Following our 2 weeks in Antigua at Spanish school we headed off to Lago de Atitlan (Lake Atitlan) which is a high lake formed in the basin caldera of a volcano. It is 340m deep, has a surface area of 130 sq kms, is 1560m above sea level and is bordered by 3 volcanoes on its southern edge. It is reported to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. I would say it has to go close.
We travelled from Antigua on a mini bus built for small people. There were 2 of us on the bus that fitted OK the other 13 people were mostly around 6ft or taller and travelled for the 4 hours with their knees around their ears. We headed for San Pedro Laguna, a small community on the western side of the lake. The trip from the rim (approx 2500m high) down to the lakes edge was a little concerning. The road was very steep, windy and with very little bitumen left in between the massive potholes. For most of the trip down all we could smell were burning brakes. I think we had Antonio De Resta driving (one of my ancestors was a racing car driver) which added to the general feeling of unease that we all had (so i wasn't the only wooze). We arrived safely at the bus stop, unloaded our gear and hailed a couple of tuk tuks to take us to our hotel. We were 'gringo'd' again, being charged Q20 instead of Q10. You would think that after spending 2 weeks at Spanish school we might have improved a little in speaking with people, but no, they see us coming a mile off. Anyway the Hotel Sakcari turned out to be very nice. Right on the water, large comfortable rooms, very close to restaurants and good coffee, what else could you want. Well as it turns out a few more days availability. We could only stay 3 nights then had to move. We then went next door to the Mikaso Hotel which was cheaper but no lake view from our room, but OK.
We spent our time lying around, drinking great coffee, eating lots of different cuisine at cheap prices, drinking wine, Moza (Guatemalan dark lager beer) and Pina Coladas while watching the lake. It actually felt like a holiday - no study, no cooking and no working on the boat.
Room with a view - Hotel Sakcari
Looking from Hotel Sakcari to Hotel Mikaso
Local fisherman
The resident cat at Mikaso, They also had a German Shepard called 'Patcho"
Ducks
Women washing clothes next to the hotel. The locals also bath here each night.
Part of the shoreline in San Pedro
Looking from the town dock up into town
Hotel Mikaso - John and Jens 'working' in the downstairs lobby
We took a tour of the lake by launcha where we visited 3 other towns/villages, spending about an hour or so in each one exploring.
We were lucky with the weather. It was a sunny still morning and reasonably clear as the lake can be quite foggy/misty.
We visited Panajachel, the largest of the communities on the lake. The main road leads to Panajchel so it tends to be a tourist hub. I must admit we walked up to the main road but didn't see anything too amazing about this place.
We ventured onto another small village called San Antonio. This is a Maya village built on the steep side of the lake. We were met on the dock by a woman who was selling the 'tipico' woven cloth. She offered to take us to her home to see how the cotton is dyed. We followed her up steep ally ways, up stairs, winding ever upward. It's no wonder these people are fit. They walk everywhere and it is either up or down. We were all puffing by the time we got to the top.
This is the view from her home looking over the roofs of her neighbours and across the lake to 'Indians Nose'. We noticed that most of the houses everywhere we go look to be under construction. I think they leave them like this so extensions/another floor can be added at a later date.
This mud hut held the loom. The dye was prepared in another hut to the side where pieces of a special wood were boiled in water on a stove. There was also a structure that the spun cotton was wound onto.
The dye is made from boiling wood. The clothing she is wearing is typical design and colour for San Antonio. Each village/area in Guatemala has their own coloured cloth and skirt called their 'traje' (traditional dress)
An Iglesia (church) in San Antonio - Guatemalans love colour
Just up the street another Iglesia with women selling food and cloth.
San Antonio
We wandered back down the hill via a main street and found a co-operative where cloth was being woven and embroidered. This is the 'tipico' woven cloth of the village of San Antonio. The shirt or 'huipil' is embroidered around the neckline
Weaving the cloth
Joining strips of cloth with embroidery. Note the strips of woven cloth braided into her hair. Intricate and beautiful.
Ceramics is also practiced throughout Guatemala. These are examples found in San Antonio
Back to our launcha and off to Santiago, the final stop on our tour.
In Santiago we took a tuk tuk up to the Cathedral on the hill. Note the purple of Lent
All the statues along the walls draped in purple, It was interesting that western style silk and nylon scarves had been draped around the statues necks.
Quite imposing
The street to the dock was lined with shops selling everything Guatemalan - very tourist oriented
Beautiful work everywhere.
Coming into the dock at San Pedro Laguna
Our young driver with a ready Guatemalan smile.
2 days later and the wind had come up. Not such a nice ride for this ferry boat.
