Guatemala Part Four

Friday 29/Saturday 30th - Friday finally arrived ! We hadn’t been in town since Sunday and the larder was almost empty. Sue hiked over to Jaibalito after breakfast to get a loaf of fresh baked bread then we hailed a boat from the dock and headed off to Pana. There were hundreds of children playing in the paved schoolyard but very few tourists in town. We spent most of the time wandering through the markets looking for some hand-made pieces to take back with us. In addition to the scores of stalls, women and children of all ages walk the main streets laden with embroidered cloth and other items. They will even walk into the restaurants while you are eating in order to make a sale. They are persistent but not aggressive and will leave if you say “No, gracias” of if you show no interest. We booked our shuttle to La Antigua for Sunday at 10am as we would not be back in town before then. After lunch, we made our way up to the grocery store and purchased a few staples to get us through until Sunday morning.

Once back to the villa, we sat and enjoyed the view and a glass of wine. In the water below, the fishermen were back to empty their nets. They come twice a day - once before 6am and again around 5pm. The tiny hand made wooden boats seem to be no match for the waves and the men are constantly bailing to keep them afloat. The task is always the same. Paddle out to a floating marker - pull up on the rope until the anchor weight can be placed on the boat’s floor - start pulling the fine meshed netting in, occasionally pausing to remove a tiny fish and throw it in a bag. Continue pulling in the hundred feet of netting until all the fish have been removed. All the while paddling with one hand and bailing every couple of minutes. Then slowly feed the netting back into the water while paddling across to the spot where you want to drop the weight. Paddle back to your village with your catch. Not an easy life by any means.

After dinner we watched as the full moon rose over the lake. The sight was spectacular. Light shimmered off the water and illuminated the surrounding shoreline. We now realize why Aldous Huxley called this “the most beautiful lake in the world”.
Saturday was spent getting ready to leave our quiet little retreat. There were things to put away - clothes to wash and pack - good-byes to be said to neighbours. And one more time to sit on the balcony and enjoy Lake Atitlan.

Guatemala Part Three

Friday January 22nd - Market day in Santiago. Located diagonally across the lake from us, and thus the furthest away, the town of Santiago is nestled in a large harbour on the far side of the San Pedro volcano. Getting there is a bit of a complicated adventure. From our side of the lake, there are two possible routes. The first would involve going in the opposite direction all the way back to Panajachel, then walking to the second set of docks across town before catching a boat taxi all the way across the entire lake. The second route would have us continue along our shoreline to San Pedro which is on the opposite side of the volcano to Santiago. In San Pedro, we would have to cross town to another dock and catch a boat which would take us around the volcano. The latter made more sense to us as it seemed like a more direct approach, so that’s what we chose. What we didn’t take into account was the fact that smaller boat taxis don’t make the connection to Santiago. This meant that we would have to wait until one of the huge transport ships was making the trip. What would have taken fifteen minutes in a small craft turned into almost an hour on the slow moving vessel.

The port area here has some lovely new fountains with tiled walkways. There are small stalls that line both sides of the street containing many of the same kind of hand woven items we have seen in the other towns. There were also wood carvings and a large selection of masks. We walked uphill for about a half a kilometer until we found the marketplace. Hundreds of vendors were crammed into the narrow streets selling all types of fresh produce, vegetables, fruits and other food items. Alongside were stands with plastics, toiletries, backpacks, leather goods and almost anything else you could imagine. Every Friday the locals make their way here from all around the lake to sell their home grown, home made or purchased products. It’s colourful, hectic, noisy and aromatic - but lots of fun.

Taking a brief respite from the chaos, we ducked into a tiny restaurant and enjoyed a full chicken dinner starting with home-made vegetable soup and tortillas for under $4. Back near the market we watched as school children poured out onto the streets. Most of the young girls throughout the area wear the traditional outfits with colours reflecting the village in which they live. The young boys, however, are almost always in western style clothing - pants and a T shirt. On our way back down to the docks, we managed to find a lovely hand-stitched table runner. After the usual bartering, all in Spanish of course, we settled on a price. As we started to pay, more goods were presented - “What about one in blue? I give you a good price - special today!! No mas…no mas. Eso es todos.

We once again deliberated about which way was best to go - through Pana or via San Pedro. We chose the latter as we would be in Pana again tomorrow. The large ship took us the San Pedro where we walked through the quaint back alleys lined with boutique restaurants and bars. At the second dock, we took a small fast boat back home. Just enough time for wine and cheese on the balcony as the sun is setting.

