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Published: January 9th 2009
Sea Legs
Chuck and Leila; Atitlan Boat DayLago Atitlan
We arrived to the Atitlan area of Guatemala on Monday, January 5th. Atitlan is a lake surrounded by mountains and volcanoes in the Guatemalan highlands. The lake itself was formed some 85,000 years ago by a volcanic eruption and is roughly 4500 feet above sea level and its deepest point reaches a depth of about 960 feet; so much for my theory of sinking to the bottom and walking out if I were to ever fall in a lake, not possible here.
Atitlan now is home to a dozen communities nestled along the lake.
Tuesday morning we rented a boat to tour the lake. We had breakfast at Santa Catarina Palopo, bought hand sewn curtains at San Antonio Palopo, and hired a guide at Santiago Atitlan.
Our guide at Santiago Atitlan brought us to observe a ceremony that was currently underway. The house where the ceremony took place smelled of incense, smoke and pine. The Mayan God was Maximon and he smoked cigarettes that were offered to him and accepted donations on behalf of the community. People present discussed and prayed for security, health, prosperity and overall well being.
Next we went
to the community church, the grounds and buildings of which function as a home and school for the children who were orphaned by the recent civil war. Along the walls of the church were an assortment of saints, most clothed, but some not, by their host families or communities. During the civil war the priest was shot and killed, as were many of the other church officials. As a result, the church is now lacking a priest and other catholic officials. This has not left the church abandoned, when we visited there were many individuals and families congregating and praying.
It was an honor to be invited to observe the rituals and interact with members of the community.
After our tour we returned to the town of Panajachel, where we stayed while in the Atitlan area. We had a late lunch and a lengthy conversation with a man from the US who had been living in the area for almost nine years. It was a very nice day and thanks to our guide from Santiago Atitlan, a day that was even more so, unforgettable.
The town of Panajachel, where we stayed, was easily accessible and there were
many hotels to choose from. We decided on one that had parking sufficient for our van. Hotels range in price from under $10 USD to over $100 per night.
The view of Lake Atitlan from Panajachel is breathtaking, the town itself was overcrowded, congested and the street vendors were ruthless; I was told more than once that I was a bad person for not buying their merchandise. After two days we decided to move on; next stop Antigua.
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Uncle Carl
non-member comment
Thinking of you
I am glad to see your blog and how your trip is going. I hope to show your Grandmother your Blog the next time she comes over.