Antigua Guatemala Doorway

Antigua Guatemala Doorway
Originally uploaded by tomjohnsontravel

There are some very interesting doorways in Antigua Guatemala. The architecuture and detail on some of the buildings are really something to see.

This doorway is very narrow, I would hate to try and move furniture in or out of this door.

I believe that this is a picture of one of the old government buildings in Antigua.

The old world charm of these buildings is just like being in Europe.

Keep checking back for more pictures and personal stories of Guatemala.

Christina Aguilera visits villages in the Guatemalan highlands near Lake Atitlan

Image via Wikipedia

Author Tom Johnson

9-29-09

Christina Aguilera Sees Hunger First Hand In Guatemala

Christina Aguilera and her husband Jordan Bratman traveled with WFP to villages in the Guatemalan highlands near Lake Atitlan, where up to 80 percent of the indigenous children are malnourished. Guatemala has the fourth highest child malnutrition rate in the world.

Quoted by Christina Aguilera; “I wanted to see with my own eyes what hunger means,” she said. “I don’t think I can ever forget these images. The people of WFP do such a great job helping hungry children and mothers. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful project and incredible team.”

Read More:

World Food Program

Look to the Stars

Plaza Del Apolstol Santiago, Guatemala

Plaza Del Apostol Santiago

Here are a few more pictures of Plaza Del Apolostol Santiago also known as Cerro De la Cruz.

Here is a beautitul Statue that sits at the parking area by the entrance to the plaza.

Andrew and Gary sitting at the base of the cross overlooking Antigua Guatemala.

Cerro de la Cruz

Author Tom Johnson 9-28-09

Cerro de la Cruz

The Cerro de la Cruz, a hill north of the city with a big cross planted overlooking Antigua Guatemala. This area is safe during the day and offers some of the best views of Antigua. The safest and easiest way to get here is by vehicle. I would not recconmend walking here from town, for two reasons. First it is not safe, especially at night, and as you climb the air gets thin and you may pass out if you are not in great shape. But this is a must to see while visiting Antigua. A great photo opportunity on a clear day.

Botran Solera 1893

The Ron Botran brand of spirits was established in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala in 1939, situated at more than 7,500 feet above sea level. The corporation was founded in 1963 and they currently export a wide range of fine rums throughout the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe.

Botran Solera 1893 is distilled from virgin honey obtained from the sugar cane after undergoing a slow fermentation process. The rum is aged to perfection at an elevation of 2300 meters above seal level in small oak barrels. The rum is prepared using a blend of the finest rums of Casa Botran.

Botran Solera 1893 reveals a medium dark amber color due its aging in oak.

On the nose: Botran Solera offers a delicate caramel aroma, coupled with golden raisin, a hint of dried apricot tart-fruit, and a slight oaken vanilla foundation, leaving traces of almond

Image by Morkai79 via Flickr

nutmeg aromas till the end.
Perfectly smooth to sniff with moderate complexity and no offensive alcohol aromas.
The initial taste is complex as you would expect of a rum matured in the rare Solera method, whereby rums of different vintages are periodically and sequentially blended, so that younger rums are blended with progressively older ones until a certain age and flavor is achieved.

A great rum for drinking alone or on the rocks.

Guatemala; Exploration For Oil And Natural Gas

Image via Wikipedia

By Tom Johnson 9-21-09

World Energy Research, a New Zealand-based energy research and investment company, is moving into energy exploration in Guatemala. WER plans to investigate the viability of 12 project sites with a focus on environmentally-friendly oil and natural gas extraction methods.

Of the 12 sites, three are natural gas reserves off the Pacific coast of Guatemala and nine are onshore sites located in the departments of Peten, Huehuetenango, Quiche and Alta Verapaz. All projects will be privately operated and based on contracts by the Guatemalan government.

This development is expected to bring multiple benefits to the area, including the creation of up to 1500 direct and indirect jobs in each project area. As well, World Energy Research is structuring plans for a long term and holistic preservation of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Next to the Brazilian Rain Forest, the Maya Biosphere Reserve is the world's second largest oxygen producing natural habitat.

Chad Willis, managing director of World Energy Research, said, "This move into Guatemala will be an important advancement not just for our company and our investors, but also for Guatemala who will benefit from having their own sustainable energy market into the future, possibly even enough to develop their export markets." Guatemala is the largest oil-producing nation in Central America.

Nickel mine in Guatemala may resume operations

Image via Wikipedia

By: Tom Johnson 9-20-09

Talks are underway to possibly reopen the Fenix nickel project in Guatemala. No start date has been set up yet. But economic conditions are looking favorable, the company's Guatemalan partner said on Thursday.
The company's Guatemalan partner said that the project, which HudBay bought in 2008 when it acquired Canadian miner Skye Resources was suspended as nickel prices plummeted in the wake of the global financial crisis.

A spokesperson for Compania Guatemalteca de Niquel or CGN HudBay's local partner, said a decision on restarting work at the mine in the eastern Guatemalan town of El Estor could be made later this year.

"We're still in 'slowdown' but there are some positive signs, nickel prices have improved and the global economic crisis has started to get better," Regina Rivera told Reuters.

The mine has a capital cost estimate of around $1 billion, which could change depending on how managers choose to power the plant.

