Guatemala Dentistry

So you are travelling and you get that pain.  

TOOTHACHE!!!!! 

YIKES....It has to be the worst pain on this planet and yes that pain well it is all yours. It is personal, it is annoying and yes it HURTS!!

So whether you have an emergency toothache to get rid of, or you just want that planned dental work, you need to go to someone you can trust. 

Guatemala has only around 2000 licensed dentists. The rest are people that just pull teeth and put gold fillings over cavities.   

Here I want to recommend to you a real dentist that you can actually trust. 
He is Dr. Fredy Barrios.
The clinic is in Edificio Torre Professional Primer Nivel, Clinica 7, (7767-2707) <dentalguate@gmail.com> is on 17th avenida 4-42 zona 3, here in Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala.

I personally had some dental work done there. An exam with an Xray cost me Q150 ($18.75). The tooth was a mess and so a root canal was suggested. A specialist did the work and my root canal cost me Q800 ($100).... Teeth cleaning costs Q100 so not really very much ($ 12.50).

But don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself.

Snip Snip Snip

Snip, snip snip...

Most people do not think of getting a haircut here... I mean how long will you be here anyway??? No one is going to travel here for a haircut... are they. Hey I can see a whole new industry here. It could be called "Hairstyle Travel." Well why not, after-all there is Medical Travel and Dentistry Travel so why not Hairstyle Travel. And that thought conjures all manner of possibilities. Get a inexpensive hair style and cut... and throw in a holiday in the process.

So here in Quetzaltenago, Guatemala if you do want a tidy up.. well for the guys you can head down to 8th calle and 10 avenida in zona one, just south of parque central. Here in a few steps in from the corner is a place with plenty of chairs and plenty or eager barbers to take care of you. They even have a chair set up like a racing car for the younger kids. You will never have to wait here very long but if you do, you can always chat with someone to practice your espanol or read a local newspaper. Haircuts cost a whopping Q10 ($1.25) for a cut of your choice.

Many times I have sat in chairs there, watching as my greyish brown locks mix with the black hair on the floor. I am always in and out very quick and efficient.

Ladies for reasonable cuts there are two places side by side in Mont Blanc 4th calle and 19th avenida in zona 3. The Mont Blanc mall is just a short distance and very close to the large Democracia market that you should also check out. Cuts go for around Q90 ($11.25). I have never understood why the gals pay more.

So if you are looking for that tidy up and want a great haircut at really great prices, take a look at places lke these. But don't take my word for it check it out yourself.

Cervesa WARS...

Cervesa.. pour away..
With beer here in Xela we have Cabro, Gallo and Moza. Cabro before could only be purchased in Xela until recently, but now there are some select places in Antigua that now sell it. But this blog is not here to talk about or support Antigua but Xela and all of the wonderful experiences you will appreciate here in Quetzaltenago the cradle of culture. So on with cervesa.What we also have here in Xela is something called Mixta. Mixta is not exactly a brand but a 50/50 blend of Gallo and Moza in draft form. 

Pricing for the same brews differs sometimes drastically in Xela. Large bottles or litro bottles can got for from Q25 each to Q40 for the same product. One place can have a specials as in Cabro for Q25 where that is the regular price in most places.

But the best deal for cervesa seems to be El Duende located in Enrica Pasaje closest to the park. Having said that some bars have dropped their prices just to attract you, that potential customer. I have seen litro bottles lately being sold for as little as Q20.

But don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself. 

SHOTS on 13th Avenida

Shots on 13th Avenida.
 

Amidst the curl of the beat, the swirl and movement, the excitement, that pounding... there is yes believe it or not yes another niteclub that has opened in Xela.

SHOTS a connection of rooms spilling shapes and curves. SHOTS... take a peek.

Two serving bars.

What constitutes a niteclub? Why would SHOTS be so different. To understand that to make sense of that, you have to understand the person in charge....

But don't take my word for wander over one evening.

Xela where to eat

I do not know about anyone else, but I really enjoy the experience of eating. I am not a really big eater and certainly do not wolf it all down. Eating can be more than just survival. Eating is passion, is extacy, is fun and is part of life. It is an exploration of experience.

As I also really love to cook, eating is more than opening a package for me and heating something up.. Eating and yes cooking then becomes that art. That discovery of new tastes and smells and yes definately in the way it is all presented.

Eating out can be a treat as well.

Hamburgers can be more than just ground beef. They are called Hamburgesa's here in Xela, Guatemala,
For the very best Hamburgesa in Xela take a stroll through Pasaje Enrico to the El Portal. No one else in Xela comes close to making a hamburger like they do. It is a sumptuous, flavourful and an extravaganza of a meal. There are fast food outlets and bars that proclaim they serve food... or something BBQ, no names mentioned, just avoid them at all costs. Antonio's place makes the only hamburgers fit to be called Hamburgesa's in Xela.

For a local flavour and (cheap) try Belisa on the 5 calle side of Pasaje Enrica.

Beer and pricing... (so you decide).
While products are the same, prices for that same quantity differ drastically here. Sometimes we pay a little extra for ambience or atmosphere. So here I list several beverage places with that difference in price and a my own rating for "ambience." Someone had to do it...

Under construction... still tasting...