The Avenida de la Reforma and Surroundings

 Photo by galasdeguatemala.com, used with authorization.

Since we are still in Zone 9, I am going to go just a little bit to the east right to the Avenida de la Reforma (literally: Avenue of the Reformation), which separates Zone 9 from Zone 10. This is a wide and beautiful boulevard built in 1897, inspired by the Champs Elysees in Paris. Adorned with many monuments, this avenue is considered part of the national heritage due to its artistic and historical value.

The avenue runs from North to South as Zone 9, and in the opposite direction as Zone 10. On both sides, we are going to see large buildings some historic and some others contemporary, including the USA Embassy and Consulate, a few gorgeous residences,  plenty of restaurants, and some of the finest hotels in the city. Right in the middle, we can admire beautiful gardens and several monuments, including the one built by the sculptor Max Leiva in year 2,000 dedicated to Miguel Angel Asturias, the Literature Nobel laureate I mentioned in the Civic Center post.

Passing by the Avenida de la Reforma without exploring the surroundings would be a shame. So please, stay with me. I can assure you, we will enjoy the visit and the first place we are going to, is the Botanical Garden, which contains many local plants and flowers as well as some exotic specimens. It was the first of its kind in Central America.
Our second stop is the Ixchel Museum of Indigineous Dress, which "was founded to address the need to rescue indigenous culture within a society that was rapidly modernizing, often losing its traditions and identity. The museum's work encompasses the acquisition, conservation   and exhibition of indigenous clothing as well as extensive research   and publication of findings." The first link in this paragraph will take you to the official Website where you will find very well documented information about the Guatemalan Maya textile tradition from pre-Colombian times to the present.

Detail of the Huipil I am using as the background for the title of this blog.

Do you remember I already told you this is one of my favorite places in the city? Well, it is. Not just for the textiles that I adore and have a few, but also for the extraordinary collection of paintings by Andres Curruchich. "His works portray the daily life of his town, San Juan Comalapa (Chimaltenango), through scenes such as the harvesting of corn, the cutting of hair, the washing of clothes and the activities of the market square, as well as local traditions such as Holy Week processions, dances, celebrations in honor of San Juan, the patron saint of the town. The figures that appear in his paintings, except for the traders from other communities, are of special interest, since they show the distinctive dress of Comalapa."

Photo by galasdeguatemala.com, used with authorization. This link will take you to more San Juan Comalapa photographs, perfect to illustrate the artistic legacy of Painter Andres Curruchich.

Even though I would like to continue describing this part of the city, I think it is enough for today and for the week. My last recommendation for now is: go out and enjoy a wonderful meal and if you like the night life, in Zona Viva (zone 10) you will find a wide variety of restaurants, night clubs, cafes, and many more. I would go to Hacienda Real for one of the most tasty, juicy, and tender steaks I have ever tried and a glass of red wine. Enjoy your weekend!

Passing Under the Torre del Reformador

To be fair, I am going to start today thanking Maynor Mijangos from Galas de Guatemala, because in addition to let me use his photos, he mentioned this blog in his newsletter yesterday and as a result, this blog has two new followers and I am more excited than ever to continue guiding you through this journey. Thanks again Maynor!

As I mentioned yesterday, Guatemala City is kind of an spiral and that is why the zone that follows zone 4, is the 9, which is surrounded by zone 10 (to the East), zone 8 (to the West), and zone 13 (to the South).

One of the most notorious landmarks of Zone 9 is the Tower of the Reformer (Torre del Reformador) built in 1935 to commemorate the 100th. birthday of Justo Rufino Barrios, former president of Guatemala acknowledged for the numerous reformations he introduced to the country. This 75 meters steel structure resembles the Eiffel Tower, only you can drive underneath since it was built right over a crossing of roads.

Originally conceived as a residential area, Zone 9 is now in the process to become a commercial one since many of the big houses have been transformed into offices and some others have been demolished to make the space suitable for large buildings. Despite this, we still can see in the area beautiful gardens, ample boulevards with trees and nice sidewalks.

Photos in this page by galasdeguatemala.com, used with authorization.

Almost in the mid part of this zone we find the Plaza España (Spain Square), which shows the fountain built as a memorial to King Carlos III of Spain, originally located in the Constitution Square. My best memories about this place are the ceviches we used to buy some Saturdays, right on the street. Let me tell you, to-die-for! In case you are wondering what a ceviche is, my best explanation is a simple yet delicious recipe (I wish I had a photo to share):

Ingredients: 

4 cups (approx. 2 lbs) salad size shrimps, peeled and clean (or fish like mahi-mahi in small cubes)

2 cups of fresh Roma-type tomatoes, diced

1 cup of fresh onion, diced

1 cup of fresh cilantro (in Guatemala is called culantro), roughly chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (in Guatemala we use crushed Chiltepes)

2 cups of fresh lime juice (approx. 12 limes). Here is very important to clarify that in Spanish we call limón to the limes; I recommend you not to use lemons because the flavor is not the same.

Salt and pepper

Optional: 1/2 cup of ketchup and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

Preparation:

Blanche the shrimps in boiling water for 3 minutes, transfer them to a bowl with icy water to stop the cooking process. Drain well.

Return the shrimps to the bowl and add the lemon juice. Let stand covered in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Add the rest of the ingredients, season with salt and pepper, mix well, cover again and put it back in the fridge for another hour or so. Do not leave it in the fridge for too long as it may become soupy.

Serve with plain or salty crackers and a cold Gallo beer (may be available under the brand Famosa). Cheers!