I am sure many Guatemalans have not had atolillo yet! If you have had atolillo before, please come forward. Atolillo is made from baby corn, cinnamon, corn starch, milk and sugar. Atolillo is pure white and sweet. The flavour is sweet and delicate with a little punch due to the cinnamon… you have to try … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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. In Guatemala, it is on May 10th that Mother’s Day is celebrated as “Día de … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
From blue birds, to quetzals to owls; we are on a bird streak. 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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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.
Below you can find a fragment of the text I published last year regarding this celebration:
