From Xela to Antiqua

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We left Xela around 9 in the morning, after the usual breakfast of fruit with yogurt and ganola on a waffle at the cafe next door. The drive was long and winding but once in San Pedro life was fine. Our hotel accommodations were great, each room had its own toilet and shower for a cost of about 4.00 Cdn per person per night. We took the bags to the room and then set out for lunch at a local restuarant on the shores of Lake Atitlan. It was like being at a holiday resort, with the breese blowing and the waves breaking on the shore. After lunch Jim and I went with Liz, Janet and Ken for a horseback ride to a coffee plantation and a chocolate production home. I was amazed to see two men arrive carrying about 100 lbs of coffee on their backs, it was weighed and then they were paid for it. We watched as it was dumped into the bins and then had a tour of the cooperative. The beans are washed and separated from the skins-berries ad the beans are set out to dry in the sun, the rest of the berry is composted with worms and used to fertilize plants. Every part of the coffee fruit is used. We were able to purchase Guatemalan coffee right from the producers. We then got back on the horses and visited the choclate producers where we purchased fresh chocolate. The ride was fun as the horses took us through the town of San Pedro. In the evening we went for dinner to another local resturant and had a wonderful meal, I finally has a burrito which I had been wanting for a while. We then went to the Buddha bar and sat on the roof drinking hot cocoa and looking out at the lake, the lights were like magic sparkling along the edge of the lake and up into the mountians. From there we managed to find ourselves in a small cafe listening to a Paraguayan harp player until closing and time to head back to the hotel for bed.
We had breakfast on Thursday morning with Heidi and Dave in a garden cafe which served up a substantial meal. Jim had the eggs and I had yogurt and fruit again. The garden was full of colourful plants and birds. A hummingbird flew by to check out some of the flowers. We got back to the hotel and boarded the van for Chichi, the largest market in Central America, arriving there around 11,30. The market was full of colour and action. We were assulted on all sides by women and children flogging their wares. i got my boots cleaned and shined.... for a mere 10Q about 1.25 Cdn, they looked better than they did when I bought them. The market was full of anything a body could want from knives, small toys, blankets, jewelry to various foods and vegetables. Women stood over open fires making tortillas, patting them and putting them in the pans to cook. We stopped at a small cafe and had crepes for lunch and then walked around the vegetable stalls in the market. Managed to do quite a bit of souvineer shopping before we headed off to Antigua.
The group went together to dinner, our last all together as some were heading out on Friday. Then headed back to the Posada La Merced and to bed, a long and tiring day. Up early in the morning to see the volcano.

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Photos

getting ready to move on
Ken standing in the lobby of the Casa Argentina awaiting out ride to San Pedro

thomas
sitting waiting

view of the lake
coming into San Pedro, our first view of Lake Atitlan

view from the restaurant
Once in San Pedro we ate lunch at a restaurant on the waters edge, the view was something to behold. The lake surrounded by mountains

Jim and I
Standing on the patio in front of the mountains

the bunch
The lunch at San Pedro, most of the group was there.

Mayan boats
After lunch we walked along the beach and came across the Mayan fishing boats pulled up on the beach.

going for a horse back ride
mounted on my horse to head for the coffee plantation and coco production factory

riding
Jim on horse back on our way to the coffee plantation

having his coffee weighed
the fellow in the center has just carried the large bag of coffee fruit on his back, the coffee is weighed and then he is paid for it.

coffee
large bags of coffee at the co-operative bound for Germany and the European market

composting the rest of the coffee fruit
the co operative uses worms to compost the remains of the coffee fruit which is then used to fertilize the coffee plants again

Chichi market
the market at Chichi is the largest in Central America, it is where vegetables are sold as well as a tourist market where souvenirs can be purchased at good prices

please by something from me
i am surrounded by single vendors trying to convince me to purchase something from them. In the end I had my shoes shined.