Reserva Patrocinio: Let's Enjoy a Great One Day Tour!

Last week I was so anxious to restart the blog after our short break, that I skip the usual introduction to a new department. Well, after one week of traveling through Reu, which by the way is how locals call Retalhuleu, I am sure you might have an idea about this region, so I am just going to mention some details.

The name Retalhuleu comes from the K'iche voices Retal (sign), Hul (hole), and Uleu (earth), which translates as Sign on the Earth. The department is divided into 9 municipalities, and we already visited an area of Champerico when we went to the Manchon Guamuchal biological preserve, and San Francisco Zapotitlan, the municipality where the IRTRA parks and hotels complex is located.

Today, I want to guide you through Reserva Patrocinio, which even though it belongs to the department of Quetzaltenango, is easily accessible from Reu; actually from where we are right now, is only about 20 minutes. So please, join us today to discover another jewel of Guatemala's nature paradises.

This reserve covers an area of approximately 140 ha with a mosaic of different habitats, ranging in elevation from 750 to 850 meters above sea level. It is dedicated to the conservation of fragments of old growth broad-leaf forest, and to the restoration of the local natural habitat.

The conservation efforts as well as the school and medical clinic are sustained by the economical income generated by the agricultural crops (mainly coffee, cacao, rambutan, macadamia, and pacaya) and the tourism program.
Until now, 10 families live in the reserve whose members are involved not just in the tourism program as guides, room attendants, cooks and waiters, but also in the different tasks required for the agricultural project.

The Reserva Patrocinio is also a good site for easy bird watching. A network of trails and hanging bridges gives access to the forests and different plantations, where skilled birders can see more than 100 species on a good day during the migration season.
There is also an observation tower and feeding stations for fruit-eaters and hummingbirds, all of these are excellent spots to watch the birds. The list of recorded species in this place includes 185 species.

About 150 years ago, this area was covered with humid broad-leaf forest; unfortunately, human activity has shrunk the forest to fragments without biological corridors and that is why Scarlet Macaws and Red-throated Caracara, once common, are today extinct on the Guatemalan Pacific Slope.
Although these species did loose their appropriate habitat, the remaining forest fragments are important refuges for many other species.

This, among some others, is one of the reasons why I am convinced that the tourism industry and particularly sustainable tourism, may play a valuable role not just in the development of even the remotest communities, but also in the preservation of our natural richness.

To complement the wonderful nature experience, Reserva Patrocinio also offers wide trails for mountain biking and 4 cables for zip-lining where you can literally fly across the valley, over tropical vegetation and a coffee plantation.

And if all of the above is not enough, from the cafeteria at Reserva Patrocinio, which is only 9 kilometers away from the Santiaguito Volcano, we can admire impressive views of this amazing volcano. 
Did you enjoy our tour today?

Farewell Xela!

I do hope you enjoyed our trip through Quetzaltenango, because I did!

From small to large towns, the history, the cultural richness, the outstanding gastronomy, the flourishing economy, the breathtaking landscapes, and the kindness of its people, Quetzaltenango has it all and it has been my pleasure to share it with you.

Until next week, when we are going to discover together, the magic of The Cuchumatanes and some other places in Huehuetenango.

Chocolate: Food for Gods, Specialty of Xela

"And so they were happy over the provisions of the good mountain, filled with sweet things, ...thick with pataxte and cacao...the rich foods filling up the citadel named Broken Place, Bitter Water Place". Popol Vuh 

Chocolate and Maya civilization go hand in hand. We know that over 3,500 years ago in the Maya lowlands, the Maya were already making the chocolate drink from cacao seeds. It was the great eighteenth century Swedish botanist, Carl von Linne, who named the tree from which the seeds are obtained Theobroma cacao. This is a plant that can only grow in tropical lowlands where frost never arrives.

The word cacao originated from the Maya word Ka'kau' as well as the Maya words Chocol'haa and the verb chokola'j "to drink chocolate together", were then adapted centuries later by the Aztecs. The Maya believed that the ka'kau'  was discovered by the gods in a mountain that also contained other delectable foods to be used by the Maya. According to Maya mythology, Hunahpu gave cacao to the Maya after humans were created from maize by the divine grandmother goddess Ixmucane.

