Simple

Simple

A photo from the basement of the Capuchinas Convent in Antigua, liked the way lights goes in.

Detail from an Alfombra in Antigua

Detail from an Alfombra in Antigua

I ended with thousand of photos of the Alfombras, I liked this pattern a lot

Scary

Scary

Its a religious setup, but due to the very little lighting, the closed space of the basement and stairs, more than devotion it causes fear.

Maybe that the purpose, to inspire what is called "be fear of God"

Archs in Antigua

Archs in Antigua

I liked the reflections, that why I uploaded

Alfombra Antigua

Alfombra Antigua

Another Alfombra (carpet) form the Antigua Prosession, this with flowers, fruits and plant, a very pretty and impressive design.

Barbequed food

Barbequed food

On the Holy week verbena, the similarity and difference of some mexican and guatemalean food caught my attention.

At a start, in Guatemala this kind of fast food is called "Refacciones" a term that i as mexican associate more with car fix parts. Here in Mexico que called them "tentempi" or "refrigerio" o algunas "lonche" a near term to the english lunch.

Back on topic, what we Mexican call "Torta de Pollo" in guatemala is "Pan con Pollo" a piece of bread with chicken inside. wel the breads are different, but still is basically the same.

Other is the meat from the photo, over there is sold as "Tortilla con carne", that is basically the same as "Tacos de Carne" in Mexico, but well, the thing is even when its basically the same, a tortilla and a piece of meat, since the taco is folded, and here they are given kind of apart, its a different thing.

Interesting.

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La Merced

La Merced

The Church of "La Merced" (Mercy in english) at Antigua Guatemala, the one I liked the most.

Antigua Cathedral

Antigua Cathedral

The Cathedral in Antigua

Carpet on the La Merced Church

Carpet on the La Merced Church

Part of what makes the Holy Week different in Antigua, is the "Alfombras" or carpets.

On the streets where the procession is going, people create those carpets, some with plant, and with other kinds of materials.

Lots of pretty and colorful designs.

This was the first "Alfombra" I saw that day, outside the church of La Merced, the starting point of the procession.

Lomo Relleno

Lomo Relleno

I was told the name in spanish is Lomo Relleno, is pork meat, in a roll , filled with more meat.

Domingo de Ramos in Antigua

Domingo de Ramos in Antigua

The day I arrived to Antigua, was sunday, when its the festivities of "Domingo de Ramos", translation would be something like "Palm Sunday"

I liked the palms that were on sale, so I decided to take a photo.

The Palm Sunday festivity, is because of the day Christ entered to Jerusalem, and begins the Holy Week. People buy the palms, go to mass, where they are sprinkled with holy water. Those palms, are then burned, and the ashes are used next year, on "Miercoles de Ceniza", Ash wednesday.

Volcan de Agua in Antigua

Volcan de Agua in Antigua

This is a photo of the "Volcan de Agua" outside Antigua
Antigua was the city of Guatemala I was the most days, used the time to see how Holly Week is on that city.

Around Antigua there are 3 volcanoes.

More Lava

More Lava

Ok, I say it, I was totally impressed to see lava.

:P

Its Lava

Its Lava

The most interesting part of climbing the mountain, was to see lava, from little place where little lava was slowly coming out of the rocks, to lava in an almost solid state moving really slowly, to hole where one could see lava like in the photo, or full rivers of lava moving.

And the amount of heat is amazing.

Top of the Pacaya Volcano

Top of the Pacaya Volcano

This is the view from near the Top of the Pacaya Volcano.

All volcanic rock and ashes, had to be very careful when walking, since the rock moves, breaks, sometimes is really hot when there is lava moving under it, can even break open a lava outing. In fact one person in the group cut himself with a piece of rock.

A very impressive thing to look, like a view of another planet.

Blue Dress

Blue Dress

Had to put a photo of Jessica (taken a few time ago) among the trip ones :P

Pacaya Volcano

Pacaya Volcano

Once in Antigua I took a trip to the Pacaya Volcano, although there are taller volcanoes around, the interesting thing is that is an active volcano that has lava flowing.

According to a sign at the entrance, its a 2200 meters climb, a good exercise.


This photo is a look of the volcano from the base.

Tamal Guatemalteco

Tamal Guatemalteco

This is a Tamal, Guatemalean Style.
Inside it, thre is a full piece of chicken (leg) in tomato sauce

Sunset on the Peten Itza Lake

Sunset on the Peten Itza Lake

Well a photo of the Sunset over the Peten Itza Lake, I like it.

At 9 pm, it was time to take a bus again, now more to the south towards Guatemala Capital City. Luckily it was of the Pullman type buses, so it was comfortable, so again, one night sleeping on a bus. To Guatemala City arriving at 4am.