Welcome to La Antigua Guatemala’s blogumentary through daily photographs and descriptive narratives of a Spanish Colonial Town embedded between coffee plantations, flower farms and volcanoes.
Sorry MO, you were cheated out of the morning refacción!
For those worry about being served your atol in styrofoam cups and dishes, let tell you not to worry, they still have the ceramic bowls, glasses and cups and plastic dishes. The only reason all the photos in this series were served in styrofoam cups is because I requested them to go. I don’t think they would let me borrow the ceramics bowls to take into my office. Sorry guys for the confusion… worry not you can still chismear (gossip) with the other people at the puesto de atoles.
Today’s entry is atol de habas. Habas are broad beens. Next to the atol de habas, I present dobladas de chicharrón (pork rind maize wraps). Bon Appetite!
One of the benefits of having a Banana Republic (not the clothing store, but the real thing!) is the tremendous amount of recipes available with plantains that became an integral part of the Guatemalan gastronomy. Today’s beverage is atol de platano, made from boiled plantains, sugar and cinnamon.
Does anyone has the actual recipes for all these atoles? Would you mind sharing them with us.
Labor Code Side Note: The Guatemalan labor code allows for two short breaks of about 15 minutes (in addition to the lunch break); one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The breaks are known as refacción, and the act of eating something in this short break is known as refaccionar. Bon appetite my friends!
With the first rains comes the sompopo de mayo (May’s giant flying ant), and the sweet atoles become available at your nearest Guatemalan snack street vendor. The omnipresent atol blanco yields some space for one or two Guatemalan sweet atoles. In the chilly morning with rain curtains, one goes out to get the refacción, or “refa” for short (mid morning Guatemalan snack) and the sweet atoles are now available. This is the menu available at the street vendor half block away from the office: Atol de arroz con leche on Mondays; Atol de arroz con chocolate on Tuesdays; Atol de platano on Wednesday; Atol de habas on Thursday and Atol de platano on Fridays.
Today’s entry is Atol de arroz con chocolate which basically is a thick and hot drink made with rice and chocolate; thus its name. To prepare Atol de arroz con cholate, you boil some water with cinnamon sticks, then add some rice and you wait for the rice to be soft and finally add Guatemalan real chocolate bars, a pinch of salt and maybe some sugar. You can add Mexican chocolate instead, if you can not find real Guatemalan chocolate, but do not use cocoa. What’s the ratio between water and rice, I don’t know, but this is a drink so the ratio has to leave you with thick yet drinkable beverage.
Guatemalan Abbreviations of Names Side Note: One more aspect of the Guatemalan idiosyncrasy is the tendency to abbreviate or simply chop names. That’s how Guatemala City becomes simply Guate or “Uate” if you listen carefully to the chicken bus helper (cholojo is the technical name for the helper); Chichicastenango becomes Chichi (be careful with the pronunciation if you don’t want to be slap on the face); La Antigua Guatemala becomes Antigua; Panajachel becomes Pana, Huehuetenango becomes Huehue; Totonicapan becomes Toto; and so on. Interesting enough, Guatemalans tend to only abbreviate names of towns located on the Western highlands and costal low lands, where most of the indigenous people live. You rarely, if not ever, hear a short name for Zacapa, El Progreso, Puerto Barrios, Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, et-cetera. Why do you think is that so?
Often enough, I come across a door that just makes me stop, open my backpack and pull out the camera to capture its beauty. I have to admit I have failed at capturing the belleza of today’s entry doorway. Sorry!
I started capturing doors and windows from the very beginning of La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo, but it was until MarieMcC, from Doorways Around the World, showed me how attractive, gorgeous, impressive, lovely, charming and exquisite door and doorways can be that I began photographing them around Antigua more consciously. I am glad she opened my doors!
Do you think photographing doors and windows could be considered a fetish?
By the way, today was the first day of the rainy season 2008. With the rain, a different approach is required and photo-ops get to one’s feet.
The Cathedral of La Antigua Guatemala is used often as backdrop for musical recitals and events. Here we can see some workers setting up the stage for a concert.
JennyStar DVD Rentals is the Netflix of La Antigua Guatemala. JennyStar DVD Rentals is what happens when you think through a good business model and apply intelligent solutions to what’s missing in your community. La Antigua Guatemala can be one of the smallest cities in the American Continent with only a geographic grid of 10 blocks by 10 blocks (about 1.5 square miles) and less than 30,000 inhabitants, but it has a home-delivered dvd rental with over 2,314 films, from old classics up to the latest releases, most of which can not be found anywhere else in Guatemala.
JennyStar DVD Rentals has a web site from which you can pick your selection and have it delivered, if you choose so, along with a dvd player, pop corn and candies. From the web site you can also reserve movies for a later pick up. JennyStar DVD Rentals is located on Alameda Santa Lucía norte #12 (7832-0813).
