February 24th, 2009
Ignacio Perez Borrel
Ignacio Perez Borrel, the former drummer of the Buena Vista Social Club, is now touring with his own band the Buena Vista De Corazon. The band included bass, mandolin, congas, keyboard, and guitar. On February 19, 2009 he played an intimate show at the Salon Cristal at the Hotel Modelo in Xela. The salon was packed with locals and tourists from all over the world. He played an amazing show throwing in some classics from the Buena Vista Social Club days, and the night began and ended with raging salsa and great Cuban music.
Buena Vista De Corazon
Ignacio Perez Borrel
Categories: Guatemala |
Tags: Buena Vista De Corazon, Buena Vista Social Club, Cuban Music, Guatemala, Ignacio Perez Borrel, Quetzaltenango, salsa, Xela | No Comments
February 18th, 2009
Parque Central Xela, Guatemala
Xela, Xelaju, or Quetzaltenango is my favorite city in Guatemala. It is the second largest city in Guatemala. It has a more traditional feel, and it is a great place to study Spanish for a week or two. The people are friendly, and there is a wonderful mix of the contemporary with the new. The parque central includes the catedral that was built over 500 years ago, and the park is a great place to sit and watch the city go by. In the nearby town of Zunil there are amazing hot springs called Fuentes Georginas. It is a great place to visit on a cool afternoon in the mountains surrounding Xela.
Fuentes Georginas
Puente de Xela
Categories: Guatemala |
Tags: Guatemala, Quetzaltenango, Santa Rosario, Trova, Trova Imports, Xela | No Comments
February 13th, 2009
Lago Atitlan
It is difficult to explain how beautiful and magical Lago Atitlan is. It is a tranquil and special place with different towns surrounding the lake. Each town has its own unique characteristic. For example, Panajachel is known for its tourism. It is the easiest town to get to by bus, and is sometimes called “Gringochanango”. Although there are numerous tourists, the town has breathtaking sunsets. San Pedro is known to be the “hippy town” on the lake. Most of the town is run by people from other countries, and it is a great place for mocha lattes and yoga. Santiago Atitlan is known for its artisan market, and it also has more of traditional feel. There are many locals selling beautiful paintings, hand-carved wooden objects, and other typical products from Guatemala. San Antonio is a pristine little town known for its textiles.
San Pedro
Paintings from Santiago
Textile loom from San Antonio
Boats used on Lago Atitlan
Categories: Guatemala |
Tags: Guatemala, Lago Atitlan, Palopa, Panajachel, San Antonio, San Pedro, Santiago Atitlan, Textiles, Trova, Trova Imports | No Comments
February 9th, 2009
Iglesia de Santo Tomas
Chichicastenango (or Chichi) is the biggest market in Central America of indigenous hand-made textiles. The overwhelming atmosphere of the Sunday market is daunting and indescribable. The colors are amazing, and the amount of products range from livestock to hammocks. The indigenous women and children are professional sales persons trying to sell their products to the inexperienced tourists from all over the world. Although trying and exhausting, the atmosphere is full of great people and understanding locals.
Woman selling her products
Masks
Hand-woven textiles
Shirts
Pots
Pig market
Shrimp
Clay pots
Woman making textiles
Categories: Guatemala |
Tags: Chichicastenango, Guatemala, hand-made, Iglesia de Santo Tomas, market, Saint Thomas, Trova, Trova Imports | No Comments
February 6th, 2009
Catedral, Antigua
Antigua, Guatemala is an amazing place to enjoy the distinct and authentic culture, architecture, and naturaleza of Central America. Unlike Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador, the natural people (Mayans) are accepted and encouraged to where traditional clothing and sell art work that is distinct in their culture and community.
Natural woman washing clothes outside of San Pedro Catedral
Santo Domingo Hotel & Museum
The 500 year old ruins of Antigua allow for a person to wonder around for hours looking at the distinct features and character that has been preserved in the city. Santo Domingo Catedral has been converted into a five star hotel.
San Pedro's tumb
San Pedro is a saint that was remembered for helping the indigenous people of Mexico and Guatemala. The ruins from the old church are as captivating as the new cathedral next door.
San Pedro
San Pedro Ruins
(from left) Volcan Fuego, Volcan Agua, Volcan Acatenango
Just outside of Antigua is Volcano Pacaya. It is a tough 1.5 hour hike straight up, but the view of its neighboring volcanoes are breathtaking.
Lava Flow from Pacaya
You decide which one is Volcan Fuego
Categories: Guatemala |
Tags: Antigua, Guatemala, Trova, Trova Imports | No Comments
December 30th, 2008
Four years ago I bought a house and started an import company of hand-made products from Latin America. The first trip was in my 1976 VW bus from Austin, Texas to Merida, Yucatan. On the way, I hit a buzzard, the roof blew off the top of my bus, and my accelerator broke in the middle of Tampico (Luckily my buddy Q told me to take an extra cable). I ended up at the border with a bus full of hammocks and no broker. Picture a line in the X-ray machine consisting of 18-wheeler, 18-wheeler, VW, 18-wheeler, 18-wheeler, etc.
During the adventure and frustration of starting a company, I also refurbished a house where I lived in the root cellar for six months while I got rid of the termites and finished one room to put a mattress on the floor. The idea was for me to rent out the house while I traveled to Latin America setting up contacts for Trova. Four years later the dream lives on, and I am renting out the house and, once again, moving all of my belongings into the root cellar.
Trova Imports was started to promote the economies of indigenous communities of Latin America. All of Trova’s products are fairly traded helping to sustain the economies, art, and traditions of the indigenous communities of Latin America.
Welcome to the TrovaBlog. This blog will focus primarily on the economies of indigenous communities in Central America and Mexico starting January 1, 2009. The blog will be maintained by Blake Smith President of Trova Imports Inc. www.trovaimports.com He will be record indigenous economies and communities in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico until March 2009.
Categories: Uncategorized |
Tags: Central America, communities, economies, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Indigenous, Mexico, Nicaragua, Trova, Trova Imports | No Comments
