http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Guatemala , Lago de Atitlan en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:13:11 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 09:13:11 +0000 For 2 nights we stayed with a local Mayan family in the village of San Jorge le Laguna on the shores of Lake Atitlan in western Guatemala. To get there we took several chicken buses and minivans through windy and bumpy roads including what must be a record getting 23 people in an 11 seater minivanLiving with family Ajcalon for 2 nights was truly a humbling and inspiring experience. They were w http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/blog-439235.html On Sunday September 13th we left the little lakeside village of San Marcos and made our way across the lake to San Pedro La Laguna where we would be spending our week learning Spanish at the school of Casa Rosario. When taking the boat across the lake one more time we took the advice of Jane who we met at the Hostel del Lago in San Marcos which was to never ask the captain of the boat for t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-438035.html The return to San Pedro brought back a lot of funny memories of Xmas and New Year shenannigans. Though this time the party never even got started as Mhairi and I planned to dive the next morning so late night boozing was a no no. I hadn't been diving since Malaysia in 2007 so they reccommended a refresher session which I was very thankful of as soon as I got under water and the fear began to ri http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/blog-436608.html We took a shuttle from Antigua to Panajachel or Pana as it is known on Thursday afternoon September 10th. We found a nice hotel room with a shared bath at Mario's Rooms less than a block away from the shuttle station in Pana and settled down for the night there. It had a beautiful courtyard full of plants.The next day we went to Santiago de Atitlan because most of boats were going there at t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/blog-436305.html My real reason for rushing back to Guatemala was the start of the Moon course in San Marcos La Laguna. Far more hippy and lowkey than San Pedro the lakeside lanes are home to crystal healers massage therapists and herbal remedies as well as the locals selling fruit veg and cake.The village is also home to a meditation and yoga centre called Las Pyramides here I will make my home for a month http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Marcos/blog-436298.html Hello friends and family I am writing from my new apartment in Placencia Belize and hoping to spend some time catching you all up on my latest adventures Latest starting...six months ago I have a lot to share with you from underwater in caves and even some new countries visited I think of you all often and hope you are happy from head to toe I hope you enjoy the stories and I wil http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-436088.html 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 necessaryI had my last spanish class on Sunday morning. It was a struggle because I didnt have a voice but I got through http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-435291.html Hi everyone go get yourself a coffee....this is quite a long oneSo where were we....looks like the last you heard we were in Acapulco.....is that right Yes.... Ok then well start from there. It was such a hardship spending a couple of days at the beach that we decided we should...er....go for another couple of days on a fabulous beach. Huatulco in the state of Oaxaca pronounced Wahaka http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-429605.html In all honesty I really felt like our travel came to a close with our hike up the volcano and the day trip from Antigua. By the time we got to Lago de Atitlan I was ready to curl up in a hammock read get caught up on emails and relax. It was a great place for that. The town is very low key. Lots of Spanish schools which ironically meant that everyone spoke a little English. We stayed at the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-424283.html The following photos are from the view of our rental along the lake before Santa Cruz. The location is about a 15 minute walk to Santa Cruz next to the well known Laguana Hotel. Here we would rent canoes and try to stay away from the lanchas heading to and from Pana... http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/blog-421864.html After a bit of a fiasco with buses we made it out of Flores a day later than we'd planned. There was no direct bus to Lake Atitlan where we meant to go to next so we decided to go to Antigua first instead. As we had to go through Guatemala city it was a chance to get a good look at the place from a mini bus window once we changed bused in the main terminal. Guatemala city has a bad rep and http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-421577.html 11.07. 12.07.2009 Lago AtitlnAfter a tough week of studies it was time for my first weekend to start. I joined a trip to Lago Atitln organized by the school.We left by a private bus and the journey only took about two hours. When we got there the rooms were distributed to the students. At first I was a bit worried that we could not choose ourselves who we wanted to share with but it turned ou http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Marcos/blog-418289.html We arrived in Panacachel by shuttle this time. The view of Lake Atitlan was amazing even on a hazy day like this. The lake was rough looking but even so this place gave me a tranquillity I had been looking for for some time now. I felt so relaxed here so in touch with myself and totally at ease. We had decided to stay in Santa Cruz at the Iguana perdida a small hostel on the bank of the lake. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/Santa-Cruz-La-Laguna/blog-418223.html I was lightheaded. I felt giddy merry joyous free. Was it the climb up the side of the mountain Was it the altitude Was it the invigorating air that filled my lungs No matter.Hiking behind Julio and Luke on a mountain trail at 8200 feet and way above Lake Atitlan I felt high. My thesaurus has 32 words for beautiful. None of them describe the mountains of Santa Lucia. Upon our arrival Fri http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/blog-414274.html This day Susan and I took a boat to San Marco looking for some peace and quiet with few gringos. San Marcos is supposed to be a place where you meditate and get massages. We found one of the oddest places Ive ever been to To get there we took a boat from Panajachel. The ride was beautiful and relaxing. Many other Pueblos and mansions dot the coastline. When we arrived two street urchins http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Marcos/blog-409629.html Originally we were thinking of going to Antiqua but heard it was full of tourists. Hoping to bypass the tourist scene we opted to skip Antigua for Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. Bad move ... there are TONS of tourist here. If you want the market scene this is the place. Blocks and blocks and blocks of street vendors and street urchins trying to sell you stuff. And they all are selling the sa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/Panajachel/blog-408477.html Went here for the weekend and stayed in Panahachel about 2 hours from Antigua. I hired a lanchera for a few hours and got the captain to take me round some of the villages around the lake. First stop was Santiago Atitalan a small village with a bustling market. Next stop was San Pedro another small sleepy village. I only had 30 mins here so went for a quick walk round. It all seemed very quiet http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/Panajachel/blog-407352.html 17th MAY 2009 A DAY AT THE LAKEI woke up at around 6am. Our bus pick up was at 7.15am and we had to be downstairs 15 minutes prior. Once ready we headed down picked our premade sandwiches up no substitute for the free breakfast...I mean who wants a ham and cheese sandwich at 6am when they could have had pancakes and then sat in the bar waiting for the bus. Again security was paramount http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/Panajachel/blog-402858.html Everybody look at me cuz Irsquom sailing on a boatJohn and I just got to Antigua and we are both beat. After having an 8day party in Denver and then partying at Lake Atitlan for 3 days I need a rest. I can only imagine how John feels after being at The Iguana for as long as he has.Anyway donrsquot have much to sayhellipjust wanted to let everyone know I got here safe and that John has s http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/Santa-Cruz-La-Laguna/blog-402489.html I am on my break from lessons with Odillia. I just love her. It is great though my mind gets very tired after a while because everything is Spanish. If I dont know a word she explains it in Spanish. If I dont understand grammar she explains it again in Spanish.This weekend was a GREAT break. On Friday after Craig made us a delicious bbq lunch we left for the lake. Once we got to Panajachel http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Guatemala/Lago-de-Atitlan/San-Pedro-La-Laguna/blog-400043.html