corner store 300 feet away.
Streets are not as bad as one might think. As I say, most of the factors that make people prefer motor vehicles instead of bicycles are cultural.
I’m glad there are events like this and loyal followers.
Keep Riding!

And of course the day I went to ice skate the rink was down for maintenance. I guess I’ll have to wait until Christmas Season to ice skate here in Guatemala.
The rink is open from mid November to the last week of December.

Here is a beautiful piece I got the other day at Mercado Central, Downtown Guatemala City’s most important market.
This table runner might cost you up to $100 at a department store, but here in Guatemala you can get it as cheap as Q150, less than $19. So don’t forget to visit Mercado Central in Guatemala City.

First Act depicts the daily life and dancing of the Chorti People, an ethnic group of Mayan origin.

Second act depicts life and dancing of the Garifuna People, brought to the country as slaves during colonial times.

Third act is about Day of the Death and kite flying. For Mayan people, the flight of kites symbolizes the journey of relatives soul to the after life. If the kite flies high; it means the soul is ascending to heaven. If the kite is having trouble gaining altitude and stability; it means the soul is going to the purgatory. And if the kite fails to lift or dives down, it means the soul is going to hell. Think about it next time you see them kites.

The Artists:

Actors of Proyección Folklórica Zoel Valdés, founded by Professor and Folklorist Zoel Arturo Valdés Molina, with 35 years of experience interpreting Guatemalan Folklore and Traditions.
It was a three acts play. I’ll have more photos tomorrow.

I spent yesterday’s morning at Zone 1 Guatemala City and I bumped into a herd of goats and of course I had to have a glass (cup) of their milk. Delicious and nutritive for just Q5/$.63 cents.
tchin tchin..

Piñatas, you can find hundreds of different designs and colors and you can even have them custom made.
This is on Zone 1, Guatemala City adjacent to Parque Colón, an entire street allocated to piñatas business.

Rock Culture is dying down here in Guatemala.
In fact, there is no single good Rock radio station anymore, the last one they tell me changed its style more than three years ago; now they play pop music. But there still some loyal young people out here.
By chance I ended up at this autograph signing by Alan Boguslavsky, former guitar player of one of the most renown Latin America rock bands. The Dream of the Dead, by Alan Boguslavsky.

Scratch Tickets have arrived in Guatemala!
Great, now we can go spend our money on hopeless odds.
As far as I know, this is the only Scratch Ticket in Guatemala, and it became available two months ago.

One of the beauties of the Streets and Parks of Guatemala is that you can assemble a full meal with no difficulty.
You can start with a fruit antipasto,

a drink of your choice, including local beer,

your main course; in this case, a perfectly season steak and some scallions,

and as a dessert: Your choice of a Guatemalan Granizada -slush-

or a variety of ice-cream flavors.

Bon Appétit!