In the image above, which is a painting on a Late Classic Maya vase, the glyphs describe a lord testing the temperature of  his hot chocolate drink; note the tamales below him, covered with chocolate-chili sauce. These tamales are a true delicatessen, and just as in ancient times, they are reserved for special occasions and important events, such as the Christmas' Eve dinner.

Among the Mayas, chocolate was an elite, prestigious drink, reserved for royalty, nobility, long-distance merchants, and high-ranking warriors. By 450 BC large numbers of magnificent vases filled with the chocolate drink were placed in the tombs of Maya kings. Beyond its function as a funerary offering, chocolate continues to be part of important celebrations, including the negotiation and celebration of marriages.

Cacao had one other function in early Mesoamerica, and that was as money. We know that for the Maya on the eve of the Conquest, cacao beans served as currency in market transactions, so literally, this was the time "when money grew on trees," as the saying goes.

Christopher Columbus was the first European to come in contact with cacao. On August 15, 1502, on his fourth and last voyage to the Americas, Columbus and his crew encountered a large dugout canoe near the Guanaja island off the coast of what is now Honduras. The canoe was the largest native ship that the Spaniards had seen. It was as long as a galley, 8 feet wide, and with 25 paddlers and was filled with local goods for trade, including cacao beans. Columbus had his crew seize the vessel and its goods, and retained its skipper as his guide. Later, Columbus' son Ferdinand wrote about the encounter. He was struck by how much value the Native Americans placed on cacao beans, saying: "They seemed to hold these almonds (referring to the cacao beans) at a great price; for when they were brought on board the ship together with their goods, I observed that when any of these almonds fell, they all stooped to pick it up, as if an eye had fallen."

Chocolate was then introduced to the Spanish court, but Spaniards and other Europeans did not develop a taste for it, until it was heavily sweetened with sugar, which they had brought from the Mediterranean to Mesoamerica. Until the beginning of the XIX century chocolate remained an elite drink, too expensive for ordinary people to enjoy, and often forbidden to them.

Michael Coe, Professor of Anthropology, and Curator Emeritus in the Peabody Museum at Yale, and coauthor of the book "The True History of Chocolate" (1996), states that the word chocolatl appears in "no truly early source on the Nahuatl language or on Aztec culture. Furthermore, he cites the distinguished Mexican philologist Ignacio Davila Garibi, who proposed the idea that the "Spaniards had coined the word by taking the Maya word Chocol and then replacing the Maya term for water, haa, with the Aztec one, atl."

Should you like to learn more about the fascinating chocolate, its history and evolution? Please visit Dr. Coe's presentation (in Spanish): El Chocolate en la Cultura Guatemalteca.

While the Mayans in Guatemala no longer use cacao as a currency as they did centuries ago, chocolate has remained an important part of their culture. Once viewed as food fit for the gods, hot chocolate has been drunk in Guatemala for thousands of years. It continues to be served traditionally with Pan de Yemas (an egg yolks-based sweet bread) at weddings, funerals, birthdays, and other celebrations. The hot chocolate of Guatemala is still made by hand without any special machinery, giving it outstanding quality and flavor, and it just so happens that Xelaju is the place in Guatemala where the best traditional handcrafted chocolate is produced.

Thank you Colomba for giving me the idea and the appropriate source for this post!

The Modern Marimba: Legacy from Quetzaltenango

In Guatemala, marimba music ensembles can be seen and heard everywhere, even in the remotest corners of the country. The marimba is, in fact, the national instrument of Guatemala, and has been an important part of holiday celebrations for hundreds of years. I invite you to share with me the beautiful music that is featured in today's post, you will not be disappointed.
The earliest version of the instrument was probably the arch marimba, which came from West Africa. Afro-Caribbean slaves could have introduced this marimba to Guatemala as early as 1550. This primitive instrument played a simple pentatonic or diatonic scale and had a range of less than two octaves.

