Guatemalan Food

[showard1]

Gracias, Denise,

Sounds like you've had some marvelous experiences in both Central and South America. I appreciate all your input, especially the Antigua comments. This will be our second trip and we will be staying at CP for four nights, then to Antiqua for the rest of the week. Our first visit was a wonderful 5-day stay in Antiqua at Filadelfia Coffee Resort (LL auction). The place is beautiful with lovely grounds and excellent views -- just a stone's throw from central Antigua. They have an excellent coffee plantation tour, and you can arrange other excursions from there. My travel partner is more adventuresome and took the trip up Volcan Pacaya. He was pretty bushed afterwards, but enjoyed the experience immensely. Also, I would be remiss if not mentioning the friendly and helpful staff at the resort, certainly Sofia and Carlos, who added an extra-special dimension to our visit. Since I'm brushing up on Spanish (my minor in college years ago), they were willing to indulge my efforts at un poco d'Espagnol which really made me feel at home. In fact, it seemed as though we were the only guests at the resort most of the time, even though there are 20 rooms/suites. The service is exceptional and the quiet -- well -- I hope to be able to re-capture that ambiance on the next trip. We will be staying there again.

At CP, I'm hoping to visit some of the local markets and really get into the food. Did you eat at La Fonda de la Calle Real in Antigua? They serve excellent typical Guatemalan dishes. Bonnie can fill you in on this -- I enjoyed most of the local food, except for the tortillas which were rather tasteless. But, then, the purpose is to use them as utensils -- so maybe you don't want them to detract from the other flavors on the plate. If anyone has comments on the subject, please feel free to enlighten me -----

I did a bit of jade shopping (La Casa des Jades) in Antigua on the first visit. There are so many beautiful and different items -- almost mind-boggling. And a great shopping haven. This trip, I'd like to find some good quality textiles -- suggestions? -- and, hopefully, locate some local art depicting the colorful villages and/or markets. Again, Antigua might be the best place. Your comments, por favor?

Muchas gracias y buenas tardes.

[bonniejoy03]

Hola todas. We are also going to Laguna AND Casa Palopo in February!!! Laguna looks quite interesting!! This will be our 4th trip. I know the properties are close but each is unique. Laguna is located on the other side of Pana than CP. )relatively close by boat.)



S: We travel totally for pleasure not business. I would suggest emailing CP before the trip and asking Jennifer what you might bring for the local village. There is a French man in the village who has a school. He sells coffee to raise money for the kids. We thought we might check with CP to see if they need somethings.



K: Have you read any other reviews on Laguna (other than Trip Advisor?) I was nosey about the choice of suites; are you in the 3 or 4 night package?



Thanks!

[bonniejoy03]

ps-sorry...I called you Kitty also!

We also use Elizabeth's service. We stored our luggage at Concepcion and used it as a base in February. Very nice. Didn't stay overnight. Easy walking distance to the sights. I saw the Cissus and it looked lovely but more expensive. With our changed plans we won't be staying in Antigua on this trip (unless of course the airlines change the schedules!!) We ate in Fridas also all the time!! (even the one in Guatemala...I even bought the tee shirt!!) We sound like parallel travellers!!



Denise: Do you know the cost for the transfers from the airport to laguna. We were going to contact Elizabeth but still wanted to check with Laguna. Thanks!

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the Laguna package included the transfer from Panajachel to the lodge but I have not sent the lodge an email yet asking them what the additional charge would be from Guate city to the lodge - we arrive late so we are staying overnight in Guate city and then will transfer from there to laguna lodge. I know shared van service is $25pp from Guate city to Lake Atitlan - I am sure Laguan lodge transfer would be a private service and would probably cost more - I will let you know when I find out.
Denise

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there are so many good textile shops in Antigua and we were in so many different ones - the big handicraft market in Antigua is where we did a lot of shopping - many of the vendors in there have good quality textiles - many of the vendors live in a village near Antigua and make their textiles there and transport them to the Antigua market every day. We also did jade shopping in La Casa de Jade - have quite a few pairs of jade earrings in various colors - I love the little wooden boxes they use and the little handmade bags they put them in! We have not tried La Fonda - will have to go there this time. As to local art - my husband likes to get oil or watercolor paintings from each place we visit and in Antigua there are a lot of good street artists that hang out around the arch and paint and display their paintings - we got a couple of really nice watercolors from an artist there for around $10 each - you can find nice paintings in many stores for much more but we like to get ours from the street vendors - 1. like to support the local artisians that may not have big gallery support and 2. it is always nice to buy a painting directly from the artist! Most of the street artists in Antigua paint Antigua street scenes -the arch of course is popular as are the various doorways with colorful flowers and windowboxes and the volcanoes, we did not see too many paintings of villages or markets. Actually the best oil paintings we have bought were from Quito - many paintings of villages, flower fields and local life - really nice quality. We did do some shopping in Chichi market but I think the quality of the handicrafts in Antigua is much better. I have bought some beautiful handmade quilts in the Antigua market for around $30 and use them on the bed in the winter - they hold up great - I have 4 cats rolling around on them and put them in the washer and still holding up after 6 years - not like the ones here that are made in China and fall apart after 1 or 2 washings. I have to look up this web site I found that lists many of the textile places and handicraft markets in and around Antigua - I will post it as soon as I find the web site again - I thought I bookmarked it but did not - so will search for it again.
Denise

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Bonniejoy - When in February are you going to CP and Laguna? Maybe we will be there on the same dates.Message Edited by [email protected] on 08-06-2009 10:30 AM

[bonniejoy03]

End of Feb....are you flying from east coast? When are you going? Send me a private email (or I will also!)

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Hi Bonniejoy,
did my email come through? I had a bit of trouble getting it to send
Denise

[bonniejoy03]

Got it!! Looks like we will meet! I'll send you a PM. Can't wait to go but two trips before then!