Another UNESCO World Heritage Site!

 September 5, 2023

Today is a bit more unscheduled, we have a cooking class at noon, so there is time for a leisurely breakfast at the charming buffet.  Most everyone wants to go exploring (read that "shopping") and pretty soon we set off to see what we can see.

magical tea

If it's on line, it must be true!

I love the combination of the electronic key and the pen-and-paper room designation.

The volcano is already wearing a cloud cap.

The Secret Garden

Love this table leg, half-hidden in the foliage

Who knew these ferns could grow eight feet long?!!

whaaaaa?

We all want a better look at the park but, of course, now the vendors are out in force.  Ginger and I contribute a little to the local economy via Ruth, which causes us to have to also contribute via her sister!  It’s pretty trcky to get across the park and stopping to take pictures of the mermaid fountain doesn’t help!  We finally get across and sit down which makes ups sitting ducks!  Ruth finds us again and we promise to come find her later.  She knows all our names and reminds us to find her.  We actually encounter her again on our way to our cooking class! Everything is so beautiful and it’s so hard to say no!

There is an artisans' co-op and everything screams "Buy me!"  And there are other little shops, too.  In one of those Ginger finds the perfect shirt for Juan but we're not sure about the size.  The girl assures Ginger that she can bring it back and exchange it this afternoon, if need be.

We've spent so much time on retail therapy that we go straight to our class, laden down like pack mules!

We've found the address but the young man says we're in the wrong place! Juan calls and it turns out we should be just across the street where we are warmly welcomed. 

Juan is our homing beacon.

We will actually have two instructors, one off whom is a fluent English speaker and is as bright and charming as possible.  The other beautiful lady has been cooking traditional Mayan food since she was seven!  She does more of the cooking while our hostess talks and directs the activities.  We will be making a traditional Mayan dish called pepian. 

We learn that there are four kinds of corn grown in Guatemala, red, yellow, black, and white.  They are also the colors associated with the cardinal directions. The red represents blood, the yellow is for the skin, the black is for the hair and eyes, and the white is for the bones.  We also learn that a traditional proposal involves a procession of people holding large baskets of corn.

Everyone gets a turn at chopping the vegetables, some of which will go into the pot where the rice will be cooked, and some of which go into the chicken stock which will be the soup. While we’ve been talking, our chef has been charring tomatoes and tomatinos .  When the rice and soup are nearly ready it’s time to learn about using the metate to grind up the tomatoes and tomatinos, along with some dried peppers, into a fine paste to be added to the soup.  Brave and strong people give it a shot but no one is a fast and effective as the professional!  Suga comes the closest, using those potter's muscles!

We also have the opportunity to sample a juice made from a local, small, red berry.  You let it ferment for two weeks at room temperature then refrigerate it.  It’s best cold;  but, also, if let it continue to ferment another two weeks it will have 5% alcohol!

Then it’s time for the tortillas.  Guatemalan tortilla are thicker than the Mexican ones, so it’s a bit easier to form them from the pre-made dough, some of which is seasoned with cilantro.

p[[

Just as we’re preparing to serve, the rain begins, so we all move inside for our feast. I’m so surprised that the soup isn’t spicy, just delicious!  It’s served with our rice and the chicken that gave us the stock. We enjoy more juice and water with our lunch and love every minute of it.

We say our good-byes and offer many thanks for the unique experience and some people go back to the hotel while others continue “exploring”. Juan’s shirt is too small so Ginger and I go back to the shop to exchange it and to snag one or two more other things before we hike back home.

Look at the intricacy of her work!  Amazing!

We’ve got a couple of hours before dinner, so Jan and I take a little nap!

Gregorio gets the day off since we’re walking to dinner. Juan has found us a restaurant that doesn’t close at seven! I have a Pina colada sin (without) alcohol and turkey soup.  Jan has white wine and guacamole.  When Ginny finishes her coffee we walk back and Mark and Karen, who somehow got stuck with the banana bread (because Mark is a gentleman and offered to carry it!) are relieved when we all agree that putting it up front with the coffee and tea is a good idea.  That way anyone can have some before it turns into a brick.

Time to do some serious reorg on the suitcase since we’ll be leaving again in the morning and there’s more stuff to pack now. Then it’s bed time!