My vegetarian Christmas dinner

It all began two days ago while waiting on the boat in Panajachel to return home after some shopping and exploring. Two foreign women (both named Nancy) were talking to a local in Spanish. We soon began talking and before the first stop where they got off we had exchanged email addresses.

Nancy B. invited me to Christmas dinner at La Iguana Perdida (The Lost Iguana) in Santa Cruz, the next community over to me. Santa Cruz is only accessible by boat or foot and has a large expatriat community. La Iguana Perdida was hosting a wonderful Christmas dinner. I arrived by boat about 3:00 and very soon about 50 people were served an amazing turkey dinner and for us vegetarians, stuffed eggplant. Dessert was homemade cheesecake and an assortment of holiday cookies. What a bargain for $12!

Nancy and her partner Pat are from the US and have built a home here in Santa Cruz where for the past 14 years they have spent the winter months helping out in this isolated community. They are doing some amazing work which you can check out at www.amigosdesantacruz.org

I met some wonderful people and look forward to getting together with Nancy once school is back and seeing firsthand the work they are doing in the community. It is an inspiring example of how you can put feet to a dream of making a contribution while living a life in the sunshine and beauty of a developing country. Just one look at the children´s faces and you know these women are doing a fabulous job of contributing back to a country they love.

It turned out to be one of my more memorable Christmas Days yet, thanks to a simple conversation that started 48 hours ago on a boat in a small village in a remote part of Guatemala. Who would have thought?

I trust that your Christmas was a wonderful time of family and community, good food and inspiring company.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Subscribe to the post comments feeds or Leave a trackback