Tomorrow is the "Dia de los muertos" in all Latinamerica and I will be posting a video about the traditions and food on the (almost) biggest celebration in Guatemala!
Fiambre, Barriletes and more!
We are celebrating here at Latin Zest since ww.GuatemalaZest.weebly.com has reached 135 visits last week alone... thanks for following!!! :) Tomorrow is the "Dia de los muertos" in all Latinamerica and I will be posting a video about the traditions and food on the (almost) biggest celebration in Guatemala! Fiambre, Barriletes and more!
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Estelas Mayas en Tikal, Guatemala When you think of Mayan legacy you normally imagine ruins sticking out in the jungle... but the true Mayan legacy is engraved in this big rocks called Estelas. The Estelas have a graphic writing called hieroglyphs and would tell the story of a King or what happened in the city. This one dates from 250 – 900 d.C. witch corresponds to Roman Britain here. (Tikal, Guatemala) The best ice breaker in England is weather, but if you travel to Guatemala, the best conversation is food! Why? because we love food and show love trough food. Everybody is invited, we love big gatherings and if anybody shows unexpectedly (yes.. that is ok) my grandma used to say: "More water for the soup!". Guatemalan cuisine is not very famous but it is very healthy, full of spices and herbs. Our markets are always in season, full of color and flavor... great for vegetarian and gluten free travelers!!! There are 115,500 latinamericans in UK and we have a Facebook group only for Guatemalans, so at the beginning of the month I did a poll to ask them what is the food that they miss the most. Here are the results: 1. Fried plantains: Full of potassium, they are big bananas that you have to cook before you eat. I found them in Eastern Spice in Weston Super Mare and you can buy them in African shops all around England. Plantains can be boiled or fried and sprinkled with sugar. A famous desert is called "Rellenitos" witch I will be demonstrating soon. 2. Tamales: It is a soft and moist corn dough with meat (chicken of pork), olives and prunes with mild spices wrapped in Plantain leaves. They are hand made traditionally for Christmas and special occasions. I love them! 3. Black beans: Our beloved "frijolitos" are a staple food in our diet. They are high in protein and low in fat. Thank you to all the residents of Weston Super Mare that came to my taster session. I had a mighty 8/10! I buy Black Turtle Beans for £0.99/lb in Waittrose and I will be showing you how to cook them with onion and garlic... delicious! 4. Pepian: This is a very traditional dish. Pepian is a special sauce called "recado" with chicken served with rice. Recado is a rich, blended sauce composed of various roasted ingredients and loved by all in Guatemala. 5. Corn tortillas: Are you gluten free? look no further. The Mayans believed we came from corn and its no surprise how many wonderful properties it has. Corn is very high in Vitamine A, betacarotens, Lutein and zearzanthin. We love corn tortillas and they are delicious with a bit of salted butter or with cheese for "Quesadillas". I moved to Weston Super Mare this year and someone asked me in the street: So where are you from? Watermelon?... and I said: "no, no... I am from Gua-te-ma-la". ;) But where is Guatemala? is it Sudamerica? We call Central America to 6 countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa rica and Panama. The rest is South america. My country Guatemala is 5,300 miles away and its 84% the size of England. Unbelievable? I guess... We might be tinny in comparison to our neighbor Mexico, but we are big in culture and nature!!! Guatemala has 23 Mayan languages besides Spanish and if you wonder if they were abducted by the aliens... think again! When you travel outside the city you can see all the descendants of the great Mayan civilization. Lake Atitlan is surrounded by 12 towns all with different color outfits that identify them individually. The colors are amazing! 1. Learn Spanish: Lets face it, showing a interest in other languages opens a world of opportunities. So learn some key word today. Check out my Spanish Basics blog! 2. Make an effort to make friends: I think there are no strangers, just people we don't know. Smiling & talking to the people in the street gets you a long way! 2. Walk with confidence: As if you know exactly where you are going. Burglars will try to get an easy prey, someone that is distracted or looks lost. 3. Try to avoid the wrong kind of attention: Leave your jewelry at home and avoid flashy clothes. Tight clothes are also a no no. 4. Watch what the locals are wearing and buy a similar top. You'll get a better response from people and maybe even a good bargain in the market! 5. Be safe at night: If you do go out, don't get too drunk and watch your drink always. Beer is better because they can open it in front of you. Get a flash light and don't walk alone at night. Make a group that are staying at your same hotel. 6. Leave all your valuables in a safe your hotel: Passport, traveler checks and keep a scanned. Keep a copy of your passport in your inbox just in case. 7. Go to a local supermarket like Paiz, get a bright yellow plastic bag and carry it with you. This will help you blend in. 8. Thieves and pickpockets come in many shapes and sizes, so be aware: Once I had a woman with a baby in her arms asking for change and underneath she was going for my waist bag witch had my money. I couldn't felt a thing! 9. Think and evaluate before you offer your help to any strangers that single you out. 10. Plan ahead: It is better to book your first night in a hotel and once you have arrived after a long flight you can change your hotel if you wish for. |
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January 2024
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