PEDRO COFIÑO SPEEDWAY

A couple of weekends ago we went to the Pedro Cofiño Speedway to watch a friend race in the  Super Street category. 

I went back to when I was the age of my daughters and went with my dad to the speedway which was then located on the road to El Salvador.  

This new speedway is located in the department of Escuintla with the view of the Agua, Fuego y Acatenango Volcanoes. 

Parking lot

My dear friend Jose is the daredevil and single as he still is devotes his time and money to this sport while all of us mortals remain somewhat jelous of being able to experience the rejuvinating rush of speed.

The speedway has two areas with bleachers and a VIP area on the rooftop of the pits. We of course where more than VIP watching from the pit.

SANTO DOMIGO CHURCH AND OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY

During the month of October catholics celebrate with great devotion the Our Lady of the Rosary visiting the temple of Santo Domingo where an image of our lady of the Rosary is venerated.  We were not the exception. Our visit involved buying fair candy for the girls, candles to leave with our prayers, and praying the rosary while standing in line to by the image. We stood in line about 45 minutes  but had to leave before reaching our goal because it was going to take at least another 30 minutes and I had a work commitment.

The  sculpture of Our Lady of the Rosary was ordered to be made in silver and wood by Fray Lope Montoya, circa 1592, but during the earthquake of 1773 it was damaged so it had to be restored and suffered some changes.

Thousands of people particularly from the city visit the church daily during the month of October. Our Lady of the Rosary was granted in 1992 the name of Perpetual Mayor of the City of Guatemala, commemorating  the IV Centenary of its veneration and  II Centenary of the foundation of the Convent of Santo Domingo.

The image of Our Lady of the Rosary has a rosary on her left hand and the right arm baby Jesus confidently sleeping. The story says that Our lady went for a stroll around America and when going through Guatemala her baby fell asleep and that was why she stayed here.

Replica that is processioned daily on around the atrium of the church during the month of October

The Convent of Santo Domingo was started in 1788 and finished in 1808. It is Located in Zone 1. 12th avenue between 10th and 11th streets.

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LIFT

LIFT is the name of this grapefruit soda bottled by the coca-cola company in Guatemala that can be found in Guatemala.

US pulls out of Guatemala´s Adoption Pilot Program

The following is a translation of an article published last week in Prensa Libre:

The US government pull out its request to be part of the pilot program of Guatemalan adoptions since it considers there are not enough safeguards to protect from the fraud and corruption that prevailed until 2008 will not continue.

The US diplomacy expects that this decision will allow the government of Guatemala to focus on the 280 open cases out of 3,032 that remained pending after 2007 when the Guatemalan Congress approved the new adoption law.

The new law reformed a system that was until then controlled by corrupt lawyers who in many cases utilized fraud  and identity theft to adoptions of babies obtained through  payment of theft.

'We have no comments, the members of the counsel are meeting to define their  position' said Rudy Zapeta spokesperson about the decision announced by the US and published in the Department´s of State webpage.

The Department of State announced that the decision responds to the concern that the adoptions of the pilot program won´t abby to the regulations of the Hague Convention for International Adoption. Also the government of Guatemala has not given details as to how  the process will be conducted under the new law.

The US said they will reconsider rejoining once there is trust that the system meets the requirements set forth  by the Hague.

SAYINGS: A CABALLO REGALADO NO SE LE MIRA COLMILLO

Apparently in English there is also such a saying. "A caballo regalado no se le mira colmillo" = "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth". Comes from the fact that often horses´ teeth are used to estimate the animal´s age.


What just happened to me. I posted about Foto Kids an their need for cameras but unfortunately they are not taking film cameras anymore. I absolutely understand it is a budget issue but I feel like saying "A caballo regalado no se le mira colmillo". 

Picture taken at Finca Filadelfia Antigua Guatemala, in a beautiful day we spent with a Guatemaln Genes friend and her family.

PS. Still if you can do make a digital camera donation. :-)

CIVIC CENTER PALENCIA

On the right the town hall, a bank next to it, in front the police station ans the green building on the left a public school.
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CHURCH SERIES: IGLESIA DE NUESTRA SEÑORA DE LA MERCED

Nuetra Señora de la Merced, Our Lady of Ransom, Mary of Mercy, is celebrated september 24th. That day we went as a family to this museum/church in Zone one to finish the Novena we had been following.

The construction of the church of Nuestra Señora de la Merced started in 1780 and was blessed in 1813.

It´s Neoclasical design hosts inside 300 paintings, 17 retables barroc style and about 80 images one of the main ones being the image of Nuestra Señora de la Merced. A lot of them were before in the Church of La Merced  at Antigua Guatemala.

We walked in an I took this first picture. 

I hadn´t realized then that the main altar was a backdrop printed on vinyl...

Then I remember some news I had  read weeks ago about the US government donating $95,000.00 for the restoration of this church. So I guess the restoration is in progress. The backdrop idea I thought was brilliant and explains why the image of our Lady of Ransom is both at the altar and at the top of the retable were it belongs!

A former Rotarian from my club Arquitect Eduardo Andrade Abularach (a brilliant Curator of Architectural Heritage, studied in Rome, current University Professor, contributor to the book Contemplaciones, etc) has been involved in various restorations in Guatemala, and during the time I befriended him he was in charge of the nativity scene of this Church (famous for its beauty and taste). I wonder if he is involved in this restoration?

The picture below is the exterior of the church but it was taken during Holy Week thus the crowds. Here is a picture of the dome.

Guatemala Star Wars Celebration

@ Museo Miraflores.

May the force be with you!
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Habemus Archiepiscopus - WE HAVE A NEW METROPOLITAN ARCHBISHOP

Today October 2nd form  Vatican City came the announcement naming Monseñor Oscar Julio Vian Morales  the New Metropolitan Archbishop taking the place of Monseñor Quezada Toruño who had submitted his resignation to the Pope for the second time and was accepted this time.
Monseñor Vian was born in 1947, ordained into the Salesian congregation 1976.

Although you guessed it, I do now him and he has been to my parents house I don´t have a picture in hand so I offered these ones from Prensa Libre:

May God bless the work of our new Archbishop and give him wisdom.

Church series: Iglesia Maria Auxiliadora Zona 5.

Guatemala city is full of neighborhood churches some with more history than other ones, but each one with a story.
A 40 day memorial mass took me yesterday to this one.
My aunt who has lived around here for 60 years says the church was already here then. The facade, cupola and interior are fairly new, 15 years. Before it was a humble gable roof structure.
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