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Published: June 14th 2010
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Guatemala 117
The dream jetty, Lago de Atitlan We woke early and after dining on a very extensive breakfast of bread, plantain, black bean (much enjoyed by myself but admittedly the marmite of Guatemala cuisine!) fruit and tea we packed up and boarded the bus for Panajachel, more affectionately known as 'Pana', a small town on the lakeside of the mysterious Lago de Atitlan. We drove with a varied group, a couple of backpackers from the US and some spanish tourists. Several hours were passed watching the Guatemalan countryside roll past and reading about the folk legends surrounding the Lago itself.
As we arrived, the 'roads' of Pana seemed too narrow to accomodate both our fairly small, narrow minibus and the throngs of people bustling around the higgledy-piggledy stalls that lined the main street. We stopped in what seemed the centre of the hustle and bustle and paid our fare. The backpackers were immediately pleased with the range of very reasonably priced accomodation available in Pana. We had a little trick up our sleeves, or so we thought!!
We had heard of Casa Palopo in Santa Catarina Palopo, a luxury 'boutique' hotel in a quiet out-of-the-way spot with 3 volcano views. Neither of us had ever stayed
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View to die for, Casa Palopo, Santa Catarina Palopo near Panajachel in a boutique hotel so had no idea what to expect. Needless to say we were very pleasantly surprised!
We found a guy with a boat down by the water and paid a fair to Casa Palopo. Throwing our bags on a boat and jumping aboard was great fun as the boat sped away in an artistic arc into the centre of the lake.
Lago de Atitlan is a caldera, meaning it is volcanic in origin and has no connection to the sea. It is also the deepest lake in Central America. It is towered over by three strikingly beautiful volcanoes: Volcan Atitlan, Volcan San Pedro and Volcan Toliman. The shores of Lake Atitlan house towns and villages of Mayan communities where the Mayan culture still predominates. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Aldous Huxley himself visited this unique place and famously wrote of it: "Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlán is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing."
We pulled up to the dream jetty the volcano hanging imposing behind
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The finished product, a smile of pride us in the mist, what we hadn't banked on was the extremely steep garden with more steps that I care to remember! The guy from the boat hung around long enough to have a wry smile at the tourists heaving the bags up the narrow paths until we disappeared under the trees. We were then greeted by the staff of Casa Palopo and the luxury started!
Our room was fantastic with a large private balcony complete with furniture from which we could gaze lazily at the lake with unbroken views. Even the shower had an amazing view! Dinner was taken out on the restaurant balcony overlooking the lake. The food was delicious and we settled back in the plush living room dressed with intricately designed embroidered and woven fabrics. The cocktails were delicious but strong and we had to keep pinching ourselves that we were here and were staying in such amazing surroundings. The whole thing felt surreal and the mist and legend of the lake did nothing to dispell this. We fell asleep to the low haunting chants of the local shaman who lives a few hundred metres away. What an amazing place!
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