Monday, January 25 -Rather a low key day. After breakfast we hiked to Jaibalito to buy “pan integral” (whole wheat bread or in this case multigrain bread!) at a Han’s posada. We’re becoming so familiar with the trail that it feels like a short run over and back . It’s a couple of kilometers because of the ups and downs but we can see their town dock across the water from our place…not far as the crow flies. It’s great to start the day with a little exercise! After that we did the usual reading, solitaire, chess, and writing. We spent a little while down at the water, walking in the hot spring pool and sitting on the dock. We have been too lazy to jump in the water and swim although when it’s hot on the trails the idea is appealing…just haven’t bothered! We checked out the row boat but it is very heavy and sitting high up on the rocks. We were prepared to do a little bailing -the owners had mentioned that part, but getting it into and out of the water seemed somewhat difficult. We ended the day with Lord of the Rings in Spanish. (Helps if you know the English version!)

Tuesday, January 26 -Our time for exploring is gradually drawing to a close. (Five days until we leave here.) So we decided to try hiking up the dry riverbed that cuts through the path to Jaibalito. It’s full of boulders from the size of a soccer ball to huge rocks. It wasn’t bad at the beginning although after climbing up some of the rock cuts Sue expressed some hesitation about our return trip. We went about three quarters of the way to the top where we found a path. We decided it must circle around to Jaibalito so we struck out along it. It cut through a corn field and then ended abruptly. (When you look up the hills you see occasional plots of land that have been cultivated. Rather difficult to maintain on the steep slopes but good use of the land.) Rather than turning back we started bush whacking our way through the underbrush thinking we’d find another path. Not so. And it generally got steeper with less trees and rocks to assist in the climb. Jon kindly led the way clearing branches and making footholds in the loose gravel and dirt. Toward the end he slid down an incline and turned his ankle…an ongoing ligament problem that sometimes recurs on uneven ground. He managed to continue the climb…what choice did he have? Rather sweaty, covered with burrs, and a few scratches, we finally arrived back at the riverbed close to where we had started out. Somehow it didn’t seem steep at this point. Once we were back on the regular trail we continued on to Jaibalito to Han’s posada to buy wine. He has a good little store and restaurant that caters not only to his own renters but also to others who need to pick up a couple of basics without taking the boat to Pana. While we were there we had a huge glass of fresh squeezed orange juice. Very refreshing.
Arriving home we spent some time sitting with our feet in the lake. (Jon’s ankle is swollen and painful so he may not be hiking for a few days.) Then it was time for a late lunch. The rest of the day was pretty predictable but relaxing. Jon is keeping his foot elevated and icing his ankle with ice we scraped out of the little freezer in our refrigerator. And now it’s time for part two of the Lord of the Rings!

Wed./Thursday, January 22/23 -More restful days of warm sunshine. Jon has been spending much of his time with his foot elevated. He has been looking on line to see what is available for accommodation in Antigua. Our plan is to leave here Sunday morning and take a shuttle to Antigua, a Unesco World Heritage site. It looks like we could arrive and find a hotel but we want to be sure we are in the historical downtown area.
Both afternoons Jon has hobbled down to the natural hot spring along the shore to submerge his ankle in the warm water. We were really surprised today (the 23rd) that the pool of water was so hot you could barely touch it. Seems that other days the waves from the lake have been washing over the rocks that surround the pool and cooling the water in it. Today there wasn’t much wave action so the pool was truly a hot spring. Afterward we lay on the dock for a short while. Sue went for a refreshing swim. At first touch the water was very cool (sound like every lake you’ve ever jumped into?) but then it was great. With Jon slightly incapacitated, Sue has made the trek over to Jaibalito on her own to get bread and just to get some exercise. Funny how we have stopped worrying about the banditos although we still don’t take the camera or backpack along.
In the evening we watched part of the movie Final Cut (in English) but we weren’t enjoying it so we returned to The Bucket List and for whatever reason this time we made it past the scratched part and got to see the rest of the movie that we had started a week or so ago. Tomorrow we have our last shopping trip in Panajachel. Our first trip will be to the bank to get more Quetzales, then Sue will return the books she borrowed from Phyllis Trott’s cousin Marion. We will then search the markets for those last minute souvenirs before buying a few food items and a bottle of wine to get us through until Sunday.