In 1894 Julian Paniagua Martinez and Sebastian Hurtado developed the first chromatic marimba, which would have a scale exactly like the piano. Now, for the first time, modern European style music could be played on this new marimba. A large collection of modern dance pieces were composed by marimba players and composers such as Domingo Bethancourt (1906-82), the Ovalle brothers, the Hurtado brothers, as well as the famous Mariano Valverde (1884-1956), Wotzbeli Aguilar (1897-1940) and Belarmino Molina (1879-1950). Marimba design and manufacture underwent other improvements as well. Primitive gourd resonators were replaced with accurately tuned wooden box resonators. Bars and resonators were now encased in magnificent carved frames.

A distinguishing feature of the modern Guatemalan marimba is its size and range. It is built to accommodate three or four musicians at once. Each player has a specified area and register to play, much like a choir has bass, tenor, alto, and soprano parts. A typical marimba ensemble usually consists of a marimba for three players, another marimba for four players, a drum kit, and a string bass. The marimba is the principal and most important instrument in Guatemalan folk music, which is influenced by the music of Spain and West Africa. The marimba is also used to perform many other styles of music, including classical music and modern international popular music.

The Marimba was first introduced to North America in 1908 by the Hurtado family marimba ensemble. In the U.S. and Europe many 20th century composers have created large works for the Marimba, just as you'd find for piano, violin, or flute. A solo marimba performance can be a compelling experience. The instrument itself has a striking appearance, and the range of sounds it is capable of producing are rich and uniquely beautiful.

Modern marimbas are constructed using rosewood for the bars and aluminum and/or brass for the resonators. Due to shortages in tropical hardwoods and growing environmental concerns, materials such as fiberglass are being developed to replace the hardwoods. The success of these attempts has been mixed. The range of the instrument varies depending on the model, and it is fairly standardized among manufacturers, mainly 4, 4.3, 4.5 and 5 octaves with the second C above treble staff as the highest note.

In Jazz, the marimba has also found a home. Jazz vibes players such as Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton have included the marimba in many of their recordings. In fact, the group "Double Image" uses a vibraphone and marimba to head up the band. The popular Jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra features a marimba soloist in several compositions, and my favorite, Morning Dance, was included in the live concert they performed a few years ago at the Ermita de la Santa Cruz in Antigua Guatemala. What a show!

 

Morning Dance

In a world full of technology, where modern music is dominated by electronic instruments, simple acoustic instruments are finding a large audience. Hand made percussion instruments from South and Central America, exotic horns made from giant sea shells, and even Australian aboriginal instruments are being used more and more in contemporary western music. The marimba, born in tribal Africa and perfected in Guatemala, is a big part of this musical trend.
For Guatemalan marimba music, here are some recommendations:

More results for guatemala marimba music

Maya Textiles in Quetzaltenango

The textiles woven by  Maya descendants have long been appreciated for their beauty and sophistication. Using just a simple back-strap loom, women in Guatemalan Highlands create intricately brocaded blouses for themselves and clothing for their families. The textiles they produce are both, attractive and utilitarian.

But while these textiles can be appreciated solely for their aesthetic value, this is an inherently limited interpretation. Mayan textiles are much more than pretty pieces of fabric. The clothing worn on a daily basis communicates a lot of information about the wearer, including his or her social status in the community, his or her ethnic group, and the area in which he or she lives.
Hundreds of symbols have been identified in Mayan textiles. The weaver selects a combination of symbols, like those shown below, to portray a mythological drama, and that is why there are no two identical weavings.  From the left, symbol 1: diamonds represent the universe and the path of the sun (the largest diamond in the center) in its daily movement, from east (small diamond at the top) to the west (small diamond at the bottom); symbol 2: scorpion tails representing the lightnings; symbol 3: the Earthlord, God of the underworld; 4: a toad representing the singings; 5: the vulture, representing the legend of the renaissance after the great flood that destroyed the previous world.

When interpreted in that order, the drama unfolds: while the toad sings at the mouth of the Earthlord's mountain cave, the Earthlord's daughters fluff cotton that will be transformed into rain clouds by a bolt of lightning. The scorpion's spiny tail stings the lightning that attracts the rain and produces the flowering fields. 

The outfit to the left is typical of the clothing worn by women of Quetzaltenango, where some women continue to wear traditional clothing.

