The do get REALLY specific about what type applicant they seek. Here are the requirements:
* Between 18-25 years old (age discrimination lawsuit, anyone?)
* Excellent Presentation (Means well-dressed and ugly girls need not apply)
* Enjoys serving customers (it's more of a threat than a requirement. Clerks are always suspiciously extra-friendly too. Now I know it wasn't because of my good looks and charming personality.)
*Willing to work under pressure (This means all shifts, and sometimes seven days a week. Overtime? What's that?)
* Full Curriculum (not a wimpy one-page resume, you lazy Americans) ;)
* Shift Availability (Anything less than "Anytime you want, Master" disqualifies one)
* THREE recommendation letters from previous jobs!
* Copy of recent Police record
* 2 Passport-sized photos
* 2 Copies of your government Documents
* Tax-ID number (everyone has one... it's like a SSN)
* Copy of Utility bill at current residence
I read the thing three times to make sure a pint of blood or DNA sample was required. Again, this was required for a little rinky-dink store. If it's a government job, then it's a lot easier. You just have to have a family member working there already.
This was an ad in the paper for the latest summerwear for men. Note the quality and well-made design of this years fashionable bulletproof vests and undergarment. All yours, for less than $1,000 bucks!
Any wonder why I choose to stay the heck away from the capital?
I don't know how visible it is in the pic, but this children's playground chose to place at the entrance to their establishment two huge statues of Daffy Duck doing what appears to be... a Nazi salute. Why? Not asking either.
There was a Catholic procession going on. There were hundreds of men of all ages walking around wearing purple, hooded robes. The guy in the far right was one such guy. Captain's Palace is in the background.
Lots of great smelling meats and assorted fried food catering to people coming to town to watch the procession. There will be many more of them, culminating with a MASSIVE one on Easter Weekend.
I gave in and fought the fear of eating street food. These were delicious and came topped with your choice of chocolate/strawberry syrup, and condensed milk. I skipped the strawberry syrup and did the other two. A tad overpriced at 10Q ($1.25), but great.
Typical transportation in town. Almost a tradition. It's just your basic three-wheled bike. I've been in one (5Q = 60 cents a ride). It's like being dragged by a very underpowered motorcycle.
The town is COVERED by the Jacaranda trees, which produce the purple flowers. Everything else around here is decorated by purple sashes or other purple items. Makes for pretty pics.
Landmark restaurant in town. They serve typical Guatemalan food in a fine setting, with wine and other drinks. Very nice. Walls are lined with pics of famous people that have eaten here. Even Ricky Martin somehow made here back when he was... famous.
Some rice, beans, sweet plantains, potatoes, and a juicy cut of skirt steak (stack of tortillas not pictured). This lunch set me back 55Q ($6.25). I feel so ripped off now having paid $5.50 for a Zaxby's Nibbler's meal.
Oddly similar to the lunch... Just replace chorizo and eggs with a cut of steak. Yes, tortillas are included, but not pictured here. McDonalds sells their version of this, with all pictured here, for about 35Q ($4.75). Beats pancakes and waffles any day.
Another staple you can get anywhere from a street food cart, to a fancy restaurant. It's a lemony concotion with shrimp, cilantro, onions, and other stuff. You can add fish or octopus to it, but I stick to the basic shrimp and fish recipe. Eaten with saltine crackers. This also goes excellent with beer. Almost like their version of wings & beer. This spread, with a side of garlic bread (drinks extra) set me back about 70Q ($9.50). Filling and addictive. Good thing Ms. HoneyBadger makes an excellent homemade version for far less.
The city was devastated twice by earthquake. The decision was then made to rebuild the city away from such an earthquake-prone area, about 50 miles away, to it's present day location. Lots of convents and churches were left destroyed, but an effort to restore and preserve the ruins began a few years ago and tours are now available at any of the many ruins. Very peaceful and quiet, they're set up now to be rented for private events (hint, hint).
Still in use today, Mayan women come here with their children to wash clothes. Somewhat irks me to see tourists come up close to them and start snapping pics of them without asking for permission, like the women were zoo animals. Since I'm a photo-sniper and a wuss, I take pics from far away. Don't want a Mayan curse on me or anything.
Unfortunately, my good camera's battery was dead and had to snap less than ideal pics of the procession, as it made it's way around Parque Central. The pics do not do it justice. There's a band that comes around the corner playing religious music using drums and other wind instruments. Everybody hushes and a lot of purple robed men make their way slowly in front of the church, and around the park. The air become THICK with incense. And then... this HUGE lighted, golden "thing" comes around the corner. It is MASSIVE and hand carried by about 30-40 purple robed guys. The solemn music plays, and the "thing" rocks slowly back and forth until it stops in front of the church, which is where we were standing.
There are many processions leading up to Easter Weekend, and this is one of the earlier, smaller ones. The processions start at a particular church and winds it's way around towns. This one started at 11AM. We caught it as it made its way around the park, eventually returning to its point of origin at about 11PM that night. This is why there were so many purple robed men milling about, since they take turns carrying it throughout the day. I believe anyone can sign up for a shift for about 35Q-50Q, plus the cost of the robe. It is amazing to watch, smell, and see. Can't imagine what the really big, fancy ones will be like.
The first part showed Abel (or Cain???) working the land. Jesus is in the middle carrying the cross. Cain is in the back killing Abel. The front and back of the platform have the "Am I my brother's Keeper?" verse inscribed.
This one was inscribed "Queen of the Apostles" and below there were smaller figures of the Apostles. This smaller platform passed after the Cain and Abel one. The amazing thing you can't see in the picture is that this platform was carried by 20 or so girls, ranging between 12-14 years old. There were 4 purple-robed guys (they're called "Cucuruchos" I'm told) helping at each corner, but the girls were clearly struggling to carry this massive thing on their shoulders. Woe be should they drop this platform to the floor.
I can't get enough natural coconut water here. I feel bad paying the guy only 5Q (60 cents) for each coconut. He spends a good 2 minutes chopping at it, to remove the husk. But hey, can't act like Mr. Moneybags or I'll attract undue attention. I'll pay what the free market demands and what I can bear.
One of the well-known hotels/malls down here, and the scene of a wild parking garage shootout between some Narco kingpins staying at the hotel and the Police. The area was cordoned off for hours while Police tried to catch them. I said tried, because the bad guys got away after all. With outside "help", maybe? Unpossible!!!
Well-known landmark in the heart of the capital. Modeled after the Eiffel Tower, built in the US, and assembled here in 1935. You can't climb this one. It is 75 meters in height, compared to the Eiffle Tower's 300+ meters.
This avenue is where the US embassy is located. The coffee shop is across the street from the embassy, which I didn't dare photograph, lest I be picked up by black helicopters for breaking some anti-photography law, accused of casing the joint for an attack, stripped of my citizenship, and sent to an unknown torture black-ops site. So there, be content to look at pics of the local Howard Johnson's hotel instead.
These kids are always around. This one is actually a little big for the job, as they're usually younger and smaller. It was heartbreaking to watch a girl, no more than 5 years old, selling candy on the street. The world is a vampire sometimes I tell you.
These are everywhere, and since many lack basic transportation, it's a wise business decision to offer delivery. I've seen delivery bikes for almost every food-related business, including McDonalds and Burger King. This one is Domino's.
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