Guatemala Part Two

Friday January 15 - We awoke to a bright, clear blue sky - sunshine pouring in the rooms - 18 degrees C. with not a breath of wind. A great morning to do some laundry! Well, almost any day is when you don’t have a washing machine. No plans to go to town until the afternoon. Lots of time to play cards, read a book, make lists for the Africa trip, or go hunting for scorpions. Well what do you know, there’s one casually walking across the bathroom floor. Probably not a good idea to pick it up. Should take a picture though, not everyday you get to share your bathroom with a four inch black scorpion.
We had been told there may be some around and that they aren’t really dangerous. Not sure I’m willing to find out so a broom seems like the wisest choice of weapons. Sure glad we had our shoes on.
We caught the one o’clock taxi to Pana - an incredibly smooth ride for an afternoon. Usually the wind has picked up and we notice a change on the lake, but not today. Not yet anyway. Our pantry is pretty full now so today’s shopping is mainly for the basics - milk, cheese, juice, and fresh fruits and vegetables from the market. We spent some time wandering through the textile markets getting an idea of prices for table runners and wall hangings.
By the time we finished our shopping and made our way to the dock it was after five o’clock. We hadn’t noticed that the wind had picked up substantially and was coming from the south. Huge waves were pouring in on the shore and boats were bouncing like corks. The first taxi waiting seemed very narrow and we could see that the operator was determined to fill his boat beyond capacity. We decided to wait until the next one going in our direction. We waited. And waited. Several boats came and went, but not to our side of the lake. When we did finally board it was already dark. Again, the captain filled the boat with twice the safe number of passengers. Fortunately the lake was settling down for the night and we managed to make it home without incident. We had learned a lesson though - it’s best to depart Pana by 3:30pm at the latest. By the time we cooked dinner it was almost nine.

Saturday January 16 - Another calm, beautiful morning. We decided to spend the day exploring three villages around the lake - two of which we had not yet been to. Our first trip was back to San Marcos to see their market day. Most towns have their markets in a central area but not so here. Vendors were sitting alongside the narrow stone paths that wind through the myriad of wellness centres near the shore. Locals sold freshly picked vegetables while ex-pats sat cross-legged next to their hand-made jewelry. On to the next town.
San Juan is an exceptionally clean town with numerous art and textile co-operatives. There are little galleries everywhere - most with the artist present and working on his or her latest creation. We wandered from artist to artist talking to most of them with our limited Spanish. We can understand much of what is said if the person speaks slowly, but it would be so nice if we could engage in a complete conversation. After making our way through much of the town, we had lunch on the upper floor of a restaurant overlooking the water. It seemed like a good time to order something different - a double cheeseburger and fries for less than $2.50! We’ll have a chance to walk it off anyway.
Rather than taking the boat to the next town, we hailed a Tuk Tuk and had a great ride back through the streets of San Juan and over the back hills to San Pedro La Laguna. More like a small city than a town, the population here is over 14,000. There are numerous churches and scores of small posadas or guest houses. The market area near the town centre is huge and features items we haven’t seen elsewhere. Sitting at the base of the San Pedro Volcano, it is the starting point for hikes to the top. We were told that it takes about 4 hours to climb and roughly 2 ½ to descend. It was also mentioned that some guides are working with the banditos, so we will most likely wait until we are in Antigua to climb a volcano.
After walking up and down many of the streets and back alleys, we made our way down to the dock for the boat ride back home. It’s always interesting to see what fare the locals pay compared to the amount requested from us. The difference can only be attributed to a Gringo Tax. Regardless, it’s still an inexpensive way to get around the lake.

Sunday January 17th - Right after breakfast there was a knock at the door. Now we don’t have many folks living nearby, and with access by boat or back trail only, we had no idea who it was. When we opened the door, there was Maria, the wife of the caretaker next door. She presented us a plate with two hot tamales - on the occasion of her husband’s birthday. We invited her in and discovered that it was her husband’s 63rd birthday. The conversation didn’t last too long, however, as she speaks only Spanish.
Our plan for the day was to walk to Santa Cruz and back on the trails. It is a challenging hike, uphill both ways!!! Well, logic says there should be as many downs as ups, but when you are straining to hold yourself from tumbling down a steep incline, there seems to be the same amount of effort involved. The views from the high trails along the way are spectacular. After close to an hour, we arrived in Cruz. Along the waterfront are some of the most beautiful and architecturally delightful homes. Many have outstanding gardens - obviously the beneficiary of a twelve month growing season.
Just past the town dock we came upon a new building with an open sign. It was an art gallery that had just recently opened called the Atitlan Arts Centre. We were invited in by Nancy, one of the artists who helps to run the co-op. She is from the north-west US and has been spending her winters down here for the past 14 years. The artwork was interesting but didn’t really appeal to our tastes.
On the way back we picked up some fresh-baked whole wheat bread for us and two pieces of birthday pie ( they were all out of cake)for our neighbour Domingo and his wife. After lunch we took the pie and a baseball cap over and spent a few minutes conversing with them. Domingo was thrilled with his new hat, especially since the logo was in Spanish - La Casita Restaurante.

