Sweet River Food

Rio Dulce, which translates as 'sweet river' runs from Lake Izabel in the eastern part of Guatemala, to the Caribbean. The river meanders for 10km in a spectacular gorge and either side is covered with teak, mahogany and palms. I took an unforgettable boat trip, starting in Rio Dulce, and continuing as far as Livingston, and spotted howler monkeys and toucans - no opportunities for boredom to set in! The highlight of the trip, was however, food-related! We stopped off at one of the riverside restaurants for a 'tapado' lunch. Tapado is a staple Guatemalan dish of this region and traditional food of the Garifuna people (old and proud caribs) who live in Livingston. Essentially a fish stew, the tapado was a fragrant and rich concoction of coconut milk, spices, plantains and seafood, including shrimp and snapper - mouthwateringly delicious!