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Published: November 17th 2013
8am in overloaded tuk tuk, heading up the mountainside at the beautiful Lake Atitlan wee village of San Pedro . I’m in the middle of Guatemala with German friend Regine, on board with her Mayan teacher Don Pedro, his daughter Marina and 2 grandchildren and a bag with candles, fire kindle, resin balls, liquor, cigars, all the materials for sacred fire ceremony on the mountain. 3 hours later hurtling back down in a luge like run and just as dangerous! very hot and smelly but all hopes surpassed, ceremony complete and enjoy the photos to just get a wee sense of this very special contact with the holy places of nature Mayan style.
I met my friend who just happened to be in the beautiful colonial city of Antigua and we decided to travel to lake Atitlan with its spectacular backdrop of wee villages and vulcanos. She speaks good Spanish and has spent time here studying with Don Pedro so I am really happy to spend some time her enjoying the lake especially as I was missing the water. Ferrys take you to the different villages, but this is quite easy as there is an established community who provide wee cafes
and bars with internet ,beer and pizza!
So I find Guatemala that mixture of amazing scenery, scary roads but good drivers (I hope) alongside ramshackle towns but gentle friendly people who are welcoming. Everyone here is indigenous and wears the traditional dress but my limited Spanish goes some way.
Arriving in Guatemala City a bit fearful but thanks to Mexican friend on phone I was met by 2 women (waving card with my name on it at the airport), who took me to wee hotel and arranged shuttle next day to Antigua. Relief! Then met up with Regine and so forth. Antigua is smallish and tourist friendly and safe to walk around and it was a great place for me to gain confidence. It seems the place to adventure from in Guatemala and I was able to leave my heavy case there and travel light!
So, adios amigos. Hasta luego!
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Purls
non-member comment
Woah!
Wow, you are looking radiant! What an amazing journey. So far away from our wee isle here... My excitement is a trip to London. Enjoy, live it up and keep posting.