POTD: San José Cathedral, or What's Left

From 2018 01 27 Guatemala

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Antigua Guatemala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site "famous for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture as well as a number of ruins of colonial churches." Antigua was our favorite city in Central America during our visit in January.

This photo shows one of the ruined churches, San José Cathedral, destroyed by earthquake in 1773, then its partial restoration damaged again and again by subsequent earthquakes. One side chapel was restored and is still in use for church services. But the people seem resigned to leaving the main part of this church in its ruined state.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Volcán de Agua

From 2018 01 27 Guatemala

Today's photo-of-the-day is from Antigua Guatemala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site "famous for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque-influenced architecture as well as a number of ruins of colonial churches." Antigua was our favorite city in Central America during our visit in January.

In this photo, lost in the haze and clouds behind the archway is Volcán de Agua, one of several active volcanoes near Antigua. The history of Antigua is a history of volcanoes and earthquakes. The recent eruption of Volcán de Fuego, another nearby volcano, which killed about 100 people, is the latest natural disaster in this disaster-prone region.

Bonus photo after the jump.

POTD: Volcán de Fuego

From 2018 01 27 Guatemala

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the base of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala, as it looked in January. During the hour or so it took us to drive past the volcano to Antigua, we saw three or so such small eruptions. Our tour guide, who lives in Antigua, said the volcano was active almost every day. At night, the molten lava might light up the peak. During the day, puffs of smoke and ash like this. But we were told that there were no large eruptions for the last century. I considered it a tourist attraction along the lines of Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park. Well all that changed on June 3, 2018, when the volcano had a major eruption, "unleashing a fast-moving mix of ash, rock and volcanic gases" that left at least 99 dead and 192 still missing. What had been a fascinating tourist attraction for us suddenly became deadly for those who lived in the mountain's shadow.

Molly's Game (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes

Molly's Game (2018): Former Olympic skier turns to running poker games until the stakes get too high and the FBI intervenes. Lots of fast dialog and narration that reduces cinematic quality but highlights the plot. Chastain and Elba top-notch. B+

POTD: Tiempos de Victorias

From 2018 01 26 Nicaragua

Today's photo-of-the-day is from the small town of Telica, Nicaragua, and shows a roadside billboard promoting President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, the Vice-President and First Lady of Nicaragua. The sad news is that since our visit in January, Nicaragua has been "slipping into darkness." Protests calling for democratic reforms have been violently suppressed by the government, leaving at least 127 dead and thousands injured. All of which has caused the slogan on the billboard, "Times of Victories," to sound bitterly false.