Monday, January 18 - A relaxing day…coffee and toast on the balcony, and a casual morning of solitaire, emailing, reading, and electronic chess. Mary Lou (Sue’s sister) and Sue are writing a story paragraph by paragraph on email. They spend more time laughing at the antics of their lead character, Vicki, and creating exaggerated scenarios. Naturally the story is set in Guatemala starting out in a villa in the mountains on the shore of a lake…where have we seen that setting before? And guess what? They have encounters with banditos. What a surprise! Sue is also learning her part in Ave Maria which is on our laptop. By the time we leave here I think I’ll be able to fill in if she can’t do it for Julia’s wedding.

We hiked south in the afternoon to the town of Tzununa. We had already visited the town on a past hike so this time we went into a beautiful lodge with magnificent views along the way. Unfortunately, with tourism down about 60%, the place seemed quite empty. They offered fine dining at prices that would be considered high for Guatemala but very good by North American standards. The only negative for clients would be the great distance to walk down to the water to get a water taxi the only access to the lodge other than the mountain trail. Sue is very hesitant on parts of the steep parts of the trail although the more we go over them the better she gets. If we stay here for a year she’ll be running them along with the local people of all ages who carry huge loads along them while wearing flip-flops or bare feet.
Another well deserved beer on the balcony. Yes, food does seem to be an important part of our vacation. It doesn’t seem likely that we’ll be losing any weight on this trip…but we are getting great walking exercise!

Tuesday, January 19 - Seems we missed the news (no radio or TV news programs here at the villa) …yesterday morning there was an earthquake in Guatemala! We weren’t even aware of it until Andrea Burdick emailed to ask if we were O.K. We didn’t feel a thing but a couple of Auzzies we met said their hotel room in Antigua rocked for a good five seconds. They debated whether to go outside or stand under a reinforced doorway, but the rocking stopped so they did neither.
Another shopping day in Pana. We can get some fresh vegetables and bread in local villages but it means hiking on the mountain trail to bring them home so…off to Pana by water taxi. It is just so neat to stand on your dock and wave to a passing boat for a ride. We are very familiar with Pana now and have our routines. Lunch in town, shopping at the market, ice cream cone at a local tienda, and groceries from one of the larger stores. They sell fresh meat in the market but like many of the countries we have visited, it is not refrigerated and hangs there with flies all over it, so we prefer to buy meat in a regular grocery store…chicken, beef, or frozen tilapia. Coming home on the water taxi we sat with a young couple from Winnipeg who we met a few days ago on the boat. It seems the boat is the place to meet visitors from all over the world as well as ex-pats who all enjoy sharing their enthusiasm and experiences.

Thursday January 21st - Another beautiful morning. Bright, warm sunshine and clear blue skies. The lake is very still at this time of day and there are divers in the bay not too far from us. About every fifteen minutes a boat taxi loaded with people goes by headed for Pana. They are likely on their way to work or to catch a bus to another town.
We decided to go for a hike to visit a couple of resorts located a few kilometers away from us. The first is La Casa del Mundo, perched on the cliff across the bay from us. We have seen it from the boat every time we made our way to and from Pana, and had even stopped at the dock there to let people off. From the lake or the trail it is an impressive property. Up close, it is even more so. The rooms are small but beautifully decorated and immaculately clean. Each one has a panoramic view of the lake and volcanoes, some with a balcony and private bathroom. There are winding stone paths throughout the property with elaborate gardens with small tiled patios at strategic locations. We made our way down to the water where we met the owner. He bought the property and started to develop it in1982 and is still making improvements to it. He was proud to tell us how eco-friendly the resort is with hot water supplied by solar lines on the upper slopes and composted waste used in the gardens. Each night a fixed-menu candle light dinner is prepared in the restaurant for hotel guests and people like us who are staying nearby. The cost is around $10 and would be a real treat if we didn’t have to make it back to our villa in the dark. Rooms cost from $35/night for a double or twin with shared bath to around $73 for a deluxe suite. http://www.lacasadelmundo.com/
On our way back through the tiny village of Jaibalito we stopped in to see the Vulcano Lodge which has been run by a Norwegian couple for the past sixteen years. Unlike the Mundo, there are not 184 steps to climb with your luggage in tow. This little oasis sits at the bottom of a valley and although the views aren’t spectacular, the lake and volcanoes are still visible. There are many wonderful gardens here including giant Christmas Cactus with bright red blooms. From the reviews we’ve seen, the food and hospitality rate five stars here. Rooms are located in small cabins around the property and start at $39 including breakfast. http://www.vulcanolodge.com/

