| . |
Photo Samples, North / Central America
Mexico, Guatemala,
Belize, Honduras, El Salvador,
Alaska, New York & western Canada
Compared to South America, Central America is
slightly less varied, in particular with regards to the climate, however,
there is lots to be seen and lots of people to enjoy. Central America is
incredibly photogenic and if you have the faintest crush for rain forests or
beaches, Central America is the place to be.
To most foreigners, Guatemala
and Yucatán are the historic gems, whereas Honduras is less known, and
Belize is mostly known for its impressive reef. El Salvador is not known at
all. Decades of civil war has depleted the country for tourists, however,
for the few who make it, it's a fantastic country with very few "real
attractions" but millions of friendly
people.
North America is quite different with it's
vast areas of unspoilt nature, not to be found anywhere on earth. With less than 7 people
per square kilometer, space is not a problem, and wildlife surprisingly abundant
- and so are the big fish. As usual, all photos are © Claus Qvist Jessen, and none
of them are to be used without my permission.
|
|
|
|
| The world
famous "Chacmool" (Chacmul) statue of Chichén Itzá, Yucatán, Mexico. Very hard to
photograph if a group of stupid tourists has just arrived as they insist on being
photographed while sitting ON the statue. For that reason, Chacmool has been
fenced off, and you can't even get close to it anymore. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
|
|
The
central Maya temple of Palenque, Mexico. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Climbing up to one of the surrounding churches; San Cristobal de las Casas, Ciapas, Mexico. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Market day; San Cristobal de las Casas, Ciapas, Mexico. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
|
|
| A hammock
salesman and a sweetcorn trolley, San Cristobal de las Casas, Ciapas, Mexico. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Cemetary at San Juan de Chamula; a small town a few kilometers from San Cristobal de las Casas, Ciapas
(Mexico) and very famous for its strange religious cereonies. The photo
is from 1993; these days, the place is much mor touristic. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The happy Mexican border officials at the Rio Naranjo border in between
Mexico and Guatemala. They found it quite hard to leave their fishing to give
the tourist a stamp in the passport.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The tiny island of Tobacco Key, southern Belize. The island is living 100 %
from tourism, and the various lodge and hut owners proudly hate all the
other ones. A strange place indeed. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
Sunrise
after a night of heavy rain; Placencia, southern Belize.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
The
fantastic Lago Atitlan in the central highlands of Guatemala.
© Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
  |
|
|
Early morning market; Chichicastenango, Guatemala. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
|
|
| The fantastic
Temples 1 and 2 in the El Petén Jungle of north-east Guatemala. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
view from the 65 meter tall
Temple 4, the most impressive of all temples in Tikal; north-east Guatemala. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
"Cheers!". Happy, local transport; Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Steep street of the tiny village of Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Selling flowers in front of the cathedral of Copan de las Ruinas,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
"Lance Armstrong go home!". Cheeky youngster in Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The ball-court, the seond-largest in the Maya world, in the famous ruins
of Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Overlooking the
ball-court of Copán, this stone parrot is more than 500 years old;
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Angry man at one of the more distant temples; Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The famous Stelae D; Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Feeding the birds allows the photographer to get a little closer to the
rare macaws. This red macaw happens to be the national bird of Honduras;
Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The sky and elusive aguti; Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
A replica of the Rose Temple, found underneath another, younger temple
of Copán. The replica is found at the Museum of Archeology; Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Fantastic rock carvings; Museo de Archeología, Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Details from one of the original stelae;
Museo de Archeología, Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Obviously, the Maya had invented the glasses. Thi gentleman is the last
of 16 great emperors of the past and presumably quite nearsighted; Museo
de Archeología, Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Repairing the shoes;
Santa Rosa de Copán,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Old street of the pleasant mountain town of
Gracias,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Old American school buses get a second life in Central America, here at
the bus station of
Gracias,
Honduras. Most of these buses are more than 20 years old but still alive
and kicking. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Fixing the pavement;
Gracias,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
After the market: Going home to the village implies a ride in a pickup
truck;
Gracias,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Local gaucho;
Gracias,
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The market of
Gracias is incredibly colourful and very little touristed;
Honduras. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
  |
|
| The tiny
town of La
Palma, northern El
Salvador, is rightly famous
for its colourful paintings. Everything in the town is painted in bright,
naïve colours - even the light poles! You become happy, just by walking
the streets. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Naïve
style wall painting; La
Palma, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Making
naïve style souvenirs has become a kind of national sport in La
Palma, El
Salvador. The stuff is very
decorative indeed and more than 50% of the population seems to make a
living from painting. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Elderly
gentleman; La
Palma, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Fixing
the hot-dogs; La
Palma, El
Salvador. Note the elaborate
wall paiting in the background. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| In early
October, 2009, a giant rainfall in Central El Salvador caused extreme
river leves and mud-slides. Hundreds were killed and several thousands
became homeless. Within hours, even this tiny river rose more than five
meters(!) and managed to carry along all sorts of debris, including the
giant tree trunk, now wedged in between the river bank and the bridge; El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
magnificent volcanic Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvadors contribution to
the world-wide competetion "New Seven Wonders". © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Stilt
bridge made at a time when the water level was a few meters higher; Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Almost
sunset. The volcanic crater lake, Lago de Coatepeque, in the late
afternoon. A great view if accompanied by a cool beer; central El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Colourful bus at the lakeside; Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Catholic
church; Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Take-away groceries on a truck; Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| On of
the major crops of Central America is coffee, here from a plantation at
the banks of Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Cooking
the corn; Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Corn (maiz)
is mainly used for making tortillas, the not-so-tasty flat bread making
up the stable food for many Salvadorians; Lago de
Coatepeque, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The western part of El Salvador (close to Guatemala) is highly volcanic
and close to
Ahuachapán, it's possible to enjoy stem coming out of the ground. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
No guns allowed! After decades of civil war, the wamount of illegal guns
in El
Salvador is staggering; here at the Parque Central of
Ahuachapán. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Street vendor;
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Playing bingo;
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
The market of
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador, is incredibly
colourful - and friendly and with no tourists at all. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Market stall;
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
  |
|
|
Fruit vendors;
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Cabbage and vegetable vendor and family;
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Same guy, still smiling!
