Xaviera Hollander, famed authoress of some fifteen million books, and a long time columnist for Penthouse magazine is visiting Antigua, with her husband Phillip. Guatemala is a long way from Amsterdam, where she operates a internationally famous B&B but she’s finding it amusing. In between numerous book-signing and speaking appearances, she found time to visit Valhalla. What’s that? It’s 8 acres of macadamia trees and other varieties of shrubbery, located a few miles south of Antigua.
The owners, Larry and Emilia Gottschamer, have been there for thirty four years, growing several different varieties of nuts, and providing a daily ‘show and tell’ experience for tourists from all over the world. The local community (the beauty salon owners) come out for the macadamia nut facials: the owner’s wife, if truth be told, doesn’t appear to be seventy years old. It’s the oil…Lancome and Nivea use the oil in their anti-aging creams. Lorenzo, as he’s known, could use some but he’s too busy talking and serving up macadamia pancakes, chocolate covered macadamia nuts and shooing the dogs away from newly planted flowers.
As a prematurely retired fireman from Redwood City, Cal, he came to Guatemala in the 70’s, fell into the macadamia industry and never looked back. Ask him about his partner, who smuggled the original trees into Guatemala, in suitcases. Have an order of macadamia pancakes and sip his private estate-grown coffee: its black and thick and don’t expect to be able to have a siesta later. Admire the hand-made machinery.
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