Along the trail on the way back we came across some children who were out collecting sticks for firewood. We weren't t sure whether they were taking it home or selling it back in their village. The weight of the bundled wood seemed beyond the capabilities of the youngsters but with a head strap and the power of experience, they managed to hoist the load and make their way toward home. We could only wonder how they were able to cope with the steep inclines they were about to encounter - ones we had found difficult to negotiate while carrying nothing.
　

Guatemala 2010 Part One

We arrived in Guatemala City via Mexico City at around 4 pm on New Year's Eve and settled into our B&B (Dos Lunes) before taking a short walk and having dinner. Our hosts prepared an exceptional meal - beef medallions in a peppercorn sauce, potatoes and mixed local vegetables. Including warm rolls, dessert and wine the total was $14 per person! After a full day of travel and waiting around airports, we decided to turn in before midnight - unlike most people in Guate as it is called. They let off more fireworks than a 4th of July celebration !

We had a leisurely morning with a traditional breakfast of eggs done similarly to an omelette with chili sauce on top. When our minivan arrived it was time to depart for Panajachel on Lake Atitlan. There was already one passenger from Australia in it. We hopped in with three guests from our B&B who were going to a small town past our lake for Spanish immersion classes while living with local families. For the next three hours we wound up and down mountain passes and bumped through small towns before arriving at Pana. We were dropped off at the Circus Bar where we were to meet the owners, Renee and Isabelle, of the villa we rented. Our new Australian friend Cheng stayed and had lunch with us while we waited - a large pizza for less than $10 and a beer for $2.50. When the owners arrived, Sue went off with Isabelle to pick up some bread and wine - essentials !! We made our way to the dock by Tuk Tuk ( 5 Quetzales or .60), and got onto a water taxi for the 40 minute ride ($2 per person) to the dock beside our Villa. Isabelle took us in to see our new quarters - nice open plan living area with a large open balcony overlooking the lake. As you can see by the photos - the views are spectacular. The Villa has the potential to be a wonderful retreat but unfortunately the owners have not taken the time to clean and equip the place properly. We spent the first day cleaning and the next day shopping for a coffee maker ($12) to replace the broken one there. We also purchased a new frying pan as the old one was in sad shape.

Early next morning, we hiked to Jabalito along the trail following the mountain behind our house. The first challenge was to climb up a near vertical path (not Sue's forte) for about 100 metres before joining the main trail. Once there, the path was wider but not smooth by any means. At certain points we had to climb down steep rock faces to a stream bed and back up the other side. Jabalito is very small and only has a few B&B's and some tiny tiendas (shops). We waited on the dock for about 15 minutes before a boat taxi arrived and we made our way into Pana. Our first stop was at a bank where we exchanged 100US$ for 826 Quetzales (local currency). We both had a good lunch of omelette, refried beans, watermelon and chocolate milkshakes for well under $10. We wandered around and discovered food and craft markets and several stores - each with different goods. We bought our groceries for the next two days and headed back to the dock and to our Villa. The next day was spent listening to our Spanish course on our Ipod, reading and writing, playing chess, relaxing on the sun-filled deck and taking photos of the beautiful scenery. We also met Katherine - a lady from California who has been staying in the little cabin above us since September. She shared some shopping information with us and later on slipped a paper under our door with a map to a large supermarket (about the size of Freshmart in Bala) at the top end of Pana. She also warned us of the banditos along the walking trails (she was robbed last month!) and told us that just yesterday two hikers were robbed of their backpacks and money. Guess we won't be hiking the back trails very often!!

