Fact 1: Chicken pepián Guatemala doesn’t really have a national dish, but pepián is probably the closest thing to it. This spicy stew, borne out of the fusion of the Spanish and Maya cultures, is one of the oldest dishes in Guatemala. Although chicken is most commonly used, it can also be made with beef or pork. All varieties of the dish contain both fruit and vegetables (usually pear, squash, carrot, potato and corn) and a rich mix of spices. It’s traditionally served with rice and tortillas. Empanadas Empanadas are crispy, buttery pastries that are perfect for lunch on the go. Throughout Central America, these usually have a meat filling, but in Guatemala, most are vegetarian and filled with potato and/or spinach and covered with a variety of toppings such as guacamole, tomatoes, onion and cilantro. Chocolate Considered the birthplace of chocolate, Guatemala and the cacao bean have a long history, and the quality of chocolate here is exceptional. The Maya deemed it ‘the food of the gods’, and cacao played an enormous part in the local history. It was traditionally served as a drink in Guatemala rather than eaten, and even now locals prefer to sip on it rather than bite into a bar. Either way tastes pretty good. Fact 2: Some sports Guatemalans enjoy are sport fishing, golf, marathons, ultramarathons and triathlons. Fact 3: (Festivals) February 2-4 – Coffee Harvest Festival in Guatemala Independence Day – Día de la Independencia – September 15 October 20 – Revolution Day (Comemoración de la Revolución de 1944) November 1-2 – All Saints Day Guatemala /Día de Todos los Santos and Día de Los Muertos /Day of the Dead
