Border crossing Mexico to Guatemala and Panajachel

---

15 February 2008

We left San Cristobal bright and early at 7 am. A bit too early for some of us, notably me!
And headed for the border, this was definately an interesting experience. The ADO dropped us off at the Mexican immigration office, this took all of 5 minutes and then we jumped in taxis to cross the border. The taxis were interesting our one had the worst cracked windscreen, we had seen and the guy had stuck toys into the shattered glass! We couldnt see out of it so he definately couldn't. The border was like a huge market lined with stalls selling anything and everything, half way up the market there was car park style gates allowing you to cross into Guatemala, over we all went!! The journey to Panajachel was lovely a private minibus took us all the way there 7 hours travelling, with a quick stop for lunch! We arrived in Panajachel at 5.30pm, dinner at 6.30 and in bed by 8pm the night before had caught up on us all!

16 February 2008

All the group decided the day before to take the boat trip on Lake Atitilan. Panajachel is a town on the lake. The Lake itself is huge and has three volcanoes on its banks. So at 8 am we headed off to a little hotel called Casa Del Mundo, not really sure what to expect but Chimi had said that it was a must! Casa Del Mundo (House of the Moon) was a hotel built into the cliffs overlooking the lake & volcanoes this place was absolutly stunning. We all had an amazing breakfast here & then spent 3 hours sitting on Hammocks by the lakeside & swimming in the lake. Could of quite happily spent all day here!
We then were picked up by our boat & ferried accross the lake to San Pedro. San Pedro is a hippy town full of ex-pats, apart from a few bars & craft shops there was not much to do so bex & I decided to hire a Kayak along with James & Helen & Bob & Alana.
We then got picked up again & got back to Panajachel around 4pm & we explored the town
Panajachel & in particular Lake Atitlan was a lovely place to stay, there are things to see and do, places to explore around the lake and Panajachel itself is a bustling hub, in which to base yourself. However if we were going back we would definately be staying at the Casa Del Mundo for a few nights!

17 February 2008

First lie in of the trip we left at 9am to go to Chichicastenago, a huge market (really huge, the size of a town). This was the first delay we'd had on the roads and it took an extra hour to get there! Although we could see the attraction of the place there was nothing here that we had not seen already. There was a church in the centre of the market at which the locals were practising their strange rituals,be careful though there are many children here after donations of any kind - fizzy drinks, money, food! In the side pocket of my bag i had a packet of tissues that had a picture advertising Ratoutille, a little boy inside the church pointed at it and I showed him the packet, he was scared at first! But then desparately wanted the picture to show his friends so I came out of the church having donated a packet of tissues! By 2pm we were on our way to the next stop Antigua.

---

Photos

Panajachel
View of Lake Atitlan from Panajachel

Lake Atitlan
One of the three volcanoes on this spectacular lake

Volcanoe
Another of the volcanoes on the lake

Dan Swimming at Casa Del Mundo
Thats Dan on the left by the way!!!

Water Taxi
On the way to San Pedro

Locals Doing their laundry
And having a wash too!!!!

Market stalls
As far as the eye can see!!!!