Blogs from Panajachel, Western Highlands, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 10

On Wednesday after class, I caught a boat across the lake to Panajachel to meet up with one of my father’s best friends Woody Woodson. Woody started a non-profit organization called Vine International, which does mission work in Guatemala. Vine International sets up transportation, warehouses, and distributes medical supplies to missionaries, clinics and orphanages throughout Guatemala. The organization’s work does not stop there, but this is it’s primary focus. This particular mission trip consisted of Vine International and Wheels for the World combining their resources and manpower to provide medical, dental and wheel chair resources to communities across Guatemala. The week long trip was wrapping up when I arrived, but I got the pleasure of meeting the participants and hear their stories. Woody took me around and introduced me to dif... read more

Now I understand why people came here in the seventies and never left. We spent the first night in Panajachel in a little room in a hostal down some random little alleys. Geared to tourists and gringos, this place is hippie and granola central. Every restaurant has vegetarian options, rare in this country, if they aren't completely vegetarian. There are artisan and clothing merchants lining the entire main drag ready to sell you everything from traditional Guatemalan blankets, to purses to jewelry. If you're looking for something, you'll find it here, but the price might be a little steep. Definitely try your luck at bargaining. The best technique I've found being the "walk away". Shoot off your price and see if you can walk off without him agreeing to it. If he doesn't you know it's ... read more