I found this striking wall mural while walking around in San Ignacio, Belize. There are a lot of hand painted advertisements on empty walls acting as billboards. Safe sex is a big issue in Belize, as it is thoughout Central America, and this no nonsense mural really drives home the consequences of unprotected sex.
Charlie Gabriel of Preservation Hall Jazz Band counts off “la clave” (meaning “the key,” which is the rhythmic base of Cuban music) during a preshow moment backstage at Teatro Mella.
Photo by Danny Clinch
La Esquina de Jazz, sometimes called Casa de Jazz, is a legendary social club in Havana, Cuba.
Photo by Danny Clinch
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Unlikely Art: Public Service Announcement
I found this striking wall mural while walking around in San Ignacio, Belize. There are a lot of hand painted advertisements on empty walls acting as billboards. Safe sex is a big issue in Belize, as it is thoughout Central America, and this no nonsense mural really drives home the consequences of unprotected sex.
Unlikely Art: Tourist
Do you ever wonder what the locals think about you as you walk around on vacation, trying your best to look inconspicuous and not wanting to stand out. Thinking perhaps that you blend in? I think this graffiti from San Ignacio, Belize about sums up the general opinion of us tourists by locals. I generally think that I am somehow special and not like the “others” toting their Lonely Planets around in plain sight, but, in reality, I’m just as big a sore thumb as anyone else.
San Ignacio—Spanglish in the Jungle
Former high school Spanish students rejoice, there is a place where your butchered Spanish and English can live in harmony: San Ignacio, Belize. Belize, independent from Britain since 1981, has a national language that is English—but tell that to every country around them. In San Ignacio, on the Guatemalan border, locals mix Spanish with English in a way that makes you feel very good at both. Locals appreciate your effort to speak some Spanish, and you fit in better by mixing in some less-than-easy-to-translate English words, win win! We enjoyed 4 days in this backpackers town and were able to explore the surrounding jungle easily during the day. You have two choices for accommodations in the area: family-run (most likely without AC) or Luxury Eco Resorts. Most resorts are in the jungle, and San Ignacio town is mostly backpackers with the exception of the swanky San Ignacio Resort Hotel, which sells day passes for the pool, making this is a great way to escape to luxury and attentive service for an afternoon. Even if you only make it off Ambergris Caye for 2-3 nights in San Ignacio, you will see a completely different Belize. (More... )
