As people around the world get ready to say goodbye to 2012 and welcome 2013, the count down is on for New Year's Eve celebrations. We will be celebrating New Year's Eve in Antigua, Guatemala. Guatemalans love to celebrate New Year's Eve. This year there was much discussion centered around the end of the Mayan calendar on 21/12/2012. Some fanatics suggested this signaled the end of the world. Even though serious Mayan scholars dismissed these claims the discussion continued. The good news is that the Mayans used the month of December to hold celebrations honoring Mayan traditions and beliefs. 21/12/2012 was celebrated instead, as the beginning of a new era, with sunrise on December 21st.
New Year's Day is one the major Guatemalan National Holidays and Events. While Guatemalans spend Christmas Eve with family New Year's Eve is usually celebrated elsewhere. Popular places include the beach, Tikal and Antigua. In Antigua people like to gather in Calle del Arco and around Plaza Central to ring in the new year. The signs that switch from 2012 to 2013, at mid-night on December 31, 2012, has been up for awhile.
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| Franciacorta Sparkling Wines, Italy © Spaswinefood |
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| Calle del Arco, Antigua © Spaswinefood |
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| Signs on Plaza Central, Antigua © Spaswinefood |
Last New Year's Eve in Calle del Arco I took these photos:
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Calle del Arco, Antigua © Spaswinefood
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Calle del Arco, Antigua © Spaswinefood
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Calle del Arco, Antigua © Spaswinefood
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Calle del Arco, Antigua © Spaswinefood
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I also captured this photo of Plaza Central:
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Plaza Central Antigua © Spaswinefood
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New Year's Eve is not the only time for celebration in Guatemala. In fact there are over 370 fiestas celebrated throughout the year. With such love for celebrations however, it is not surprising that New Year's Eve celebrations tops the list. Guatemalan celebrations always centers around food and fireworks. In the case of New Year's Eve there is always lots of fireworks.
In my case the arrival of a New Year centers around wine and food. An earlier Spaswinefood article included wine list of some desirable wines for welcoming the New Year 2013. We dropped by Tabaco y Vinos, Almacen Troccoli and other local wine stores to see what we could find. If you are looking for something specific then you just may have to visit all the stores in town. If you are looking for something very specific then you will most likely be out of luck.
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Almacen Troccoli © Spaswinefood
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Almacen Troccoli © Spaswinefood
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Whatever your New Year's Eve plans include the old year is winding down. Maybe, you will celebrate the arrival of the 2013 with a Sparkling wine, such as a Franciacorta or Cava, or a Champagne.
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| Sparkling Wines at Bagrationi Winery, Georgia © Spaswinefood |
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Franciacorta Prima Cuvée Monte Rossa, Italy © Spaswinefood
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As you get ready to toast the arrival of a new year, now is the time to start thinking of New Year’s resolutions. If these resolutions include more travel then of course do not forget to visit me at Spaswinefood, as I travel Las Américas and beyond in search of the best in spas-wine-food.
Sharon
December 2012
Antigua, Guatemala
© Spaswinefood
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