The town of Momostenango (Momos for short) is in the department of Totonicapán in the Western Highlands of Guatemala and is known for their wool blankets and rugs. This is a cold area of the country and the blankets are very warm. I often mention how cold I am in my site to my family and friends in the Boston-area. If you have ever spent a winter in New England or have been following the news about the near record-breaking snowfall in Massachusetts this winter you can imagine that they have very little patience for me in this weather that never goes below freezing. In my defense there are a lot of things that help deal with with cold: indoor heating, non-concrete houses that don't hold in the cold, and running hot water. Sadly, indoor heating has not made it to rural Guatemala. I don't know of a single house in my town with heating. The same goes for hot water coming out of the sinks: unheard of outside of fancy hotels in touristy areas. This is fine but just means that I NEVER wash my dishes after dark because the pila (like a sink) is covered, but outside and it gets chilly with the cold water.
I don't currently own a Momos blanket, but I do have four thick blankets on my bed. Every singe one of them is necessary. I have also taken to covering my head (down to my nose) at night with a fleece blanket so that only my nose is exposed.
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Is there a Momos blanket in your future?
ReplyDeleteYou're right-- better to be warm inside even if 20 degrees outside than to be 50 in your room when you need to get out of bed in the morning-- and have to go outside to get to the bathroom. I'm not complaining.