Every second day we make our way by boat to Pana to get fresh vegetables, meat and other supplies. On Monday we also dropped in on a cousin of Phyllis Trott's from Bala. Marion grew up in Honey Harbour but has lived in Gutemala for 31 years. She owns a hostel in Pana with four large efficiency rooms and amazing gardens with several beautiful peacocks wandering the grounds. She made us feel welcome right away. We also learned of a small grocery store near her that specializes in catering to North Americans. We went there and stocked up on a few items not available in the other stores. Back to the dock with bags full and home by boat. We normally have dinner about 5:30 as it is dark by then. Meals are simple, cooked on our two burner propane stove. Chicken, thin slices of beef, tilapia, potatoes, carrots, snow peas, and lots of other fresh vegetables and fruits. Spaghetti with an olive sauce has also been a big hit. The sun floods our place by 6:30 am so we are up enjoying our coffee on the balcony early in the morning. You can likely guess that we are in bed by 8:00 pm!

Tuesday was spent working on minor things around the house that needed to be repaired, reading about the duties of escorts for our upcoming trip to Africa, and doing the laundry by hand. We also had to turn on the water pump down at the shore which pumps water to a large holding tank on the hill high above the house. It usually take half an hour to fill the tank which provides our tap and shower water by gravity. Drinking water has to be bought in town along with propane for cooking.

Wednesday - off to town for another day of exploring and shopping for groceries. We also bought a toaster so we wouldn't have to fry the bread in a pan, and a new broom! One thing we are enjoying is all the people we meet on the boat taxis, people from all over the world, some of whom have moved here permanently and others who are visiting like us. Locals also ride the boats taking their goods to market or going to jobs in town.

On Thursday we hiked about 15 km to the little town of Santa Cruz - mostly up and down the mountain sides on narrow, rocky trails. We toured the main section of town before making our way down to the water where we each had a fruit smoothie in a hotel restaurant. All along the shore are small guest houses, restaurants and beautiful homes with spectacular gardens.

We made it back to our villa by 1 pm and discovered that the owners had dropped off more towels, linens, spices and DVD's. They are being so helpful and really want to make our stay enjoyable. We did our laundry and hung it in the sun to dry. Sue enjoyed the hammock with a book and I played chess against the computer. We had a lovely fish dinner around 6 and were in bed by 8. It rained for about an hour until 9.

Friday meant a trip to town after filling the water container at the Villa. Most mornings are clear and the temperature is around 15 degrees C. During the day it gets into the low to mid 20's with bright sun. By 4 pm some thin clouds appear and the temperature drops again to around 15. Today we are shopping for fresh vegetables at the market and some juice and meat from the small supermarket. Many of the indigenous females, both young and old, still wear their traditional clothes, a long black skirt with a colourful shirt, and sometimes a cloth wound in a ring around their heads. Many of them sell their colorful weaving in the markets. It is common to see women carrying large loads on their heads and people of all ages with loads of firewood on their backs.

We met with Isabelle (owner) today and she graciously set us up with wireless internet that will work from the Villa on the lake. Fantastic - that will be a great help to us as we get nearer to the departure for our Africa tour. All boats going to our side of the lake leave from the same dock at the base of one of the main streets. If there isn't a boat leaving right away, we simply sit on the dock and wait for another to arrive. The fare varies depending on the owner, the distance, the time of day and your nationality. Most times the cost is 15 Quetzales each or just under $2.00 if we are going from Pana and are dropped off at our dock (door to door service). To go to town, we simply have to stand on the dock and wave to a passing boat. The objective for the owner, of course, is to put as many people in his boat as possible for the trip which sometimes gets a bit hair raising especially if there are high waves on the lake. Most of the time there are about 25 people in the water taxi and a few are dropped off in exchange for others at each small town along the way. The number of life jackets on board does not in any way correspond to the number of passengers on the boat - I think it's some kind of exponential mathematical variation !

