San Andres Xecul and its Pretty Yellow Church

San Andres Xecul was visited two weeks ago by Maynor Mijangos, author of the beautiful photos from GalasdeGuatemala.com that I have the privilege to share with you, my journey companions; which means that the images we are viewing today are hot off the dark room!

This town houses the famous "yellow church", whose facade depicts one of the most artistic expressions within the syncretism characteristic of the area. It really seems impossible to ask for more color and creativity. The church is just an explosion of color, angels and flowers. The statues are totally unconventional, while some seem to be thinking, others seem to be singing, and some others representing sacred scenarios, steal a smile or two at first sight, for instance, the statue of the Virgin Mary who looks pregnant.

The church's image has traveled around the world delighting art lovers throughout. The colors are not among the common or traditional ones, but rather and without a doubt offer  an explosion of happiness and joy to the spectators.

If you happen to be in the area around  the end of November, don't miss the festivity honoring the Saint Patron Saint Andrew Apostle, when you may enjoy some of the traditional dances and admire the stunning costumes. Let me tell you that the Monkeys' Dance is literally breathtaking.

As a tip, San Andres Xecul is close to Quetzaltenango and from there, a visit can be planned as a half-day tour. It will be a rewarding experience!

When I said at the beginning of this post that using Maynor's photographs is a privilege is not just because of the professionalism of his job, but mainly because of his passion and love for Guatemala, which yesterday was acknowledged by Inguat (the Guatemalan Institute of Tourism), which included a photo gallery in its official Website.