The huipil or blouse, is constructed of three panels of cloth. Where these panels are sewn together, the weaver embroidered multicolored flowers. This design is also continued around the neck.

The perraje or shawl, is woven of cotton and wool and serves multiple purposes. It can be worn around the shoulders on a chilly day in the highlands or folded and carried on top of the head until needed. In some areas, it may be used to cushion a load carried on the head, or it may be used as a carrying cloth to transport an infant or produce from the fields.

The corte or skirt, is made of cotton, and the fabric is typically woven on treadle looms using the ikat technique. This skirt is made of two lengths of cloth. The randa, or the area where the two pieces are sewn together, is embroidered with pink, purple, yellow, and burgundy embroidery. The darker area above the randa indicates that this skirt was taken in to accommodate a shorter person and later let out, perhaps as its owner grew taller.

Volcano Hiking in Quetzaltenango

Last week we visited some of the most important municipalities of Quetzaltenango, some because of their flourishing economy and the important role they play in the development of their communities, some others because of their historical importance and beautiful architecture. Today, I want to take you on a trip that I never did and probably never will: Volcano Hiking in Quetzaltenango.

Except for the Pacific coastal area and the Peten lowlands, the Guatemalan territory is mountainous and the Sierra Madre is the longest mountain range, crossing the country from West to East beginning near the Mexican border and ending at lower elevations close to El Salvador.

All of Guatemala's 37 volcanoes, 4 of them active, are located along the Sierra Madre and within the limits of Quetzaltenango we can find the following: Almolonga / Cerro Quemado (3,197m), Chicabal (2,990m), Santo Tomas (3,505m), Zunil (3,542m), Santa Maria (3,572m), Santiaguito (2,520m).

Because of its extraordinary beauty and importance for the Maya descendants, we will explore the Chicabal volcano and lagoon, which is located in the municipality of San Martin Sacatepequez (also known as San Martin Chile Verde). According to the experts, this exploration will be an easy to moderate hike that takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to the top, where there is a lookout point to admire the Santa Maria and Santiaguito volcanoes. 

From the summit, there is a steep descent for about 20 to 30 minutes to the crater lagoon, which is surrounded by cloud forest and is a sacred site to the local Maya-Mam descendants. There are often Maya ceremonies taking place around the lake, so we might be lucky enough to witness one of them.

Because of its constant activity, it is important to mention the Santiaguito volcano, which is a very young cone formed from a big explosion in the Santa Maria volcano in October 24, 1902. It is not possible to determine its exact altitude due to the constant activity, but we know that it is around 2,500m. The Santiaguito volcano is considered one of the 10 most active volcanoes in the world.

Because of their naturalist importance, exploring the Zunil and Santo Tomas volcanoes has to be an amazing and highly rewarding experience. Both peaks are located within the limits of the Zunil Municipal Park and even though it is a difficult hike, the experts say it is beyond worthy. The ascension passes by 4 different ecological zones, going through pine-oak forest to a grassland plateau. Along the way, there are 7 Mayan ceremonial sites still in use. Along the trails is a paradise for nature lovers.

While at the summit, we will enjoy some of the most impressive and breathtaking views of the mountain chain.

The descending goes through a cloud forest to the Fuentes Georginas hot springs, perfect to relax the muscles after the hard work.

Friday in Xela: Dinner and Party Time!

Do you see the moon? That is precisely the moon that inspired the Huehueteco (the name for people born in Huehuetenango, another department in The Highlands that we will visit soon) Francisco Perez to write his most remarkable composition: Luna de Xelaju, a waltz composed to be played by a Guatemalan Marimba; however, the melody and also the lyrics are so beautiful that many players and singers along Latin America have played and sung it with different arrangements. Today, I will share with you two versions. I hope both of them work properly. Here is the first version, a classical one.

Now, shall we go out for dinner? If you are more interested in modern and eclectic places and food, I would recommend then the Pasaje Enriquez, one of the outstanding buildings across the central park that offers several options for dining, drinking, and even dancing in the Salon Tecun. At certain time, the place may turn out a little bit noisy since it is a favorite among young people.

Without leaving the central park area, you will also find more options suitable for every palate and budget, in a range that goes from hamburgers and pizza to veggie specialties.