On top all the great features of their DVD rental service, JennyStar DVD Rentals is an NGO (Non Government Organization) which aside from giving employment to Jenny and her staff (Enrique and Helen), donates all profits to support disable and poor children in villages around La Antigua Guatemala. Thus, by renting a DVD, you are yourself donating toward this worthy cause. See this is an example of Sí se puede(Yes we can) at a local level.
Disclaimer Side Note: I am receiving no money or benefits for this review of JennyStar DVD Rentals, but I do hope that once they find out about it, they will give me at least a couple of dvd rentals for free (just kidding!).
Through our mothers’ safety zone we learn to crawl, walk, run, swim and fly! It is only fair that we assign one day out of the year to celebrate their unconditional support and the safety zone they provide for us.
I wish a very happy Mother’s Day to all the mommies out there and a very special Gracias to my own mother for teaching me how to be a fairly decent human being (I think! ) most of the time.
What’s so special about the Esquisuchil trees around La Antigua Guatemala?
For starters, the esquisuchil trees (bourreria huanita) are very old and very few. Quite possibly, the oldest specimen is located in San Miguel Escobar where it was planted by Guatemala’s first bishop Francisco Marroquin in the 16th century. From the esquishuchil tree in San Miguel Escobar, the Santo Hermano Pedro de Betancourt (1626-1667) took pods and planted several trees around La Antigua Guatemala, being the most famous located inside the San Francisco El Grande Church; his burial grounds.
Most, if not all, of the esquisuchil trees around La Antigua Guatemala have plaques to highlight their importance and give out background information. The specimen of esquisuchil tree in the park of San Pedro Las Huertas is not an exception. If you can read Spanish, you can click the thumbnail below to read the plaque.
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day in Guatemala, let’s hope I can get a shot of all the mamas!
This is the technical data sign in front of the Esquisuchil Tree or Tree of Santo Hermano Pedro. Come back tomorrow for a picture of the tree and the historic and background information on this rare specimen.
I caught these would-be High School teachers learning Guatemalan history on Sunday in front of the Church of San Pedro Las Huertas. I learnt that these future teachers were taking tours around the churches of Departamento of Sacatepéquez to learn mass movements in Colonial times as part of their history class. For sure, this history classroom beats my thick-n-boring-n-outdated-book-based High School history classroom.
According to Damara, in Guatemala, owls or tecolotes represent luck, prosperity and abundance, especially with money and that is why ceramic artisans use owls as piggy banks. If you get an owl bank, you will have prosperity with income and savings. Boy oh boy, if I was the president of Guatemala, I would make all the alfareros (ceramic artisans) produce nothing but owl banks… perhaps then, the luck of this tiny banana republic would change for good.
With today’s photo I have published four (4) photographs with owls in La Antigua Guatemala Daily Photo. To the fist person that can find all four and list their published dates and titles, I will send s/he these four post cards of owls so her luck can change as well. I wish owl luck to all of you in your search.
Let the game begin!
Black Bird Side Note: On a totally different note or tune, can you tell me what was the meaning of the Beatle’s song Black Bird. Hint, it was written by John Lennon Paul McCartney.
The typical Guatemalan camioneta (public transit bus or chicken bus for those who like the colourful derogatory term) is based on an old looking Blue Bird school bus. How the Blue Bird insignia became a Green Quetzal beats me. But I guess this sort of transfiguration is what makes the Guatemalan idiosyncrasy; don’t you think so?
In Guatemala and many countries in Latin America today, May 3rd, is celebrated the Day of the Holy Cross and also the Day of the Construction Worker. The Day of the Holy Cross is known in Guatemala as Día de la Santa Cruz and you can see many Albañiles (construction workers) placing an adorned cross at their current construction site.
The legend has it that when they were unburying Jerusalem, they found three crosses, one of them larger than the other two. When some of the diggers touch the larger cross, their ailments healed and the cross were thought to be miraculous. The priests on site called a funeral passing by and the dead man’s hand was made to touch the cross and he resurrected and walked away. The cross was taken immediately to Rome, the Vatican to be precise, and a chapel was built for it. This chapel was built in record time and for this reason and for the fact that the man who resurrected was a construction worker who had died while at work a few days earlier, this date became the day of the construction worker. All of this as seen on tv, a few details more or less.
I leave you one of my favorite poems about the construction worker written and performed by no other than Chico Buarque himself. I was not able to find the lyrics for Construção (Albañil/Construction Worker). Perhaps, you can help with the translation, what do you say?
Video clip Construção performed by Chico Buarque
Construção performed by Chico Buarque
Lyrics Update: Thanks to Andi for providing the links to the lyrics of Construção.
Construction
He loved that time as if for the last time
He kissed his wife as if she was the last one
And every son as they were the only one
And he crossed the street with a timid step.
He climbed the construction like a machine
He built on the balcony four solid walls
Brick by brick in a magic design,
his eyes flooded with cement and
tears.
