my guatemalan adventure continues…
yesterday we hired a driver to take us on a 3-village tour to san pedro las huertas, san antonio aguas calientes, and san juan del obispo. away we went in a light drizzle on our voyage of discovery.
we visited a mayan home where we sampled many varieties of fruit wines.
we met many sweet, docile doggies. i chatted with them and wanted to adopt this one. and i’m not even a dog person!
i was entranced by a candy store featuring homemade delicacies where this sweet woman patiently told me the name of each candy. naturally i had to get a small box for treats back at la casa blanca. not being central american candy aficianados, mary & syd were much less enthusiastic about my selections. they refused to believe that one of my selections tasted exactly like pineapple upside-down cake. whatever!
the flowering trees and shrubs continue to delight.
this large leafed tree had huge pom pom type flowers hanging from it’s branches. if you’re familiar with it and know the name please tell me!
we also visited a tiny artisan chocolate operation. each of us purchased a different flavor of chocolate for eating or making hot chocolate. you may know that guatemala is known for its fine coffee plantations & rich chocolate heritage. there is even a chocolate museum in antigua where you can learn all about the importance & history of the cacao.
i’m typing this post in the dining room while mary & syd putter around. raindrops are pinging off the tile in the courtyards. we’re slow moving so far on this sunday far from home. sipping hot tea & coffee. making vague plans to leave the house and wander the wet streets. i’m going to paint a picture in my sketchbook.
syd made these little bags for mary and i. aren’t they wonderful?!
see you soon.
Your inquiry on the large leaf tree lead me on a quest to find the answer. And surprisingly, I believe I found the answer …. quite quickly. It appears to be a tropical hydrangea. http://toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/garden_catalog/cat.cgi?uid=Dombeya_cayeuxii
Love the photo of the ….. dates?
I’m so enjoying your travels with you. The Guatemalans live in a land of color. No wonder their fabrics are so gorgeous.
We know a hard working immigrant from Guatemala who saved his $$$ and now has a coffee plantation that his eighty year old father oversees for him. When they go back to visit, he and his wife bring us gifts of coffee and textiles.
The color–you must be in heaven with your paints–the vibrant yellows and oranges and pinks!! Yummy!!
Beautiful journey. Aren’t the women in your photos absolutely exquisite. Country side (10), People (10), Textiles (22), chocolate (10), fruit wines (?) … doesn’t get much better than this. Thanks for a wonderful post. xoDonna
Such beautiful photos Mary Ann. I would love to go to Guatemala one day and am loving following your adventure!
Beautiful, magical photos. So nice you are having pals to share all this with.
Omg coffee chocolate and cake I’m so there lol and that red dog I sure would take it home xx
Delighted by the photos, the mention of chocolate has my mouth watering and have a huge fondness for sweets of all kinds, so all I can say is YUM. Drizzle is nice, something about wandering a foreign land in the rain is enchanting. Yes. Please.
I’m not perfectly sure, because I don’t remember the tree having leaves when it flowers, but I think that tree might be called a Lapacho. If you drink tea made from it, it’ll cause you to have an abortion or cure your tummy ache. Or maybe those two = the same thing.
I love the moist light in all of the photos. Contrasted with the brilliant colors it makes a complementary partner in each picture.