On Saturday we hiked about 8 km south along the mountain paths to a very small and poor town called Tzununa. The path was very narrow and dropped straight off in many places. In the river valleys, the vegetation is very tropical, and on the upper slopes there are deciduous trees where the land hasn't been cleared and terraced for crops such as corn and coffee. We hiked up into the middle of town and visited a Catholic Church - the best looking building in the town. Inside, the floors were tiled and there was fluorescent lighting throughout. The pews were wooden benches on each side of a wide centre aisle which had more ornate tiles. Some local women entered and knelt at the front to pray. Since it was getting late, we went down to the town dock and took a boat back to the villa. We cooked a lovely steak and onion dinner with small potatoes and carrots. Somehow, the food here seems to have more flavour than at home - probably because everything is fresh and on your table the next day. It does mean having to shop every second day but we have the time for that here.

Sunday, January 10th - Temperature 14 degrees C at 7:00am. This morning as we were having coffee on the balcony we heard voices along the shore line. There were two girls who had pulled their kayaks up on the rocks and were sitting with their feet in the water chatting. We invited them to come for coffee. It turned out the one from New Zealand had worked for year at Isla Verde, an eco friendly lodge near Santa Cruz, and the other, from Ohio, had been there a month. They had a wealth of knowledge about the area to share.
First, where they had their feet in the water is a natural hot spring as a result of the underground lava from local volcanoes. (We checked it out when they were leaving. Pretty amazing to have our own natural hot tub! The water in the circle of stones that someone put around it varies from warm to hot. Neat.)
They also recommended a guide to contact when we want to do the hike up the San Pedros volcano as it seems some of the guides you run into are not official and have cousins waiting to rob you along the way.
The kayaks the girls were using belong to an American who has a few cabins near Santa Cruz and rents out the kayaks. We have a row boat here but kayaks would be more fun and easier for exploring.
The girls also recommended buying multigrain bread from a posada in Jabilito run by a German. (Bread in grocery stores is usually white.) They also said his meals and fruit smoothies were very reasonably priced and good.
The girls pointed out that people from each village have a different predominant colour to their clothing which apparently was organized by the Spanish so they would know whether the people were friendly to the Spanish by the colours they wore when they encountered them. We’ll have to check this out when we do a village tour around the lake by boat.
Julia and Liz stayed until about 9:00 am when they departed on their half hour trip back to Isla Verde.

We decided to check out the posada with the great bread so we hiked over the trail to Jabilito, about two kilometers. We had seen the place before as it is the only one that offers internet in Jabilito. As it happened they were out of bread but we stayed and had lunch. We had spiced chicken with flavored rice, a basket of grain bread and fruit smoothies for less than $2.50 each. It was very very good ! We met Heidi and James and their two children - 2 years and 4 months old!! who are staying at a nearby lodge. They spent 3 months in Costa Rica and now are here for the same amount of time. They sold their home in New York and are taking an extended vacation. Imagine traveling with two youngsters requiring diapers !!
In the afternoon we waded in the hot spring and lounged on the dock soaking up the wonderful sunshine. Since we were still full from lunch, dinner consisted of cheese and crackers with a side of shrimp, aided by a glass of wine.

Monday, January 11th - After breakfast on the balcony, we hiked to Jabalito to purchase a loaf of Hans’ fresh baked grain bread for 10Quetzales ($1.25). We returned in time to catch a boat to Pana at 10am. After dropping off the 5 gallon water bottle near the town dock, we wandered through the north and east sections of town. North has many small construction related businesses and the east is mainly large residential properties guarded by high walls, barbed wire and metal gates. Inside, we could see beautiful landscaped gardens and large well maintained homes. Continuing down toward the water, we came to a huge park with beach, swimming area, large trees and numerous boats. There were a few families sitting in the shade having lunch or an ice cream from one of the small carts .
Not wanting to retrace our steps, we decided to try and cross the river back to the centre of town. Not a wise decision, but we did manage to make a small stone bridge at a narrow section where we jumped to avoid the smelly water. Back in town, we had lunch then began our shopping for fruit, vegetables , cheese, wine, juice and coffee. Most of the grocery stores are located about 1 ½ km from the shore so we wisely waited until we were almost at the boats to purchase the 5 gallon jug of potable water. On the return trip we sat and chatted with James who had also been in town doing the family shopping . One of the great things about travelling this way is meeting interesting people from all over the world.

