| Greening in Guatemala |
They ate so many avocados they became known as panzas verdes. Green bellies. That’s about all there was to eat after the earth shook Guatemala’s capital to pieces in 1773. The Spanish rulers decreed the city dead, but a foolhardy few chose to remain behind to live amid the rubble. It would be tempting to say thus was born guacamole, but it ain’t necessarily so.
Agua volcano looms behind colorful streets
But Antigua—literally, “old” Guatemala—was re-born. Today it is the most perfectly preserved time warp in Central America. A charming and gracious city of colorful colonial-style buildings and cobblestoned streets that UNESCO has designated as a World Heritage Site. Traditional Hispanic-Mayan life co-exists here with students from all over the world who come to study at the numerous Spanish language schools. The rest of us come for the languid drama of such a lovely place framed by a trio of volcanoes, for the religious and cultural pageantry and music, the shopping, the art.
Sabe Rico: tranquil garden dining
We wish we could say the city of the green bellies is also a mecca for green travelers. You will find the region’s organically grown coffee, which is wonderfully rich and chocolately. Our favorite find is an easily overlooked spot that offers “healthy food for healthy people.” And quite delicious food inspired by tipico Guatemalan cuisine, we hasten to add. Here you’ll find the best version of pepían, the country’s favorite molé-like dish, as well as anti-oxidant juice blends and fantastic salads. It’s known as Sabe Rico , a jardín secreto (secret garden) restaurant in a beautifully landscaped setting that’s a former horse stable; it’s also a natural and organic deli and products store, and a chocolatería that offers truffles infused with its own organic herbs. We ended up filling our bellies here on several occasions, and always left with big smiles on our faces. You’ve gotta love a place where the chef—a talented and hard-working young lady named Andrea who supplements the restaurant garden with as much organic as she can—comes to the table to apologize that a certain salad cannot be made today. “The bunny ate the arugula,” she says and shrugs. We had noticed a pudgy rabbit nosing through the lush gardens. 7 6th Avenue South, between 5th & 6th Sts
