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Making Chocolate at the Choco-Museo

1/22/2015

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            The cultivation of chocolate is as old as the Maya themselves. Indeed cacao is one of the great gifts the Maya gave the world.  Given that chocolate has been used in Mesoamerica since 1900 BC, it can be challenging to find a good locally made chocolate bar here in Guatemala.  But thanks to Antigua's Choco-Museo, the answer to this puzzle and the remedy for chocolate lovers are both on-site, along with complimentary cups of chocolate tea. 

            While it is possible to visit the free museum and purchase artisan dark, milk and white chocolates, both the museum and the store’s offerings come to life in the lively two hour chocolate making workshop led by Pablo. Pablo not only knows and loves his subject, cacao and chocolate, but he is an exquisite performer and a personable instructor managing to pack both history and plenty of hands-on experience in this five star  two hour workshop.

             Pablo explained that cacao trees were a customary part of Mayan household gardens.  Chocolate was consumed by all members of Maya society, while the Aztecs in the north reserved it’s use solely for the elite.   Spanish friars from Mesoamerica introduced chocolate to the Spanish court.  At first, the bitter chocolate was rejected as  unpleasant,  but the friars added sugar and chocolate  became a European and then a global sensation. The 1800s brought the advent of the first European chocolate bars and their mass production.

        


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The Blessing of the Animals, Oaxaca, Mexico

1/22/2015

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At first there were only a few dogs, but they were dressed up, in tutus and blouses, hair ribbons fastened to their shiny clean fur, one, an older poodle was even wearing make up.  They looked curiously at the gathering tribe of species, especially of course at the other dogs. 

The blessing was supposed to start at 4:00 but in Mexico things take a while to get going.  There were benches in the park outside the church and vendors sold bubbles, candy and toys but wisely avoided selling tacos or other carnivorous treats as costumed animals,  sometimes with matching humans, began to fill the plaza.
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    Louise "Luisa" Wisechild, PhD

    I first visited Guatemala in 1995  as a member of the Vashon Island sister city delgation to Santiago de Atitlan, Guatemala.
    I been living in Guatemala since 2011.   I didn't intend to stay  -- my idea was to develop tours in numerous countries.  But I fell in love with Guatemala --  where every day I learn something new or see something I have not seen before.  Guatemala is a land of diverse natural beauty.  Living in a Kachikel Maya pueblo, which is also a gathering spot for international budget travelers, makes this a rare and fascinating residence.    My  curiosity and my heart  are engaged here every day, in my relationships.   .  I enjoy  speaking spanish with friends, and learning more about the Maya culture, giving tarot readings in Spanish and also singing my growing  repertoire of  Spanish songs. 
    I am a  lifelong independent traveler and group leader.  As a graduate student in interpersonal communication and the creative arts, I  led tours to Oaxaca, Mexico for the Day of the Dead and co-facilitated a tour to the goddess sites of Mexico with Global Awareness through Experience.  I have  been fortunate to visit Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Bali, Thailand, Australia, Europe, Canada and  the US.   Bit by bit, I will go global again, but Latin America is so enchanting. . . .

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