What about Second Breakfast?

I am a giant in the land of… hobbits. All around me Guatemalans appear to be no taller than around five feet or less. Many of them have round faces with pronounced cheek bones, making them look like hobbits from J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels. My land lord has the innocent, yet mischievous look of one of these small creatures. His stooped shoulders and large, gentle blue-brown eyes emphasize this appearance. While these hobbits speak Spanish, instead of Irish-English, and they don’t tend to wear short pants or suspenders, the similarity is remarkable.

In Xela on Tuesday, while eating lunch in a taquería, I had an interesting conversation with a group of conservation officials from CONAP. As we discussed food, one of them admitted to Guatemalan’s bad habbit of eating snacks. He said, “It’s terrible really. We have breakfast, then a snack at 10:00 then lunch then another snack then another snack before dinner…. It’s okay if you’re hiking all day, but when you’re just sitting in an office….” I tried with difficulty to repress the laughter bubbling up inside me. His words reminded me forcefully of Pippin and Strider’s conversation:

Strider: Gentlemen, what are you doing? We do not stop ‘til nightfall.
Pippin: Making breakfast.
Strider: You’ve already had breakfast.
Pippin: We’ve had one, yes, but what about second breakfast!?

Wherein Strider huffs off and throws apples at the hobbits.

Merry: I don’t think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.
Pippin: What about elevensees, luncheon, tea, dinner, supper!?

Hobbits in Guatemala, incredible.