Lago Atitlàn

Finally I have visited the famous waters of Lago Atitlàn.

We set out Saturday morning on what we thought to be a direct bus to Panajachel, Guatemala. Panajachel hosts one of the largest markets for Guatemalan goodies - textiles, purses, bags, bracelets, earrings, masks, flutes, food, the whole thing. We were to meet up with 9 other friends who left earlier in the day. To our surprise we transferred buses two times before arriving in Panajachel. First at a cross roads called Los Encuentros in the middle of nowhere. Thirty seconds later we boarded bus 2. When everyone exited at Sololà we followed suit and entered bus 3. This bus whirled down winding mountain roads toward the lake. A roller coaster ride on a bus packed with locals. Many wore their native clothing. Women commonly wear Mayan clothes but not men. This was my first time seeing men in native clothing, an example photo is attached.

Bus 1 - 2 hours - $2
Bus 2 - 30 min. - 30 cents
Bus 3 - 30 min - 30 cents





We arrived in Panajachel and found out the direct bus with our friends had only arrived minutes earlier and they were in a cafe 20 feet from where we exited the bus. What a lucky trip!! We ate lunch, waited for the rain to pass, and caught a bus to San Pedro, a hippie town across the lake. Boat trip - $2.50.

Now this lake is surrounded by volcanoes. Breathtaking boat trip. At the lake we found a hostel for $2.50 and set out exploring the trails around the pueblito (small town). Very tiny, many Guatemalan hippies. After a night of relaxation with Gallo cervezas in hammocks at the hostel I followed friends to the full moon party across the lake. This was more like a freightening halloween rave. It wreaked of marajuana and gasoline. Marajuana from the hippies, gasoline from the entertainment. Similar to Thailand, people swung gasoline soaked balls at the end of a chain, which were lit on fire. Entertaining yet extremely freightening when they enter the center of dancing youth while swinging the balls of fire.. the youth clear out quickly. Full moon however, masked the aweful odors with its beauty over the volcanoes and lake. I myself for the record to not smoke marajuana for reason number one because i am drug tested at my job, which starts in mere moments in Washington DC.

Back to Guatemala, on Sunday I traveled home by car with a Guatemalan friend I have here who lives in Los Angeles. We went with his cousins, uncles and siblings to a soccer game in a pueblo west of Xela (where I study). At the game I ate food served by Mayan women, meat, black beans, rice and tortillas, smothered in spicy runny salsa. This is very typical food if you have not gotten that vibe from my blog yet. It costs under $2 for the lunch. Though I had a small cautious warning emitting from my stomach (food cooked on the street- warning), I ate and enjoyed it.

Some cultural observations-

·on one bus trip a mayan women´s baby was playing with my thai bracelet. While cute, I have a small fear of making eye contact with children. There used to be rumors that foreigners would steal babies. Even in Xela, my 8 year old brother walked a few blocks home by himself after school last week. Mom was not very happy.

·there is no rush in guatemala. I have learned to say I am in a rush, but on public transportation you wait until it is full, really full. Bus, boat and taxi. The buses in Xela are small 15 passenger vans. They fill up to 22. Friday I was resting each leg a small amount on chairs, but mainly in a crack between chairs. This crack IS a chair. On buses, we ride 3 or 4 to a seat (american school bus seat) and people are more prone to sit in the first spot, not fill in the open seats. So moving through aisles is adventurous. I do enjoy this type of travel when I have nothing with me but $15.