Central America

“Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions”

By Peter Hoeg

Interesting portions of the Panama Canal cruise were visits to countries in Central America. Central America links North America and South America and separates the Caribbean from the Pacific. The ship stopped at ports in Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica on the Pacific side and Columbia on the Caribbean side. There are many active volcanoes in Central America. I chose to see Pacaya Volcano National Park. It was well behaved and only occasionally spit forth steam and strange noises.
Of all the Central American countries, I found Guatemala the most interesting. It is the largest country in Central America and the heart of the Mayan world. The Mayan culture is a group of 22 ethnic groups each with its own language and food traditions. The Mayans civilizations were cited from900BC to 1500AD. Many descendants proudly exhibit their heritage today through textiles and pottery. I found the colors and symbolism in each piece quite beautiful. It was a good moment to realize my suitcase space was limited!
Besides the traditional crafts and artisan works, I found the coffee aromatic and delicious. The plantations are in the high country on the sides of volcanoes. The cool temperature and volcanic ash provide a rich environment for the coffee trees. Now each cup of coffee I drink is greatly appreciated, after I saw the difficulty of picking the beans by hand, roasting them in small batches and packaging to send us the lovely brew.
Bananas are the main fruit export and the history of our breakfast staple is not entirely pleasant. While today the Banana Republic is a clothing store with global outlets, in 1904 it represented the countries where the United Fruit Company had holdings. The Company built infrastructure in exchange for land. With the ties established to railroads and ports came governmental influence. The supported political coups with weapons and access caused great instability in the region. The resulting instability affected the country’s economy in a negative way.
Again each day when I have a banana, I am grateful for all that it took and takes to make my cheerios even cheerier.
Not only most of our bananas but other fruits also come from Central America. The mangoes are plentiful and an amazing discovery was the cashew nut. It is actually a nut on top of the fruit (see photo). Harvested and roasted, it is another delicious treat for which to be thankful.
The countries are still primarily agrarian therefore poorer than in industrialized countries. They are making efforts toward diversifying, especially in areas of technology. The people are beautiful, friendly and proud. I returned with a great appreciation for what I have, what I saw and those I met.
Let’s have a cup of coffee soon.