Guacamaya

You've got to love the looks of these colorful creatures!

The most conspicuous characters of the Scarlet Macaw and other macaws of the genusAra are their large body size, moderate to large and curve bill, long and graduated tail feathers, sexes with the same colormorphic plumage, exposed epidermis in the facial area and loud and croaky calls (Forshaw 1989, Abranson et al 1995).

There is only one species of macaw almost similar in plumage coloration to those of the Scarlet Macaw, that is the Red-and-green Macaw (Ara chloropterus) which is also larger than scarlets. Red-and-green Macaw has darker red and green median wingcoverts, inner secondaries, tertials and scapulars. Scarlet Macaw has yellow rather than green upper wing coverts and almost white bare patches on the lores where as Red-and-green Macaws have red contour feathered lines along the lores. Both Scarlet and Red-and-green Macaws have same color pattern of light ivory color in the upper mandible and dark gray to black in the lower mandible. However, Red-and-green Macaw have a larger and massive bill than Scarlet Macaw.

Scarlet Macaws has a deep and loud harsh calls, rrrraaah that can carry couple of kilometers, quieter at rest or feeding with soft raah calls. It can call a series of 3 to 9 continuous rrrraaah for few seconds with brief pauses in between each call. When perching or flying in pairs or large flocks (20 or more birds) their calls could be very loud. When feeding they have a soft continuous series of soft raah calls. [source: http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu]

Thank you very much Alejandra! / Muchas gracias Alejandra!

La Antigua - Guatemala

In all the long, earnest discussions about where to get off the beaten track in Guatemala, you can be sure the name Antigua won't come up. This is fantasyland – what the country would look like if the Scandinavians came in and took over for a couple of years. It’s a place where power lines run underground, building codes are adhered to, rubbish is collected, traffic diverted and stray dogs ‘disappear’ mysteriously in the middle of the night.

But you’d be a fool to miss it. Antigua’s setting is gorgeous, nestled between three volcanoes: Agua (3766m), Fuego (3763m) and Acatenango (3976m), and its streetscapes – with sprays of bougainvillea bursting from crumbling ruins, and pastel facades under terracotta roofs – offer photo opportunities at every turn. The language school scene is thriving, the hostels offer colonial-chic accommodations and the dining is some of the best in the country.

The most exciting time to visit Antigua is during Holy Week – especially Good Friday. It takes planning (reserve hotels at least four months in advance), as this is the busiest week of the year. Other busy times are June through August and November to April.

Antigua is cold after sunset, especially between September and March, so bring warm clothes, a sleeping bag or a blanket. Antigua residents are known by the nickname panza verde (green belly), as they are said to eat lots of avocados, which grow abundantly here. [source: lonelyplanet]

Thank you very much my friend Alejandra!/Muchas gracias mi amiga Alejandra!

Guatemala

Guatemala is a magical place. If you’re into the Maya, the mountains, the markets or a million other things, you’re bound to be captivated. People come and they stay. Or they leave and return. There's almost too much going on here, and even the shortest trip takes you completely different places, with new challenges and surprises. Students of Spanish flock to Antigua, a gorgeous town nestled between three volcanoes, while those travelers seeking more off-the-beaten-track destinations might head to lesser known places like Lago de Izabal or Nebaj, a Maya village hidden in a remote fold of the Cuchumatanes mountains. And sooner or later, just about everyone ends up in the Highlands – Lago de Atitlán being an irresistable drawcard...

Guatemala's Maya heritage is everywhere. El Petén's remote archaeological sites are unmissable; the fascinating town of Chichicastenango adheres to pre-Hispanic beliefs and rituals even now. Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, on the other hand, provides a glimpse into the mysterious Pipil culture, with some interesting carved stone heads and relief scenes to be found in fields and fincas (plantations) around town.

Sure, Guatemala’s got its problems (most visible in its sprawling capital, Guatemala City), but it isn’t the scary place your mother fears it is. Travel here, once dangerous and uncomfortable, is now characterized by ease – you can do pretty much whatever you want, and will only be limited by your imagination. [source: lonelyplanet]

Thank you very much my friend Alejandra!