The Chez Daniel Loop.
A circuit of western Guatemala – as suggested by Daniel, the owner of B&B Chez Daniel in Antigua.
Antigua to Chichicastenango: Surrounded by valleys, with nearby mountains looming overhead, Chichicastenango seems isolated in time and space from the rest of Guatemala. When its narrow cobbled streets and red tiled roofs are enveloped in mists, it’s magical.
Chichicastenango to Nebaj (via Huehuetenango): Set deep in a bowl in the dramatic, largely untouched Cuchumatanes mountains, Nebaj’s foreigner population consists of equal parts hardcore hikers and volunteers who work with the desperately poor communities in the surrounding countryside. The locals, removed from modern influences, proudly preserve their ancient way of life.
Nebaj to Hacienda San Antonio (Acul): Giuseppe Azzari Magini was a great Italian artisan cheese maker who was born in the Swiss Alps – an ideal location for making cheese.
In 1932 Giuseppe, who by now had been working in California for some years, left the United States and headed to Guatemala. He settled in Ancul and built what is now called Hacienda San Antonio.
The Hacienda currently has 37 Jersey and Friesian cows that are all milked by hand; it takes five people around an hour to milk the whole herd. The milkers sit on a 1-legged milking stool which is strapped to them like a belt! Each cow has its own name. A rope is tied around their legs to stop them kicking! All the milk is organic and the level of hygine would put UK farmers to shame! Every cow is hand washed for around 3-minutes prior to milking. The Hacienda makes its own cream and cheese. Any surplus milk is collected, in churns, and sent to the nearby market.
Next stage: The Chez Daniel Loop – Part Two.
