GUATEMALAN TREATS: CHUCHITOS

In a previous entry in this blog, we introduced you to the Guatemalan Tamales, and today, we bring you a delicious smaller “cousin”: Chuchitos.

In Guatemalan slang, “Chucho” is a dog, and “Chuchito” would be a “little dog”, but the name is also given to this snack.

They are also a corn based doe with tomato sauce and a small piece of meat, normally chicken, but with a much drier texture than the tamales, and of course, a different flavor, since the doe is wrapped in dried corn leafs and then boiled.

Their size is smaller than the tamale, and are served with a bit more tomato sauce and crumbs of dried white cheese.

Some people mix leaves of different herbs in the doe, giving them a twist to the palate.

Truly one of the most traditional mid morning or mid afternoon snacks.

If you would like more information about this, please contact us.

Peruvian Art Style

Music within Peru dates back literally thousands of years, preserved by the local community. Music plays a large part of the culture of Peru, where locals build their own instruments. Ancient Peruvian instruments were made from a variety of materials including cane, conch shells, horns, precious metals, and even mud!   Peru Music is a merger of sound and style absorbing on the ancient musical roots of Peru and musical influences of Spain.

Peruvian art is known for it's deep ties throughout Peru's history, well distinguished by it's pre-Hispanic shapes and symbols. This ancient Peruvian art has merged with the art style that was brought across the world by the Spanish conquistadors. The resulting art style is known as naïf, and it gives Peru an interesting diversity with it's local arts and crafts that is like no other.

Please contact us for more information.

GUATEMALA`S CARIBBEAN COAST

Guatemala has been blessed with coasts in 2 large water bodies: the Pacific Ocean in the south and the Caribbean Sea in the north-east.

The coastline is much longer in the Pacific than in the Caribbean, and both are quite special.

In a previous blog, we wrote about Monterrico Beach, a black volcanic sand paradise in the Pacific, and now, we dedicate this space to tell you about Livingston and Rio Dulce, the famous Guatemalan Caribbean.

Livingston is quite special, since was founded by Garifuna people (resulting people of black slaves brought to the Caribbean by Europeans in the XVI and XVII centuries mixed with local natives), and today offers visitors a truly special scene with black natives, mayan natives and even a relatively large population of Indian immigrants.

With a beautiful ash-like beach in town, jungle and rivers around, several white sand beaches reachable by a short boat ride, and guarding the entrance to the Rio Dulce river, Livingston is a place you have to visit.

The Rio Dulce river actually is a natural way to connect the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to Izabal lake, where the colonial warehouses used to be, serving the boats coming back and forth between the colonial Guatemala and Spain.

The boat ride in this beautiful river is an unforgettable experience not to be missed.

For more information about this, please contact us.

GUATEMALAN TREATS: TAMALES

Everyone has seen or even tried the famous Mexican Tamales.  Guatemala, sharing a very similar past, also has excellent Tamales, but are quite different.

Guatemalan tamales are made of pure corn paste, refried tomato sauce and normally a piece of meat that can be chicken or pork.

For special dates, such as Christmas, they also have capers and olives inside, and the sweet "black" tamales invade the tables (made with dried plums sauce).

The corn beads are boiled in plain water or chicken stock, and then grinded to make a moist doe.  The doe is  then manually shaped in some kind of thick bowl, and tomato sauce is poured in with a small piece of the meat.

The doe is shaped to cover the sauce and meat, and wrapped with "chichicaste" leaves first and then with larger banana leaves, in a shape that resembles a pillow.

"Cibaque" (some kind of flexible tree bark) is used to wrap around the small package to hold everything in place.

They are then boiled for hours in big clay pots, traditionally with firewood, and then are left to rest for the doe to get to it`s semi-gelatinous texture.

They are served in plates by first cutting or untying the small rope of Cibaque, and then unfolding the leaves, but the tamale is placed with it`s leaves on the plate.

Most people love them with some fresh lime juice and white bread.

If you come to Guatemala, we strongly recommend trying one!  

If you would like more information about this recipe or meal, please contact us.

SeaKayaking in Lake Titicaca

Peru, Rainbow of Cultures, environments, nature and archaeological bliss.

 I had been in Titicaca Lake several times, but I had never experienced it like this.  I think there is no better way to see the beauty of Titicaca Lake than by sea kayaking.    We started in Llachon, a Quechan rural community located on the southwestern tip of Capachica Peninsula, ony one and a half hour’s drive from Puno and one hour from Juliaca.  We launched then brand new sea kayaks onto the waters, breathed in the musty air and watched waves fold onto the white-sand beaches.  Minutes later we left the shore line and began to paddle across the lake, the lake was absolutely calm and the sky with different shades of red by the sun setting.

I encourage you to get in touch with nature and share the experience with local cultures.  Contact us for more information.

Spanish Colonial Gems

The city, founded in 1535 by Pizarro, features a series of buildings which boast an incalculable architectural and historical value, buildings which fringe the main square, the Plaza Mayor and nearby streets.

Lima's Cathedral, built in 1625 in a Renaissance-Baroque style, with splendid Churriguerra altars, is definitely the first stop on the tour. 

A walk around it’s historic heart is a must for lovers of this type of Architecture.  Lima is plenty of colonial mansions, churches and historic government buildings to explore.   For more information please contact us.

MAYAN ANIMAL MARKET

Did you know that in San Francisco El Alto, a small mayan town in the west highlands puts out one of the most interesting markets every Friday.

Inhabited since pre columbian times by ancient Maya settlers, and surrounded by breathtaking landscapes of volcanos, valleys and mountains, San Francisco is truly a place worth visiting, but that is not all:  on Fridays, where hundreds of locals gather in the plaza and it´s nearby streets to sell their week´s produce, there is a special place right behind the colonial church, where all kinds of animals are sold.

Yes, animals!  From live chickens and ducks, to cats, dogs, birds, parrots, cows, pigs, horses, and sometimes, even (now also illegal) monkeys, lizards , turtles, etc.

This is a tradition that has been taking place here for centuries, and today, offers tourists an unforgettable day´s visit.

If you are interested in visiting,  contact us for more information and details.