Waves breaking at the front of our hotel lobby. The lake has risen several metres over the past 2 years. It does not have an outlet river system so when there are seasons of high rainfall there is nowhere for the water to go except up. The Mikaso Hotel used to have steps leading down onto 100m of lawn. This is all now under water. They have built a retaining wall around the front but if the water keeps rising at the same rate this will be under water in less than 2 years and you may have to wade into the lobby.
Several buildings are now inundated. This power pole and building are beside the Mikaso Hotel. Volcanoes in the back ground
San Pedro volcano on the side of the lake and near the hotel.
This little one was sitting at the fresh orange juice stand (great juice straight off the tree). It was her birthday so we sang happy 2nd birthday to her.
Under construction. Not sure if the colours of the rainbow were to choose a colour for the building or an _expression_ of artistic intent.
This fairly imposing building was part church, public hall and offices
Some of the Tuk Tuk's were really flash. The young guys took pride in them, a bit like a souped up ute.
Religion plays an enormous part in their lives even when decorating your Tuk Tuk.
As do the movies.
Political poster as the Maya are still trying to maintain their culture and land. It was something to do with outsiders mining gold/minerals and therefore the land being taken from the children to inherit.
Vegie garden next to the hotel, on the lake front. In front of this was a partially submerged basket ball court. the veggies looked wonderful. Coffee grew on the other side of the path.
Misty sunset
Live Latin American music at the Clover Bar & Restaurant - Friday night curries - yum. The guy is from "Artesanos Del Viento". We listened to the group on Sundays in Central Park, Antigua and met him when Dani bought a pan flute from him. The girl was from Columbia.
The docks and restaurants in down town San Pedro.
We ate breakfast most mornings at an Italian restaurant with great pana sandwiches and coffee. Each night we tried a different restaurant. It was wonderful not having to cook and the food was varied and very good.
We left San Pedro via another small shuttle with the same leg room problem. Traveling up and out of the caldera was less stressful than going down into it. The view looking back down onto the lake was spectacular. We would like to come back here and go back to Spanish school, this time for a month toward the end of the year.
We spent a day in Antigua before returning to the boat via Oti tours and a comfortable 8 seater Mazda van/car/SUV. Following are some more photos of Antigua not included in earlier posts.
A common and beautiful vine used to great effect on trellises.
The bus terminal with Volcun Agua in the back ground. We caught a 'chicken bus' up to a village to see a Mayan temple of Saint Simon.
The bus dropped us off at San Andres. Itzapa is the Maya name of the village. A lady got off the bus with us and Dani asked her where the temple was located. She said that she was a priestess and would show us the way.
We walked down the bitumen road then turned up a dirt lane past farming plots. A little disconcerting when you are the only 'gringos' for miles. We reached the end of the lane and found a couple of tienda's selling offerings for the temple such as flowers, candles, food and alcohol. We each bought a candle of different colours which were for the blessing of different things. Dani's was for adult health, John's for money, mine for my children and i can't remember what Jens's was for.
The temple had a forecourt where there were a number of small fires burning. These were carefully arranged circles of coloured flour/sawdust, food, flowers and candles.
The older lady marks out the symbol in coloured flour as her young ?granddaughter looks on and learns the tradition.
Inside, the church was choked with smoke from burning candles and incense. A line of people filed up the left hand side waiting to proceed up the stairs to the front of the alter. The priest or priestess would then perform what looked like a cleansing ceremony. They would chant and brush the person down with leaves (some sort of herb perhaps) and then the priest would fill his mouth with alcohol and then spray the person from head to foot. This was quite astonishing to watch. A few people would then back down from the alter and with the priest get down on their knees and crawl backwards and forwards while the priest chanted and swung an incense burner. We watched an older woman and a young couple do this for 20 mins. Other people would come, light their candles, place them on the tables, kneel, pray then leave.
Dani, Jens and John had lit their candles and placed them on a table. I smiled at an elderly lady asking if it was OK for me to light my candle. She misunderstood me and proceeded to ask for my children's names. She then proceeded to chant a blessing for Peta and Ashton. I had to kiss the candle 3 times. She then lit it and placed it on the table. It was fairly moving but a little unsettling as well.
We went for a walk around the village. Looking down from a street on the hill. The little tent like structure made from roofing iron in the middle lower third was being used to house a couple of dogs
Bags of fairy floss seemed to be a festival favourite.
On a hill on the outskirts of Antigua, a park has been established by the Casa Santo Domingo Hotel. It has many mosaics and sculptures, some were a little different.
A mum and daughter from a stall in the Artisans Markets.
This woman is demonstrating how they hand spin the cotton to make the 'tipico' Guatemalan cloth
Yet another view of Volcan Agua.
We really enjoyed Antigua and Lake Atitlan and hope one day to revisit.
