.......wait for it.......
.......yeah.......
not satifsfying, overhyped, and overpriced. Jing got 2 pc tradicional but wanted extra crispy ( which is ´´extra crispy´´ en espanol). I got a 1/4 roast chicken which we felt for sure was enough. When we got our food, the chicken look dry, NOT extra crispy, and poorly presented in a box. We expected an explosion of flavor but what we got was KFC maybe less. What's the hype??? I miss our home roasted pollo en Charlottesville. NO ES MEJOR!
There IS however a chicken place down the calle from us that looks AMAZINGGGGG. Fat, juicy, succulent (that's how I like them) and slowly turning in a GIGANTIC roaster. Mmmmmmmm. Most chicken in Xela is free range. Hippees are going YAY but little do they know the chickens here have little other choice. They roam freely in the streets especially in the campos (country) coming into and out of houses eating garbage and whatever else they find. One day, when they are not looking, slice and a crack....hours later they are in a roaster. That is free range pollo in Guatemala.
Now onto cafes!!
One of Jing and my favorite things in Guatemala. Cafes in Xela are not in short supply. Every corner there are a few. Finding one that suits you is the challenge. Two in particular have become our favorite places to study, drink coffee, read the papers, and shoot the mierda: Blintz on 13a avenida y 3a calle and Babiera of which there are two both with very different flavors and atmosphere. The funny thing about these cafes are that they cater especially to extranjeros. Majority of the people at such cafes tend to be students like us studying over a cup of joe. At both locations drip (tipo americano) coffee runs between $1.00 to $2.00 depending on the size. Not much for us but when the average Guatemalteco makes $277 monthly, blowing 1% of monthly income on a copa de cafe. Majority of the personas aqui drink instant cafe which cost fractions less. The baños at these places are also excellent. While you still need to adhere to the custom of throwing your toilet paper into the nearby wastebasket, the toilets are larger, bathrooms cleaner, and very western. Menus are partially in English and wifi is widely availabe (though 300kbs if that) perfect for blogging, responding to emails, and google translate. Me gusta!
Blintz is a "cafecito" or small cafe located two blocks from parque central and is a beautiful, modern loft style cafe with a wide selection of hot, cold, mixed, and blended beverages. In addition, they have delicious appearing desayuno (breakfast) menu complete with waffles, bacon, lots of fruits, and crepes. We frequent Blintz usually once a day.
Babiera is a new discovery recommended by Bruce and Linda, a retired couple from Maine living life to the fullest through selfless volunteering, learning, and traveling, whom Jing and I have become dear friends with. The downtown locale is a traditional appearing room reminiscent of cozy German beerhall than a cafe. The staff wears traditional trajes or clothing of Mayan women, and the tables are arranged and functional flower fountain in the middle. Menu is very similar to that of Blintz but with more than 10 breakfast combination platters in addition to the normal including panqueques, omelets, sausages, assorted pastries, etc. Wifi, mice bathrooms, and mayoria of extranjeros fill the halls. Of course, I can't leave coff the security detail. An unclean individual standing at most 5'6" dressed in scruffy and ill fitting clothes holding none other than a....shotgun.
Everywhere you turn in Xela, some guy is holding a shotgun and you hope to high heavens it's not pointed at you. According to our in-country coordinator, one only needs to be marginally intelligent (IQ 60-70 while avg is 100) to wield a shotgun. Mayoria of these folks are standing outside bancos and large stores.....and a cafe. Security in Guatemala is nonexistant. People get mugged frequently usually for petty things: money, watch, jewlery. A pair of gringas (fem) were mugged by a small group of 12yos with MACHETES in broad daylight in a smaller community outside of Xela. The aunt of our homestay mother was also robbed at night while walking alone. The latter is something you should NEVER attempt in Xela especially at night.
The other Babiera is closer to where Jing and I live in Zone 3 (calles and avenidas in Xela have similar numbers but differ based on the zone). In terms of setting, this is probably our favorite. Entering the cafe, you feel as if you are in a different world. The decor, walls, floors give one the impression that they are in Europe in a cozy cafe on the side of the street. There is an open central jardin with a flowing fountain, beautiful mural, cobblestoned ground, and tables with large paraguas intended to block out the sun (or rain this time of year). I hope to spend a whole morning there, awaiting the sun rise, drinking my cafe, and sucking down a big desayuno. Sexy, no?
Cafes may be what Jing and I miss most in Xela after we head to Santiago this weekend to start working at the local hospital. While the coffees are not as good as they are in the USA, I am pleasantly pleased by the settings and decor.
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