Category Archives: Cemeteries

Guatemalan Cemeteries part III – Care and Color

There are two characteristics that I found most notable in the cemeteries in Guatemala. The most immediately obvious is the extensive use of color. There is nothing sedate or boring about a Guatemalan cemetery.

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More Cemeteries in Guatemala

I have always had a bit of a fascination for cemeteries because they hold intriguing clues to the culture and history of an area. And perhaps I just enjoy walking with ghosts.

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Whispers From the Che Mausoleum, Santa Clara, Cuba

Before visitors are allowed into this tomb they must hand over practically all of their belongings to a bag check guard. I was permitted to keep my notebook and pen and jacket. Somewhere on the internet perhaps there are official … Continue reading

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When is a cemetery a National Monument?

In the US, the president is allowed to establish National Monuments which provide a protected status for “historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest”. In Post-revolutionary Cuba, historical importance is instantly given to … Continue reading

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Palenque Pueblo and the anonymous cementerio

The buses which leave the Chiapas town of Palenque, heading east, are each and every one scheduled to run overnight. This meant that I had one extra day to fill before my 10 pm departure for Tulum and the Riviera … Continue reading

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Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón, Havana

Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón Vedado District, Havana Established in 1876. The cemetery is criss-crossed by a neat grid of streets. In the center is the chapel, Capilla Central Avenida Cristóbal Colón bisects the plot into east and west halves. Toward … Continue reading

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Latin American Cemeteries

[header: Chichicastenango, Guatemala] One of my favorite sights to try to locate in any new place is the local cemetery. They are so often a sort of barometer of the locale, like another kind of ‘house-pride’ that suggests the warmth … Continue reading

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Cemeteries in Guatemala

I’ve always had a bit of a fascination for cemeteries because they hold intriguing clues to the culture and history of an area. And perhaps I just enjoy walking with ghosts. Los cementerios guatemaltecos promised to be of particular interest … Continue reading

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Ixil Region – Acul, Xexuxcap, Xexocom

The morning in Nebaj, Guatemala, started with light rain. A friend had organized a couple of young boys to guide me on my planned walk, but truly I just wanted this day to be a solitary one – one when … Continue reading

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Chajul – Children, Cemetery and Comedor Cristina

Often the village cemetery is up on one of the hills above the town. In Chajul, my random exploration of the hillside streets to the north of town neither led to the cemetery, nor revealed a view of it. My … Continue reading

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Uspantán

It is mid-afternoon. The whole day til now has been spent traveling and it is time to wander around this quite isolated village of 3500 where the only languages are Spanish and Q’eqchi Maya. My two goals are to get … Continue reading

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