If quite contrary, you are a traveler eager to learn about local culture and discover new flavors, I would recommend to look for a typical food restaurant. It's been a while since my last visit to Xela, so I am going to say that the best way to find the nicest place with good local food, would be by asking locals or at the hotel. What I do can tell you for sure, is that local food is beyond worthy.

One of my favorites is Jokom (also known as jocon), a simple yet flavorful recipe, great to innovate (just as I have done in several occasions): as finger's food, use chicken thighs and more consistent sauce; as an appetizer, use boneless chicken breast cut in cubes; as a meal, use a whole chicken (to obtain the maximum flavor) cut in pieces.

Do you remember I told you that Xela is a good place for some salsa dancing? Well, while cooking our delicious Jokom, here is the second version, kind of irreverent but cheerful  salsa/tropical arrangement for Luna de Xelaju.

Basic Jokom Sauce for 1 Whole Chicken (or 8-12 thighs)

My own version to be served as soup, before the main course.

In about 4-6 cups of water, precook the chicken with a stalk of celery, a carrot, an onion, a couple of garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Discard the vegetables. Reserve the stock for the sauce.

Blend together with the chicken stock, until the mixture is smooth: 1 cup of peeled and lightly toasted pumpkin seeds, 2 cups of fresh culantro, 2 cups of fresh green onions, 1 green bell pepper, 1/2 cup of miltomates (husks removed), and 2 cloves of garlic. Optional: green hot pepper. Everything has to be raw, otherwise, the sauce won't be of a vibrant green.

Combine the blended mixture with the chicken stock (you decide how soupy or thick you want the sauce), bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, let it simmer for 5 minutes, add the chicken pieces and simmer another 5 minutes. If necessary, before adding the chicken, you can thicken the sauce with white bread crumbs.

To serve it as a meal, add on the side Guatemalan-style rice (long grain rice with peas and fine juliennes of carrots, string beans, and red bell pepper) and if possible, white "steamed tamalitos" (small like-fistful portions of  corn dough softened with a little bit of lard or vegetable oil wrapped in young corn leaves).

A good resource to find out what's going on in Xela, is XelaWho.com, a friendly site with lots of information about almost everything and everybody in Quetzaltenango.
Enjoy your weekend!

The Historic and Industrious Salcaja and Olintepeque

Let me begin by telling you that today  we are going to learn a little bit of history, except for the main photo above, the images we are going to see today are of the modern and industrious Salcaja.

From the historic-colonial times perspective, Salcaja is important because it was in this town where Pedro de Alvarado built the first formal base-camp and settlement for his soldiers, family and the rest of the people in his group while he continued exploring the territory in search for the right place to build the first capital city.

The ancient Saq'kaja, whose name, according to the Popol Vuh translates as "clear water" was already a prosperous village by the time the Spaniards arrived, and it was relatively easy for them to set the basis for a Spanish-style town, starting with the central square surrounded by a church, the governmental building, the multiple-uses building, and the governmental residence and that is why, Salcaja is home to the very first catholic church ever built in Central America.

The church is officially registered as San Jacinto; however, it is better known as Ermita de la Virgen de Concepcion-la Conquistadora (name that literally translates as Chapel of Our Lady of the Conception-the Conqueror). Obviously, "la Conquistadora" is an adjective added by locals who associate it with the conquest.

Another historic event is that in those days, Salcaja also witnessed the birth of the first mestiza, Leonor, the daughter of Pedro de Alvarado and Luisa Xicontencatl (a Tlaxcalan princess who traveled with Pedro de Alvarado from Mexico).

In addition to the beautiful la conquistadora church, Salcaja is known for being probably the most important of three towns where the ikat (jaspe) textiles are produced. This is a technique practiced mainly by men, using tie-typed threads woven in treadle looms. The threads preparation is a very complicated and time-consuming process that usually involves the whole family. Watch them working, wrapping, fastening, dyeing, and weaving, is quite an experience. Jaspe is the fabric women use for their skirts (corte) all over the country, and in a more elaborate designs, for their shawls (rebozo or perraje).