He sat to rest as on a Saturday
He ate rice like he was a prince
Drank and wept like he was
shipwrecked
Danced and laughed as if there was
music
And stumbled in the sky with his drunken pace;
he floated in the air like he was a bird
And ended on the floor as a flaccid lump
agonizing in the middle of the public street
And died on the highway disturbing the
traffic
He loved that time as if he were the last one
He kissed his like she was unique
And every son like he was prodigal
And crossed the street with his drunken step
He climbed the construction like it was solid
He built on the balcony four magic walls
Brick by brick with a logical design
his eyes flooded with cement and traffic
He sat to rest like he was a
prince
He ate his poor rice like it was top food
Drank and wept like a machine
Danced and laughed like he was the
next one
And stumbled in the sky like there was music
He floated in the air like it was Saturday
And ended on the floor like a timid lump
Agonizing in the middle of the shipwrecked street
He died on the highway disturbing the
Public
He loved that time like he was a machine
He kissed his wife like it was logical
He built on the balcony four flaccid walls
He sat to rest like he was a
Bird
And floated in the air like he was a prince
And ended on the floor like a drunken lump
He died on the highway disturbing the
Saturday
(Source: The Infinite Voyage)
Construcción
Amó aquella vez como si fuese última
Besó a su mujer como si fuese última
Y a cada hijo suyo cual si fuese el único
Y atravesó la calle con su paso tímido
Subió a la construcción como si fuese máquina
Alzó en el balcón cuatro paredes sólidas
Ladrillo con ladrillo en un diseño mágico
Sus ojos embotados de cemento y lágrimas
Sentóse a descansar como si fuese sábado
Comió su pan con queso cual si fuese un príncipe
Bebió y sollozó como si fuese un náufrago
Danzó y se rió como si oyese música
Y tropezó en el cielo con su paso alcohólico
Y flotó por el aire cual si fuese un pájaro
Y terminó en el suelo como un bulto fláccido
Y agonizó en el medio del paseo público
Murió a contramano entorpeciendo el tránsito
Amó aquella vez como si fuese el último
Besó a su mujer como si fuese única
Y a cada hijo suyo cual si fuese el pródigo
Y atravesó la calle con su paso alcohólico
Subió a la construcción como si fuese sólida
Alzó en el balcón cuatro paredes mágicas
Ladrillo con ladrillo en un diseño lógico
Sus ojos embotados de cemento y tránsito
Sentóse a descansar como si fuese un príncipe
Comió su pan con queso cual si fuese el máximo
Bebió y sollozó como si fuese máquina
Danzó y se rió como si fuese el próximo
Y tropezó en el cielo cual si oyese música
Y flotó por el aire cual si fuese sábado
Y terminó en el suelo como un bulto tímido
Agonizó en el medio del paseo náufrago
Murió a contramano entorpeciendo el público
Amó aquella vez como si fuese máquina
Besó a su mujer como si fuese lógico
Alzó en el balcón cuatro paredes flácidas
Sentóse a descansar como si fuese un pájaro
Y flotó en el aire cual si fuese un príncipe
Y terminó en el suelo como un bulto alcohólico
Murió a contromano entorpeciendo el sábado
(Source: Vagalume)
Last but not least, for those lucky enough to read Spanish, I leave you with a link to the history and background information about Los orígenes históricos de la fiesta de la Cruz de Mayo by the Guatemalan chronicler Celso Lara published by the Guatemalan newspaper La Hora.
In the photo above you can observe several percussion traditional Guatemalan musical instruments like chinchines (the black rattles made from gourds, seeds and other objects), tortuga (turtle shell), shellfish shell, drum, sonajas (rattles) and the omnipresent marimba (which you saw yesterday).
Guatemala has a rich assortment of traditional musical instruments which are used in the paying and creation of traditional Maya music like the La Suite Maya Kekchi “El Paabanc” (Mayan Kekchi Suite “El Paabanc”). The word Maya Q’eqchi’ (Kekchi) “Paabanc” means to reaffirm my beliefs (reafirmar mis creencias) according to webpage El Paabanc de Cobán {ñ}. If you can read Spanish, I recommend that visit the web page El Paabanc de Cobán {ñ} to understand all the rituals and mysticism behind one of Guatemala’s most famous Mayan musical suites.
Below, I am going to share two samples of La Suite Maya Kekchi “El Paabanc”
played by the Marimba Nacional De Concierto (Concert National Marimba Orchestra). Even though I have said in the past I wish I like marimba music, I can tell you, with out guilt or shame, that I make an exception for the La Suite Maya Kekchi “El Paabanc” played by the Marimba Nacional De Concierto. If you come to Guatemala, please make an effort to purchase this compact disc; you won’t regret it.
Baile De La Catarina from La Suite Maya Kekchi “El Paabanc”
played by Marimba Nacional De Concierto
Xojol Quej O Danza De Los Venados from La Suite Maya Kekchi “El Paabanc” played by Marimba Nacional De Concierto
Of course, you can browse the Music category for more samples of marimba music and background information regarding this percussion instrument.
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