Lago de Atitlan

On sunday I woke up with no voice and a horrible cough. I went to the pharmacy and was given meds. This is me with them. Crazy thing...all I did was go in and tell the guy behind the counter my problem and he came back with antibiotics and some cough medicine'. No doctor necessary!

I had my last spanish class on Sunday morning. It was a struggle because I didn´t have a voice, but I got through it and my teacher had me writing a lot more than talking. Every day during my break I had been running back to the hostel for lunch. This time it was stressfull because I had to pack, check out and eat in 30 minutes. I did it all!!!

After class, I went to lunch in ¨la mercado¨(the market) for 10Q ($1.25). The food was great and cheap. The picture of the two ladies is from the kitchen from where I ate, and the other photo is of the guy I went with. Afterwards we went to find me some fresh squeezed orange juice for my health. For 3Q (not even 50 cents) A lady cut up a few oranges and juiced them right in front of me. It was by far the best orange juice I have ever had! After that I said goodbye to the friends I had made and hoped on a shuttle to San Pedro La Luguna, a pueblo on Lago de Atitlan (lago=lake). I met up with Mike whom I had met in Antigua. We shared a room with the most amazing view of the lake. There were some very friendly Auzies in the room next to us that we hung out with on balcony for most of the night...until my sicky status made me go to bed.

The following day Mike and I took a boat ride to San Marcos and Santa Curz La Luguna. San Marcos is a really hippie town. People were doing yoga everywhere. The people of the town were so friendly, everyone who walked past you would say ¨buenos dias.¨ We walked around the town for a few hours and then got back on the boat to go to Santa Cruz. We walked up hill for what seemed like forever. When we finally go to the pueblo we watch kids play soccer for a while, and then walked around. The whole town was built into the hill. Being sick, it was no fun walking up hill and I gave up. Mike found a path which led up back down and then came back to get me. I didn´t want to walk down the first hill we walked up, so we took a little taxi ride in a think that foreinger call ¨tuk tuk¨...that´s probably not the name but it´s similar to that of those from thailand and asian countries. We went back, ate lunch and I said good bye to mike because he was on his way back to the states. Ran into the Auzie and made plans to meet up with them later for drinks...then off I went to find a cheaper single for my sickyness and I to dwell in. I found a place for 25Q ($3) and I snagged it up. I think I was allergic to the place, but i made the best of it. I refrained from drinkin, but had a great time with the Auzies again.

Next day, I went to Panajachel, the other main tourist spot on the lake. When I got there, i realize I was really happy that I listened to people and stayed in San Perdo instead of there. It had huge hotels for tourists and people constantly walking up to you trying to get you to buy something. Randomly, I saw people digging holes in the ravine. Couldn't figure out what for, but what a great view they had while they were working. I walked around for a while and then realized sicky status needed a nap, so I head back to the boat for San Pedro. Went back and slept until 4 pm...woke up and felt worse...went to get some apple juice then back to bed until 10 am this morning.

I couldn´t stay in the room any longer, partly because I was allergic to it, so I pack up my things and hoped on the chicken bus to Xela (shell-la) as the locals call it. On the map it´s called Quezaltenango. I met to british girl Sarah and Rachel on the bus. I hung out with them for lunch when we got to town and it turns out they know some people in town and I have plans to go salsa dancing tonight at 9 and on sunday I am going to a soccer game. Oh and....Its Independence day on the 15th....and this is the town to be in for it! There is a big fair and lots of stuff to do. Can´t wait to tell you all about it!

Hopefully I´ll wake up tomorrow feeling back to normal. Miss you all!!!

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Part of trip: Guatemala and Belize

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