Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Smells of Guatemala

As I enter the last three weeks of my time here in Guatemala I have been thinking about what will trigger my memories of this place. As I thought about it I was reminded about how powerful our sense of smell can be. When I was in Mexico in 1993 I used an apple scented soap and to this day when I catch a wiff of that sent I am immediately back in that beautiful bathroom with the deep blue tiled tub!

So what smells might remind me of Guatemala - there are many distinctive ones on both the enjoyable and shall we say less enjoyable side of the spectrum.

I am particularly enjoying the smell of fresh fruit, especially sandia (watermelon) and naranga (oranges). There is so much fresh fruit available here for so few quesales it is a delight to gorge on what is available. We bought a watermelon yesterday for the equivalent of $1.60 Cdn and a pina (pineapple) is about the same!

Another smell is corn - it is one of the most important of the traditional foods. I think most common is the ever present tortilla ( more on that later when I write a blog on sounds) but it is also found in the tomales we buy hot in the mercado for 1Q a piece. They are really tasty with a fresh salsa ( especially if you take out the small chuck of meat) and of course buy the one that are spiced!

Oh and then there is diesel fuel. All the intercity buses run on diesel and it is a rare treat to be at the back end of one when it belches smoke. My most vivid memory to date of that rare pleasure is the trip back from Cerro de Ora on a very windy road with lots of diesel fueled trucks passing by. Let me simply say it was a good think I was sitting by an open window! I never travelled without gravol again.

And then there is Semana Santa. The massive Easter celebration has begun and I will write more in the coming days about what I see and hear but there is one smell that is so totally associated with this week. There is a very large seed pod ( large as in about six feet tall and about 9" across ) which is harvested for this week. The pod is slit open and inside is an equally long stock with multiple thin branches coming from it with multiple tiny bulbs. I firsted smelled it in Antigua four years ago and will forever think about processions and Semana Santa when I breath in the fragrance. I learned yesterday the tiny bulbs are wonderful in salads too!

The smell of dust. This is a country which does not have the pristine cleanliness of the cities and towns of the developed world, even in Guatemala City. The standards of cleanliness are different in part because it is so much harder to keep floors and windowsills and clothes clean when many of the roads and walkways are not paved; and when there is always a construction project underway. One of the most common sites as we walk from our posada into town is a mound of soil or rocks or gravel jutting out into the roadway. Most likely it is a signal that there is some building happening and the materials are for concrete. But on occassion it is a dirt slide. There is not been rain for about four months and everything is really dry. This allows sides of hills to slip down onto roadways and highways. And then this dirt blows - into your eyes, on to your clothes and of course into your homes and worksites. Its just a fact of life here and even the ever persnicky me has learned to go with the flow. ( of course it is easier when I can have a hot shower every night).

The sun has set behind Volcano San Pedro and we are going out for dinner ( you can only cook for four on a single burner so many nights in a row).

Adios para esta dia
Colina

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