Relief Map

In 1905 Francisco Vela, an engineer, supervised the building of a curious nation-building tool: a map of Guatemala’s geographical topography. It sits today, a century later, at the end of what was once a boulevard with much pretension for grandeur—lined with imposing trees four lanes wide. The map is cordoned off from the rotunda—that now serves as an eerily quiet bus parking—by metal fences and shrubbery.

Flowers in bloom in bright oranges, purples, reds, and yellows transition from the shrubs to the beige-green painted cement map. Birds bathe themselves in the oceans depicted at the edges of the nation and two imposing turn of the century towers stand at either end as viewing points. The marble floors of the stands and the ornate cement work are now worn by dust and constant mopping.

A handful of Guatemalans pay the 3Q (40 U.S. cents) to enter this space. Some for quiet reflection but most to find a private place to make out. Loud foreign baby toddler with a penchant for bare legs and with no inhibition disrupts the activities of some couples.

Click on the image for the full-size shot. Thanks to Google image search and Geoff Schultz at www.geoffschultz.org who (unbeknownst to Geoff) has made up for the fact that we forgot to bring our camera. Thanks, Geoff!