Tuesday Jan.12th - We spent most of the day working on notes pertaining to our Africa trip. Since this is our first time as tour escorts, there are numerous questions we have regarding procedures and logistics. We will meet with David Craig to sort this all out when we arrive back in Toronto.
Today is washing day - not us, our clothes! The process goes somewhat like this - get a plastic bucket and place it in the shower (our only source of heated tap water). Throw in the clothes and detergent. Sit in the shower and scrub, scrub, scrub. Wring the soapy water out and set the clothes on the tile floor. Empty the bucket and re-fill with water for rinsing. Sit in the shower and scrub, scrub, scrub. Empty the bucket of water and carry it out to the deck. Wring out each item allowing the excess water to fall on the garden below. Hang the item on the hammock or on a string we placed from the balcony railing over to a large wooden chair. Wait a few hours for the clothes to dry.
In the afternoon, we once again waded in our private hot tub ( well, warm underground spring anyway!). We laid on the dock to dry for fifteen minutes in the warm sun then headed up to collect the washing. We brought a small travel iron, but haven’t taken it out of the case. Probably won’t. No necesario!

Wednesday Jan.13th - Shopping day! Well, any excuse to go to town. Living here at the villa is like having a cottage on an island - but without a boat! The only difference is that here we have water taxis every 15 minutes. In Pana we decided to look at hand made table cloths and wall hangings. There are probably close to a hundred small shops in town - each containing several dozen styles and sizes in every colour and design imaginable. In addition, there are locals wandering the streets laden with more hand made goods. Many of the items have bright and bold colours, while others are subtle and subdued. There is something here for every taste. We managed to find a lovely hand loomed cloth that could go on the wall or be a table cloth at our place in Florida. Bartering is a way of life here as in many of the countries we have visited. The standard here seems to be for the vendor to ask about five times the amount they expect to receive. As soon as you say no, gracias, they begin to drop the price. This may go on for several minutes until both parties reach an agreed upon price. With tourism in general being down this year, many of the vendors are in need of sales.
We made our way up to the market place where fresh vegetables arrive each day. From there, we went to the grocery store for a few items before walking down to the lake. The boat we got into seemed narrower than others we had been on. Just when we thought it was full and we should be departing, another bunch of people came down the walkway and proceeded to load their goods on board. With no regard for the safety of his passengers, the driver made his way out onto the lake. The boat had to move along slowly to avoid getting swamped by the waves. We were getting soaked by the spray flooding over the bow. Their solution was to pull a large piece of plastic over us! It seemed like forever until we reached the first dock - and waiting there were nine more
People - all wanting to get on! When they started pouring on the boat we decided that our best choice was to get off and wait for the next taxi. When they asked us to pay, we said NO! and let them know the reason. Some other concerned passengers hopped out and joined us. We watched as the boat rocked its way out of the port - nearly submersed and water pouring in over the gunnels. I’m sure that they made it in the end, but it just wasn’t worth the risk of losing cameras and most importantly, our food!!! We weren’t worried about ourselves - we can both swim!
The next boat came along within minutes - half empty and with padded seats! Luxurious. We had a very pleasant ride to our dock!

Thursday Jan. 14th - Sue began the day by cleaning windows. An exciting start for sure! The sun shone brightly and there was almost no wind, giving the lake a look of tranquility. We spent some time working on at letter to send to clients of the Africa trip. Played chess and read a bit. After lunch we hopped on a boat for San Marcos, a town located at the south-west corner of Lake Atitlan. We had heard how different each village on the lake is, and this one certainly proved the point. Most of the hostels located near the water in San Marcos are wellness, massage, yoga, shiatsu, or meditation centres. There are small eco-style garden plots everywhere and intricate winding pathways joining the flower filled gardens. The entire lower community seemed to be a haven for hippies of this generation. Little shops sold roll-your-own papers and all shapes and styles of hookah pipes.
Just past the town centre was a large Catholic Church and a playground filled with all manor of equipment. Beyond that, we made our way up the hill to where the locals reside. Quite a difference from the scene below. There were dozens of children playing out on the narrow walkways. Women were usually found washing clothes, cleaning the tiny homes or preparing meals. There are not as many men in any of the villages as they are often away working in the larger cities.
The boat ride back took about 20 minutes - not as smooth as our ride over. Dark clouds had encircled the lake and it looked like it would rain. By now the wind was up creating small waves and swells. The fine spray of water from the bow felt somehow refreshing after our long walk. We met a lady on the boat who was staying at one of the lovely resorts near the town of Tznuna.

She said that the views were spectacular, but she was moving out tomorrow because of the 300 steps up to her villa ! Fortunately, we have only fifty to climb from the water.
The clouds had brought no rain, but we did notice that the temperature had dropped quickly. Time to enjoy a warm cozy fire and settle in for the evening.