Skye Resources which acquired the project in 2004, came up against local opposition to the reopening of the mine with squatters occupying company land and burning down a hospital and community relations office built by Skye.

Mysterious ruins may help explain Mayan collapse

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

By: Tom Johnson 9-20-09

The Mayans from central America and Mexico were best known for best known for stepped pyramids, beautiful carvings and murals and the widespread abandonment of cities around 900 A.D.
Hidden in the hilly jungle, the ancient site of Kiuic (KIE-yuk) was one of dozens of ancient Maya centers abandoned in the Puuc region of Mexico's Yucatan about 10 centuries ago. It looks like they just packed up and walked away, says archaeologist George Bey of Millsaps College in Jackson Miss., co-director of the Labna-Kiuic Regional Archaeological Project. "Until now, we had little evidence from the actual moment of abandonment, it's a frozen moment in time."
New clues may come from Kiuic, where the archaeologists explored two pyramids and, most intriguingly, plantation palaces on the ridges ringing the center. Of particular interst: a hilltop complex nicknamed "Stairway to Heaven" by Gallareta (that's "Escalera al Cieloa" for Spanish-speaking Led Zeppelin fans) because of a long staircase leading from Kiuic to a central plaza nearly a mile away.

Image by Michael R. Swigart via Flickr

Both the pyramids and the palaces look like latter-day additions to Kiuic, built in the 9th century, just as Maya centers farther south were being abandoned. "The influx of wealth (at Kiuic) may spring from immigration," Bey says, as Maya headed north. One pyramid was built atop what was originally a palace, allowing the rulers of Kiuic to simultaneously celebrate their forebears and move to fancier digs in the hills.

Guatemala Independance Day

On Sept. 15, 1821, the Central American colonies declared their independence from the Spanish crown.

Guatemala Independence Day History

source

From 1811 to 1818, Captain General José de Bustamante ruled the Kingdom of Guatemala. He suppressed all attempts toward independence thus preserving the region’s allegiance to Spain. King Ferdinand VII was restored to the Spanish throne after the French were defeated in Spain in 1814. However, a revolt ensued around 1820 in Spain thereby restoring the constitution of 1812. During this period local election campaigns followed in Central America and an intense political rivalry emerged between the liberal and the conservative factions of the elite.

Guatemala was fortunate to have gained independence from Spain without much blood being spilt compared to the wars that occurred to most countries of Latin America. On September 15, 1821, a council of distinquished personages in Guatemala City proclaimed independence from Spain and they formed a government with Gabino de Gainza, as the chief executive.

From 1898 to 1920, Guatemala was ruled by the dictator Manuel Estrada Cabrera, whose access to the presidency was helped by the United Fruit Company. It was during his long presidency that the United Fruit Company became a major force in Guatemala.

Guatemala Independence Day

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

September 14, 2009

---

On behalf of the people of the United States, I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the people of Guatemala as they celebrate the 188^th anniversary of their Proclamation of Independence on September 15.

As school children parade through the streets and Guatemalans across the country and around the world join in the celebration of Independence Day, they can be proud of Guatemala’s accomplishments as a unique, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic nation. This is an opportunity to honor their rich cultural heritage and to reaffirm their commitment to democracy, equality, justice, and prosperity for all.

It will also be a day of celebration for Guatemalans in the United States, who are valued members of our own diverse nation and have contributed so much to our culture and our economy.

On this historic occasion, let me reaffirm the commitment of the United States to strengthen our partnership with Guatemala and work together to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for all our people.

SOUCE

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guatemalan Army worked with the Guatemalan Police to destroy poppy fields in the municipalities of Tajumulco and Ixchiguan.

The street value from heroin that would have been produced from the poppies was estimated at around $434.5 million dollars.

Drug traffickers from neighboring Mexico have turned San Marcos into a center of poppy cultivation, the Guatemalan police states.

Guatemalan security forces have destroyed more than $1.3 billion worth of opium poppies in San Marcos so far this year, according to officials.

Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil offer food for Guatemala

By Tom Johnson 9-17-09

Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela are responding to Guatemala's plea for help in coping with a food shortage.

President Alvaro Colom says Venezuela and Mexico offered to send rice and other basic grains. Colom says Brazil also offered help, but did not give details.

Guatemala estimates 400,000 families are "at risk of food insecurity" due to adverse weather, poor soil and economic troubles. The government says 25 children have died since January from malnutrition.

The World Food Program will distribute 20 tons of nutritional cookies in the worst-hit areas.

Colom announced the new offers of help on Wednesday, a week after he declared "a state of public calamity" to help mobilize resources.

Guatemala in International Tournament in Libya

Written by Tom Johson - 9-17-09

Tripoli, Libya - Brazil, Spain, Guatemala, Solomon Islands and Libya will take part in an international futsal tournament to be held from 5 to 12 October in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, sports sources told PANA here.

Futsal is a variant of association football that is mainly played indoors with five players a side.

The kick-off date of the tournament 5 October will coincide with the anniversary of the Unionist march, organised in 1961 by Libyan leader Mouammar Kadhafi, then a student.

The logo of the event symbolises the African continent surrounded by the Libyan desert, the green wall and colours of countries participating in the sports event.

A website in different international languages, dedicated to the tournament, has been launched and contains complete information on the evolution of futsal in Libya as well as the country's achievements and results in the sport.