Blogs from Panajachel, Western Highlands, Guatemala, Central America Caribbean - page 6

Panajachel is located at the north side of the Lake Atitlan. This lake, which is surended with mountains, is the most amazing and interesting place I have ever seen. Looking south ate the lake from Pana, at the right side is the San Pedro volcane and at the left the Atitlan and Santiago volcanes. Pana itself has many people that have migrated here from all around the world. Other villages around the lake have each different style and way of living. San Pedro is a popular place for hippies vs. Sant Marcus a place for spiritual people who sleep soon after sunset and wake up befor sunrise.... read more

We hadden smorgens geen uur afgesproken om elkaar terug te 'meeten' omdat we geen van allen wisten hoelang we gingen uitslapen, maar zouden elkaar wel in het natuurreservaat tegenkomen. Khad in hun hotel briefjes achtergelaten dat ik ging ontbijten en dan verder naar reserva natural. Na een paar keer fout gestuurd te worden door de locals (grmbllll), uiteindelijk toch aan de juiste plek geraakt. Ergens in een inham van het meer, een natuurreservaat, met wandelwegjes, een vlindertuin, aapjes en nog een ander beest en een prive strand! In het natuurreservaat heb ik alleen rondgelopen .. kon een hele wandeling doen door allemaal paadjes en met kleine watervalletjes enzo. Passeerde ook uitkijkpost waar je paar apen kon bezigzien. Was wel leuk! In de vlindertuin kwamen Pen en Darryl er ook aan. Vlindertuin viel echt tegen! Er zaten ... read more

In Pana...and All Alone Today we only worked for a half-day so I caught a ride with Don Chema into Pana so that I could see more of the town. I went up and down calle Santander once, ate at a nice Italian restaurant (Bistro, $6 meals!), and got on the Internet at an Internet café ($1 per hour). After that I left because it was not too fun going there all by myself.... read more

I got sick. After spending Christmas back in Antigua, I decided to head to Lago de Atitlan to spend my last days in Guatemala exploring the lake. I met a couple of girls on the bus and we decided to share a room in Panajachel, wake up early, and visit the Thursday market in Chichicastenango. We went out to dinner and went to bed early. I woke up around 3:30 am and my insides felt like they were being put through a wringer. I had terrible stomach cramps, nausea, cold sweats, muscle ache, and fever. I spent the next 20 hours or so in the fetal position. I ate a total of one bowl of soup and 3 pieces of watermelon over the next 3 days (still haven’t gotten my appetite back). Needless to say my ... read more

We travelled to Panajachel yesterday, this time by tourist shuttle, which was luxurious in comparison to the chicken buses. I was incredibly happy that I wasn´t careening down the perilously steep and narrow road in the chicken bus! It dropped us at the door of our hotel, Hotel Atitlan, which is simply gorgeous. It is supposedly Guatemala´s best, and it really is fabulous. We have hand-carved furniture in our room, local art, wrought iron beds and handcrafted patchwork eiderdowns. We had booked this so long ago as a Christmas treat, but it has been worth it. It is a colonial, rambling building nestled under the mountains and set amongst the most beautiful garden. They charge non-guests to come in and view it even. All rooms are lake facing, although the room Lucy and I are in ... read more