Hiking around lake Atitlan.

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Panajachel, 8 abril 1990.
It was only four kilometer from Panajachel to Santa Catarina Palopo, a small village with adobe houses with corrugated roofs where the stray dogs barked at me and chicken crossed the narrow stone paved streets while the village children followed me around.
I found myself a small comedor with a sign outside that said "cervezas frìas". Ordering this elusive cerveza fria that turned out to be lukewarm, no surprise there, and a whole bunch of Coca Colas for the around me assembled population of the village's schoolclass, I took out my sketch book and made this bunch of rowdy youngers sit opposite me one by one immortalising them with my pencil and charcoal.

Another five kilometer brought me to the similar but bigger village of San Antonio Palopo. I decided to skip on the next beer fearing my budget will get out of hand on paying an even bigger scholl class of village children free cokes.
And anyway, I felt I had done more than enough sketching of children faces for one day.
Instead I decided to hike up the steep hillside to the town of Godinez. A sweaty and tiresome hike but I've been getting fit this last week leaving the bars alone.
I've no doubt when James, my travel partner, will arrive in a few days time we will get into another serious session of bar and bordello hopping.
Godinez being high up in the hills, has got suburb vistas of Lago Atitlan and was a good place for lunch at one of the many comedores.
Several tourist busses unpacking fat and over weight americanos hung with expensive camara equipment was distraction enough for the local snotnosed village children, so I could eat in peace while watching how these kids wriggled free quetzales, school pens for non-excisting schools and lots of chocolate out of tour group after tour group.
Leaving this crazy scene behind I followed the paved road from Godinez to San Lucas Toliman, set at the foot hills of the impressive Volcan Toliman the village is obviously busier aand more comercial than the other lake side villages I was at today. A busy and lively market at the main zocalo was in full swing when I arrived.
There is coffee growing all around the village and the strong and penetrant smell of coffee beans was everywhere.
An overcrowded bus with me being the only gringo aboard brought me back to Panajachel.

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Photos

Three local kids
That I met today during my hike

Another local kid
I met today during my hike