According to our tour guide Neddy on the Volcán Pacaya hike, Guatemalans celebrate on Christmas Eve by eating special Christmas tamales and imbibing on tequila-spiked punch made from tropical fruits. Due to hangovers christmas morning is relatively quiet and most businesses are closed.
What we did instead:
Together with my Oregonian compadres we organized a tiny gift exchange. I found Guatemalan egg nog (!) at the supermarket, along with a sweet raisin Christmas loaf. The others found hats and shawls for each other. I ended up with an awesome trucker hat with the logo of one of the better beers here, Gallo. I'm very thankful for it.
Christmas eve dinner we found at a family-run Italian place on the Parque Central. I ordered and enjoyed a traditional Mayan spicy turkey stew called Kak'ik. Super delicious. Would have put me to sleep, were it not for the hours of fireworks everyone is so fond of here.
Boom, no sleep.
On Christmas day, I took advantage of the empty streets to get some great early-morning photos of the town. On the way back home, I ran into the dorm-mates and we headed to Christmas service at one of the churches.
Favorite coffee shop, &, located on the end of this red building.
Then Christmas day hike up to Cerro de la Cruz again. There were plenty of families out walking, and many of the women were in traditional dresses.
Merry Xmas 2012
(From left to right: Antigua Guatemala, Volcán de Agua, me, Cerro de la Cruz)
Muy delicioso. Ceviche is my favorite on this trip.
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