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Here
comes the egg man!
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Happy ice cream eater from the market of
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Happy cooking; local restaurant at the market of
Ahuachapán, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
cathedral of Juayua,
one of the most picturesque towns on the beautiful "Ruta de las Flores",
western El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Glass
painting from inside the cathedral of Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores; El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Like La
Palma, Juayua is a town of lots of colours. This wall painting is from
the central suare; El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| A new
painting is being born; Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Colourful car wash; Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Even the
tourist souvenirs are incredibly colourful at Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Happily
painted steel jars from Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| An odd
sight - Indian tuktuks are being imported to Central America and used
for local transport on the countryside, in particular in the towns along
the Ruta de las Flores; here from Juayua, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Local
workers from Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| A
friendly garbage man in the streets of the colourful town of Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Spare
ribs being fried at the weekly Saturday Food fair in Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
  |
|
| Happy
people from the weekly Saturday Food fair in Juayua,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Beautiful street in the equally colourful town of Ataco,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
  |
|
| Chicken
and turkey; Ataco,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Getting
water at the well; Ataco,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Coffee
plantation; Ataco,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Happy
boy with a happy dog; Ataco,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Even
small kids get rocks inside their shoes; Ataco,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Coffee
fields on an extinct volcano close to Apaneca,
Ruta de las Flores, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| All over
the Ruta de las Flores, the people are exceptionally friendly, here from
the hamlet of Apaneca,
El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
Pacific beach of Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Same
beach at sunrise; Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The "town"
of Barra de
Santiago is hardly a town at all; more likely it's a bunch of tropically
situated houses amongst lots and lots of greenery. Another one of El
Salvadors great and unspoilt
spots. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
river mouth at low tide; Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
mangrove swamps; Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Local
fisherman and mangrove guide, Julio, with a casting net; Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Here it
goes; Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Hand-line fishing from the beach; Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| All over
the world, the sea turtles are seriously endangered and hatcheries are
made to ensure a higher survival rate amongst the hatchlings. These tiny
ones are from Barra de
Santiago, El
Salvador, and next night they will be released into the mighty Pacific. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
  |
|
| Beach
huts at Los
Cobanos, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
fishermans village of Los
Cobanos, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Fishing
boat; Los
Cobanos, El
Salvador. This is the only
place on the Salvadorian coast where there is some kind of reef, and the
fishing is not bad at all. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Master
fisherman Oscar going trolling with the Danish tourist - me; Los
Cobanos, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Part of
the catch: A small yellowfin tuna and a Spanish mackerel, both around 10
pound each; Los
Cobanos, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
small highland village of Perquin, once the stronghold of the left-wing
resistance movement of FMLN during the civil war 80'ies and 90'ies in El
Salvador. Sadly, also the
site of many autrocities carried out by the infamous death squads. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| These
days, Perquin, is just another colourful highland town of north-eastern El
Salvador; here from the
parque central. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Even the
shops are colourful; Perquin, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The pace
of Perquin is definitely slow and everyone has the time for a chat,
including this gentlewoman in her shop; El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Small
food stall in front of the almost just as small war museum of Perquin, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Wind
chimes made of used shells from the civil war; Perquin, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Lethal
weapons, 1, 2 and 3; Perquin, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| In peace
time, coffee is the main crop of the highlands; Perquin, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Mmmmmmmmmm! Freshly roasted coffee cooling down. Perquin, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| The
forest cemetary of Perquin, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| A sad
reminder of the massacre carried out by government (= fascist) forces at
Dec.11th 1982 at El Mozote, just a few kms from Perquin, El
Salvador. About 1,000 people
got brutally slain, including more than 100 children. Now, on this wall,
are written the names of all the child victims, some of whom were less
then one year old. Happily, the commanding officer of the operation,
Domingo Monterrosa, got assasinated the year after. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Born
after the civil war and hardly aware of her tumultous past, this girl is
not used to foreigners. El Mozote, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| An
unlikely alliance against the USA-backed government in the 80'ies: The
late Che Guevara (died 1967) and the Catholic bishop Oscar Romero;
Arambala, El
Salvador. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Happy Danish angler with a perfect catch: A big coho salmon, cught on a
light fly rod in Buskin River, Kodiak Island, Alaska. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
|
|
| The bison is
not a native of Alaska, but have been introduced with great success. © Claus Qvist
Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Salmon
fishing is a way of life in North America, here shown by a Danish angler doing his sport in the
Quinsam River, Vancouver Island, Canada. Two minutes after shooting this
photo, I lost a huge king salmon, striking just 2-3 meters away from the
fellow angler above - and running 100 meters downstream in five seconds.
I lost it. © Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
|
|
The head of a
small snake; Vancouver island, Canada.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
|
Late afternoon view from the Empire State Building;
New York, USA.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
 |
|
| Two
New York landmarks: The fire escapes and the Flat-Iron Building, bilt in
the 1920'ies and once
the tallest building on Earth.
© Claus Qvist Jessen |
|
|
|