Editorial

Farming Organically

Farming Organically

written by Dianne Carofino photos: George Carofino What makes a farm “organic,” one that grows organic produce? We put that question to Alex Kronick as we tour Caoba Farms, his five-acre organic farm on the outskirts of La Antigua Guatemala. Alex began his business six years ago, originally selling organic produce to one restaurant, and [...]

Social Experiment

Social Experiment

Joshua Bell plays Bach at a Metro Station in Washington, D.C. on a cold, January morning The man with a violin played six Bach pieces in about 45 minutes. During that time approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After three minutes a middle-aged man noticed there [...]

El Pilar

El Pilar

The final article of a three-part series exploring El Pilar—a raw and wild reserve where the proprietors have a vision for developing it into a sustainable resource for valuable research and first-rate birdwatching.

Culture Unshocked: Toys and Play

Culture Unshocked: Toys and Play

written by Ana Flinder Not long ago, while perusing the endless tables piled high with used North American clothes at the Saturday paca market in La Antigua, I found a little T-shirt that caught my eye. It was about the right size for a 5 year old, and on it read “I want it— You [...]

Culture Unshocked

Culture Unshocked

Written by Ana Flinder Culture shock is a strange phenomenon which most of us have experienced in one way or another. For those of us who travel outside of our own countries infrequently, arrival in a new and foreign culture can be absolutely overwhelming; every moment is filled with so many new sights and sounds, [...]

Out of the Blue

Out of the Blue

Written by Terry Kovick Biskovich Dateline: 1987 Northern California Grandpa Jones, 93-year-old tribal medicine man. From the Files of G.W. Sweetwater and B. Yates-Penny “It’s a matter of belief, there’s nothing else. You get what you give out or what you’re afraid of. Did you know that everything out there is a reflection? Let me [...]

The Nahualá Table

The Nahualá Table

Written by Tony Pasinski While textiles form one part of Guatemalan Style, another major element is furniture. And there the Nahualá table is probably king. No home in Guatemala is complete without one. How it got its name is a mystery since in the town of Nahualá, it’s known as a mesa de cocina. The [...]

The True Adventures of Taymor

Written by J.B. “So this is what quicksand feels like,” thought Taymor. He was waist-deep in mud and sinking slowly. With two miles of jungle between him and the resort, yelling for help would waste needed energy. His legs were completely pinned beneath the weight of the slick gray mud, and even with his machete [...]

The Stela and the Wasps

Written by Dennis Wheeler There we were, playing charades with a man who we feared wouldn’t live past sunset. One day, late in 1966—while surveying land the government had granted to our cooperative—instead of returning to base camp on our own trail, we decided to angle off and explore some more of the jungle. Much [...]

¿Cuántos Besitos?

¿Cuántos Besitos?

You may be surprised at the dilemma in which I and, I suppose, other males find themselves from time to time. I refer in particular to the different cultural patterns that determine how many kisses a lady should be given on meeting and departure.

The Raw Coffee Quality Pyramid

In the coffee world, there’s a quality pyramid that illustrates the many types and qualities of this popular beverage. The broad base of the pyramid rests on the two main commercial species: arabica and robusta. Arabica is the one that popularized coffee consumption throughout the world, and all fine coffees belong to this species. Robusta [...]

Not Your Traditional Artesanía

Not Your Traditional Artesanía

Written by Ira Lewis Local craftsmen recruited to build a classic wooden catboat I’ve sailed all my life, and for years I’ve wanted to build a boat. I have the time. OK, so do it. But I’m not a good carpenter, and I don’t have proper tools. I live in La Antigua, where there are [...]

Cooking With Class

Cooking With Class

Written by Dianne Carofino Where the excuse “I ate my homework” actually works Outdoor dining at its best: under a 130-year-old avocado tree in the walled garden of a La Antigua colonial home. The menu? Traditional Guatemalan dishes: subanik—a four-meat stew with a spicy sauce of puréed roasted tomatoes and red peppers, white-dough tamal to [...]

16 Year Anniversary: A Retrospective

16 Year Anniversary: A Retrospective

RAINBOW CAFÉ and READING ROOM (7a avenida sur #8, La Antigua) Behind every successful business are people who conceived and toiled over it, fretted and rejoiced … Philippa Meyers and Ted Lindland are two such people. Here they are, to share some memories of the Rainbow. Philippa, at age 21, completed a clothing production course [...]

Top 10 Children Rentals for November

JennyStar DVD Rentals presents the top 10 children rentals for November* 1» The Chronicles of Narnia 2» Ratatouille 3» Happy Feet 4» Charlie and Chocolate Factory 5» Madagascar 6» Chicken Little 7» Harry Potter and the Gobblet of Fire 8» Robots 9» The Little Mermaid 10» The Incredibles * according to jennystardvd.com Like Unlike