Monday, April 7, 2008

What I love about Guatemala

1) 25 cent fresh baked bread from Xelapan
2) My adorable little Parvulos (Pre-K) class---even when they're freaking out about spiders and swiping each other's chairs, they´re just so cute!
3) My baby sister in her new miniature huipil (traditional Mayan dress)
4) Cobblestone streets
5) "I love you!" calls from random guys
6) 45 cents a pound raspberries

Showerless in Guatemala

If you have a traditional Mayan family in Guatemala, don´t expect to shower when you´re sick. Or at night. Or very often at all.

I´m actually very okay with this. I never really liked to shower all that much, and I like it even less when the water is splashing all over the bathroom and the water is heated with an electric coil above my head. So now I shower about twice a week, and call it getting used to Guatemalan culture.

I have learned the strangest things in Guatemala. Like how drug dealers are now putting LSD in temporary tattoos, and flea powder can be used not just on your dog, but also on yourself. Also, bug spray helps keep the fleas at bay. Tiny things that the guidebook never tells you.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Vegan Foods I Can´t Live Without

This is a very varied list. I guess I really have to thank my parents for introducing me to a wide range of flavors and cooking styles!

Chocolate Peppermint Soymilk from Vitasoy
Falafel
Curly Fries
Mezon Escondido´s Guacamole Tofu Sandwich
Taco Bell´s Bean Burritos
Breadsticks with Marinara Sauce
Bean Curd Family Style from Great Wall
Guacamole
Tofu Vegetable Stir-fry

The Grand Guatemala Guacamole Hunt

My grand goal for the next two months of travel is to find the best guacamole in all of Guatemala. I have scoured the country over for the creamiest, the spiciest, and the most lime-filled guacamole that can be found. I have willingly downed guacamole drenched tortillas at nine AM in this noble quest.

So far, the highest ranking guacamole comes creamy cold with limey tomato chunks. Too often, guacamole is treated as just smushed up avocadoes, with maybe a squirt of lemon or lime. This, my friends, is not right. The perfect guacamole is salty and spicy, sitting regally on a enormous tofu sandwich. It is draped with stir-fried onions and garlic, and a few slices of tomato round out the dish. A side of spicy tortilla chips and a tall glass of icy cold lemonade make this the ideal Guatemalan meal.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Eating Good in Guatemala

I'm going on Month Four in Guatemala, and have now become accustomed to beans for breakfast with a spicy salsa. Tamales are a filling and tasty complement, or a few corn tortillas. I was initially quite scared of the blue corn tortillas (my fridge at home has some like that, but they've been there a while), but now I devour them gleefully.

Guatemala is a veritable Vegetarian's Paradise. The beans are warm and plentiful, and the meat substitutes are very realistic. I had to have three of my omnivore friends try my Orale vegetarian tacos in Panajachel before I would taste them, because it looked so beef-like.