Happy Independence Day Guatemala!
15 September is Independence Day in Guatemala. As with most festivals in Latin America you could tell there was something coming up because all over town you could hear and see dozens of bands practicing for the big day.
The parade was pretty similar so parades you would see in the US except the music had a much more Latin flair with most bands including marimbas in their lineup. The notable exception to the Latin music was the bad that played Lady Gaga.
One thing I really noticed was the shoes the women were wearing. I suppose this is because I find walking on the streets of Antigua to be challenging enough when I’m in sport sandals (the streets here are badly done cobble stones so can be a pain in the ass – sometimes literally) so watching these girls walk this parade on these streets in high heels – in one case, 3″ spikes – was impressive.
One of the bands was really amazing. Not only did they play well but they put on a great show. They wore black and white uniforms and you can check them out in the video and pictures below!






































































While living in Mexico I became somewhat addicted to a local dish called chilaquiles. Basically they’re a ‘leftovers’ dish made of cut up stale tortillas sauteed in a red or green sauce and then topped with onions, crema (like thin sour cream), crumbled cheese, avocado and chicken (or eggs). There are many other variations on how to prepare them – probably almost as many variations as there are Mexican Mamas – but this is how I always had them. They are, quite simply, amazing.
In Guatemala, they prepare Chilaquiles with Chayote (pictured right), which is a green, fairly flavorless, squash-like vegetable. They start the dish by skinning the Chayote, slicing it in half, and removing the core. After that, they fill it with a thick (almost 1/3 inch) layer of a thick, salty cheese. Finally, the dip the stuffed Chayote in batter and fry them until lightly brown. The dish is finished with a light red sauce and, though fried and very cheesy, is not at all heavy or greasy. The vegetable becomes firm though easily cut with just a fork and seems to take on the flavors of the other ingredients.

Recent Comments