Yay for Friday! Today is supposed to be Fermentation Friday, but unfortunately all of my fermentation projects are at home. As far as I know, the main fermented products here in Guate are coffee (the beans are fermented) and chocolate (again, the beans are fermented). The people here are all about beans. Beans for breakfast, beans for lunch, beans for dinner, beans for drinks and beans for dessert. Cool beans.

In lieu of fermentation, I'll post a few interesting things we saw while grocery shopping. Here in the markets of Guatemala they are ahead of Kroger & Walmart.

Tonight we'll be boarding a bus to spend all day tomorrow touring the ruins of Tikal. It's going to be a super Saturday!
-Bethany

This morning after a nice breakfast of eggs and grenadas, Hubs and I got our notebooks and left the hostel for our first day of Spanish school. I was a little nervous, but the morning went by quickly and by the time we finished I could understand more of what my teacher was saying. She did not speak to me in English at all, except to clarify some vocabulary words when I was really, really stuck. There were a lot of awkward pauses where I did not understand, or where I had to stop and think about what I wanted to say. However, my teacher Aura was very patient with me and understanding. She sure understood a lot more than I did!!

After school, we took a field trip with some of the other students to a chocolate factory. Unlike Choco Museo (which makes truffles and other candy-like chocolates), Chocolate Antigua is a small business that makes traditional Guatemalan chocolate used for making drinks like hot chocolate. This chocolate was grainy- not smooth like Hershey's or other "eating" chocolate. We got to sample many different flavors, from cinnamon to coffee to chili to macadamia nut. We also were able to see some of the workers forming the chocolate into round tortilla-like patties. The warm "dough" reminded me of cookie dough.

After being patted down, each wafer was marked with an "X", thereby making four servings per wafer. Each package for sale contained four wafers. They were then wrapped neatly in a square of brown paper, placed in a cellophane bag and tied with a ribbon.

After visiting the chocolate place, Hubs and I went to the market for some more fruit. We found a beautiful old arch on the way back.

After taking the picture, Hubs pointed out some puddles where I had been standing. Apparently this arch was a popular place to take a leak. 

A not-so-nice part of Antigua...

Today was a free day for us, as Spanish school starts tomorrow. After checking in with the school this morning, we headed over to the market to pick up some fruits & veggies. Most items at the market are cheaper than they are at the grocery store.

Grenadas, pictured below, are delightful little fruits even though the inside looks like snot. It is similar to a pomegranate, in that you eat the seeds. We had some for lunch... yum! I look forward to trying many new fruits in the next few weeks.

After lunch we took a siesta (afternoon nap!). Later in the afternoon we went down to Choco Museo where I attended a chocolate workshop called "Bean to Bar". We learned about the different steps involved in making chocolate and got to do some hands-on activities. 

I've dabbled in making truffles and other chocolates before, so this workshop piqued my interest. The chocolate made here in Antigua has a different, stronger flavor than any chocolate I've had. Their dark chocolate is especially flavorful. Hubs and I also sampled some cacao tea, made from the outer shell of cacao beans. It reminded me of Coco Wheats. :)

We finished out the day at Pollo Campero, similar to Kentucky Fried Chicken. I relished my last night of "no hablo Espanol", for tomorrow I officially start Spanish school.

Well folks, the house is in order. All the laundry done, dishes washed, the entire fridge cleaned out so there is nothing left but condiments. My garden work finished, houseplants watered, and my beloved goats are with other capable caregivers. At 3:30 A.M. this morning, we turned off the lights and headed for Detroit Metropolitan Airport.

For the next couple weeks we'll be traipsing the fine countryside of Guatemala. This week both Hubs and I will be going to a Spanish school to pick up some language skills (mostly me... Hubs is already good at it). I really like Antigua, where were are now. It is full of beautiful old Spanish Baroque architecture, flowering plants and manicured topiary trees. The cobblestone streets are lined with little shops and Guatemalans selling their wares. The sidewalks are just wide enough for the two of us to walk side by side. We find ourselves often stepping into the street to pass other pedestrians. Sometimes a crippled man or woman sits on the sidewalk asking for money. Cars drive bumper to bumper with motorcycles and tuc-tucs squeezing in wherever they can fit. Occasionally a big, loud "chicken" bus comes down the street, honking for everyone to get out of the way. All in all, it is a quaint yet exciting place to be.  

One of our first stops, at my request, was a grocery store. There I found my favorite food: EGGS!

Once I found the most important thing, we found the second most important thing: Chiky cookies! Cheap little graham cracker-like cookies that are SO yummy. Then we also got some banannas and a few other items. Here's an interesting factoid: a half-pound of cheese costs as much as one night's room and board. Cheese, or a place to sleep? Tough choice, I know.

International travel, if you have that opportunity, can give you a different perspective on life. I look forward to sharing some Guatemala-induced thoughts on lifestyle in the next few weeks.

Have you done any international travel? How has it affected you?