Well because whether you come for a relaxing weekend, to celebrate your wedding, or conduct your business gathering, you will do it in the greatest style whilst reducing your carbon footprint to have the smallest impact possible. We are working hard here to create, on a small scale, a way of living by respecting the environment. The hotel was conceived as an ecological venture to protct the wonderful landscape around us and to minimize our impact on the environment. Whenever possible, building materials found on site were used-sacks filled compressed earth, rock, stone, and thatch, as well as recyycled bottles, old doors, windows and fittings from demolished houses, recylced tiles, etc. Our water system was designed so that grey water can be used for the garden, and our septic tanks also have an environmentally friendly design. Here at IslaVerde we utilize sustainable solar energy to provide our guests with hot water and elecricity. We have several solar panels that generate  energy which heat our water tanks and provide water to each of our cabins. Electricity in our cabins is also solar powered. In our day-to-day functioning, we are following the same ethos by making compost for our garden with organic waste and recycling the rest into building materials. Along with many other eco-friendly ways involved wiht daily functioning of our hotel, IslaVerde is a place where all of us are able enjoy ourselves while making the smallest carbon footprint possible.

Being a huge fan of Anthony Bourdain, I read all his books and follow his tv show with great interest. In his latest episode he travels to Dubai and goes skiing…. indoors! Although I have always wanted to go there and even maybe try the indoor skiing (because I love to ski), it struck me that this a place that is exactly the opposite of what we are trying to do here at IslaVerde. In Dubai they build the most extreme buildings possible, set records left and right with the amount of money and supplies going into these places, and seem to have little care about the impact they make on their environment. Even Anthony Bourdain notes that Dubai has, “the largest carbon footprint per person of any place on earth.”

Although we are very bothered by their ways and methods there… I must say it is very innovative and impressive at the same time.

I am sure we have all been told growing up by our elders that eating carrots can help your eyesight and make you see better. And maybe even see in the dark. Whether this be true or not, we were forced to eat the carrots on our plates (along the brussel sprouts and broccoli).  Although I still don´t know if that ´myth`  is really true or not, here is some other food for thought about carrots…..

Carrots are a root vegetable that originated in Afghanistan. They were purple, red, white, and yellow, but never orange.

Both the Ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated carrots.

Hippocrates recommended women eat carrot seeds to prevent pregnancy. Some modern studies indicate there may be some validity to this and that eating carrot seeds after intercourse may in fact prevent the egg implantation process and block progesterone synthesis.

China is the world’s top carrot producer.

Carrots are about 87% water.

Orange carrots get their color from beta carotene.

One cup of raw carrots contains about 52 calories.

The longest carrot ever recorded was nearly 17 feet long.

The largest carrot ever recorded weighed 18.985 pounds.

Guatemalan Coffee is purely magical and delicious!

And one cup just doesn´t do the trick for me cause I keep craving more!

I know we don’t have a pool here, but since we do love to swim I thought I could share this SPECTACULAR pool with you in Singapore….

Tomato is the most popular fruit worldwide!

Tomatoes are rich in Vitamins C and A and fibre. They are also cholesterol free! Maybe this is why we use them everyday in almost every item we serve!

But my personal favorite is our bloody mary’s. We make them from scratch, seriously! When we get an order for a fresh bloody mary we…… 1) skin the tomatoes 2) put them in the blender with hot sauce, worchestire, red pepper, vodka, salt & pepper 3)and anything else you request 4)and top it off with a fresh lime! You can’t beat it!

….. eat plenty of tomatoes!

Rain Rain Rain

Rainy season here in Guatemala is not how is sounds. Sure it rains a lot and maybe you have to trap your self indoors watching it pour outside wishing you could hike that volcano across the lake or take out those kayaks sitting on the beach….. but in reality the rain here is beautiful. When the rain terminates the sun shines through the clouds, the lake glistens, and calmness transpires. The rain is unpredictable, yet provides one with a spontaneous vacation. So if you are one of those people who enjoys an unpredictable vacation whilst meeting new people then you will love guatemala. The rainy season is nothing but pleasure, serenity, and a new adventure!

check out this link to know more. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/07/100727-plastic-bottle-catamaran-completes-epic-pacific-crossing/