Salcaja is also known for the farming of peaches, apples, pears, nances (Byrsonima crassifolia), which they use to make the famous Caldo de Frutas (wine-like fermented fruits-based beverage), following the same recipe introduced by the Spaniards during the colonial times.

In Salcaja's neighbor, the municipality of Olintepeque, we also find El Pinar and the Siguila / Xequik'el River -this river changes its name under the bridge built in the place where in 1524, the K'iche warrior Tecun Uman, the National Hero, was defeated by Pedro de Alvarado. Olintepeque per se is not what we could say a touristic place, but that is just because it has not been discovered yet.

In general, I would say that most of these towns, if not all of them are flourishing, and amazingly, while working very hard to incorporate themselves into an inevitable modernity, they are able to maintain their rich traditions and culture. Certainly, a lesson about cultural identity that us, Guatemala City dwellers appear not to embrace.

Colorful Quetzaltenango: The Markets in Almolonga and Zunil

Some of the most picturesque markets of Guatemala are found in Quetzaltenango, and one of them is probably the most important fresh produce trade center of Northern Central America.

This is Almolonga, one of the municipalities of Quetzaltenango, also known as the "orchard of the country". Its ancient name, Molon'ya, translates as "place where the water springs up" and this feature, combined with the rich volcanic soil is precisely what makes Almolonga such a fertile place.

Another market in the surroundings is located in Zunil, where the main economic activity is the agriculture; in this case, however, in addition to several varieties of vegetables, local forest and fruit species, as well as flowers, have become a strong component of the solid economy of its inhabitants.

Zunil is also home to Fuentes Georginas (sulfurous hot springs), located up on the mountains and surrounded by an extraordinary ecosystem, a cloud forest flanked on one side by beautiful farming lands.

In Fuentes Georginas there are several trails where nature lovers can enjoy a medium impact hike. It is definitely a place to be included when visiting Quetzaltenango.

As for accommodation, in Zunil we find Turicentro Las Cumbres, a little bit rustic but cozy enough to make you feel more than welcome. After a good bath in the hot springs and may be a hike through the forest, I can assure you that you will be delighted with the atmosphere at Las Cumbres while enjoying a succulent "quetzalteca" meal.

Zunil is also prosperous because it is home to the geothermic plant La Caldera, which has brought to the town and the surrounding villages different sources of employment.

The Beautiful Xela: An Old Town with Modern Dynamism

I do hope you enjoyed our train ride yesterday, because I did! Today, Xela open its front doors to let us in, to let us travel in time while we walk through narrow and some cobble-stoned streets. One of the first things we will notice entering Xela is its modernity and it may be difficult to imagine that beyond the entrance, we will find a town that keeps traces of the colonial period in its streets and avenues.

As I mentioned yesterday, fine Belle Époque-style architecture -classical, neoclassical and Italian renaissance- are evident in the buildings and the houses which were built during the late 1800s and early 1900s, with volcanic stones sculpted by local artists.

Some of the most important buildings are: the Cathedral, whose facade was originally built in 1535 and remodeled in 1896; the Municipal Theater, a Neoclassical building beautiful not just in the outside but also in the inside; the Central America Park (also known as Parque Central or Central Square), which is in the center of the town and frequently is used as scenario for artistic performances and once a month is transformed into the artisans' market.

Xela has become a popular destination for foreign students looking to study Spanish or even one of the Maya languages, and offers amazingly affordable options, including home stays which have students practicing all day long. In addition to the languages lessons, and please don't ask me why, Xela is also a great place to learn salsa dancing, boasting a lively salsa scene.  

This former colonial town is enveloped by surrounding misty mountains, the city itself is based at an altitude of 7,655 feet above sea level, so don't forget to bring a sweater. Two major volcanoes share the landscape here, and while the Santa Maria volcano rests dormant, the Santiaguito volcano remains active. The photo above was taken from a look-out point. If you are in very good physical conditions and enjoy trekking, climbing this volcano would be a one-in-a-lifetime experience.

As a popular destination, and the commercial center that it is, plans are under way to build the Xelaju International Airport making it accessible by air; until then, surface transportation remains the primary way to visit Xela and that way, tomorrow we will continue our journey, only this time on board a modern bus. Or what, did you think that we in Guatemala only have chicken buses?