Peanut drink

Fresco de Mania a surprisingly refreshing drink served in eastern Guatemala.
Peanut is one the characteristic crops of this arrid area. To make this drink peanut is grounded, then sugar, water and vanilla extract are added.
We had this drink at the fork that takes you to Asuncion Mita or Agua Blanca coming from Jutiapa.

Koyow

Coming out of a school in Cobán, that is how most stories seem to start lately, there was a man eating what looked like an avocado. Same exclamation followed by same question: Buenas, como esta! Ala que es es eso? (Hello, How are you! What is it?)

Answer: Koyow. My interpretation a poor man's avocado. Similar look (more primitive), similar consistency (less smooth), taste mmm (bla). He gave it to me, said have it and advice me to eat it with lime and chile de Cobán (kind of cayenne pepper).

Talpas - Fruit

Walking out of the public school we were training in Asuncion Mita, Jutiapa, there she was the Talpa vendor!
I had never seen this fruit that was presented to us as a Salvadorean fruit, sometimes refered as mamones.

No surprise, I started inquiring about it. It is sold peeled in a bag of about 6 talpas, seasoned with gorund pumkin seed, salt, powder chicken broth (I know) and lime. Q2.00 a bag (25 US cents)

Talking with our vendor she told us she opens the fruit with a knife because the public health office trains the vendors every year on sanitary measures and for her one is no to open them using her fingernails.

It has the consistency of an offspring of a grape that married a jocote!! Big seed in the middle and juicy but more meaty.

Expression "No me des Atol con el dedo"

The expression "No me des Atol con el dedo" literally would be don't give me atole with the finger. I am trying to think of an equivalent expression.. All I think is "Don't try to @$# me".

If your teenager son comes back with an unbelievable story you might say "Porfavor! No me des atol con el dedo."

This atol in the picture is breakfast in Fray Bartolome de las Casas, Alta Verapaz. It was mystery Atol until we asked what it was. She said it was plantain atol, milk based. I couldn't not tell the plantain, I think she was trying to give us Atol con el dedo!!!

El Chal, Dolores or Santa Ana?

El Chal is a town you by driving between Poptun and Flores. Half of it is El Chal, Dolores and the other half El Chal Santa, Ana so half of it is jurisdiction of the mayor of Santa Ana and half of the mayor Dolores. I learned, though, that in August they are hoping to make it is own municipio.

This is the "refresqueria" we stopped to eat pupusas and fruit drinks "liquados".

Rio Dulce, Izabal

After having been at 9000 feet above sea level in the mountains of Colorado, today I woke up to a crisp morning in Rio Dulce at a backpackers hotel by that name, right under the bridge of Rio Dulce, Izabal.

The restaurant is prime spot and the food is good, the facilities I give them a 5 on a hostel scale. I am still to find a good not expensive place to stay in Rio Dulce when having to stay for work.