From Lago Atitlan to Todos Santos
Trip Start
Jul 20, 2004
1
5
156
Trip End
Jul 20, 2012
Todos Santos,
Guatemala
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Chichicastenango which is a feast for the senses (and your money). The colors of the fabrics are just incredible, and bargaining between vendors and tourists is the norm. The white church in the middle of the market is well worth a visit and just people watching on the steps of the church is entertaining. However, I only lasted about 2 hours in the market, and since i can't buy anything i decided to continue to my next destination. I used Panajachel as a base to explore the Lago Atitlan area. Pana is pretty much overrun by gringos but nevertheless is a good place to stage oneself and head out to the lake, the natural reserve and the surrounding villages. The first day in pana, i met a 60ish hippy/drunk/junkie who invited me for beer, dinner and the lowdown on the gringo presence in pana. The next day, I met another long term gringo, Jerry, with his 2 dogs and he also gave me the lowdown on the gringo scene but from his point of view (which differed greatly from the info i received the day before)
Chichi
. Jerry runs a bar in pana and i hang out there the next two evenings to watch the NBC Olympics. I could have stayed there until the end of the Olympic games but....From Pana, I went to Joyabaj where O received a private audience with the major while waiting for my servas host from Antigua. Together, we attended the 'colocacion de la primera piedra' which is the first laying of the stone for the new school (i forgot what this is called in english). The people were simply wonderful, this small community really impressed me with their determination to change things for the better, i.e.provide education for their children so they will have a better life then their parents. The children showed respect for their teachers which i haven't seen at other schools. The school offered a 2 hour long program of traditional dances, speeches, and recitals followed by a tasty lunch of rice, chicken and tortillas. After heading back to town, mike, his driver and i left for the Coban area. Via Pachalum, Rabinal (where we checked out the community museum which included gruesome displays and information about the killings that happened in the area during the 1980's civil war) and Coban we made our way to Semuc Champey. Though tourists go here for caving and hanging out at the waterfalls, i just relaxed, hiked a bit in the area and hang out for the evening with an italian couple. From here, I went back to Coban where i waisted about 3 hours trying to find a bus to Uspantan
Cocop
. The more people I asked for the bus stop the more differing answers I got. Finally, at about 10am, I located a bus that would leave at 1pm! However, the 5 hour chicken bus journey to Uspantan compensated for the wait. The scenery was incredible and reminded me at time of the California mountains. In Uspantan, I bonded with Kiko and Sarah from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where we stayed at a clean and friendly hospedaje and had a jolly good dinnertime ordering dinner twice and each of us had a 1 liter bottle of beer. I think we made the owner of the little comedor pretty happy that evening but we were happy too (we paid about $8 each for the beer and two dinners). After dinner, we sneacked into a private party where we could enjoy the music and dancing (i enjoyed the music, my friends the dancing). From Uspantan I went via pickup truck to Nebaj, a small town in the Ixil triangle. Nebaj, situated at 1,900 meters above sea level, is the southern gateway to the Ixil-speaking area and one of three towns comprising the Ixil Region (Nebaj, Chajul and Cotzal). It is situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Cuchamatan Mountains roughly two and a half hours north of Santa Cruz del Quiche in the department of Quiche, Guatemala. The Ixils, as people from the region are called, are one of the smallest ethnic groups in Central America. Aside from their award winning weaving, they are known for the continuance of their traditional way of life, their harmonic way of living in the environment, their resourcefulness and their fiestas held in honor of patron saints and Maya deities
Hiking near Nebaj
. Although Nebaj and the surrounding villages were some of the most greatly affected areas during the armed conflict, it is a safe area where foreigners can walk around without the uneasiness that one often feels in larger cities. Because of its recent history, Nebaj is a hotbed of development activity. There are a fair number of organizations sponsored by the European Union and United States, among others, working in and around the area. There is wonderful hiking in the immediate area surrounding Nebaj and this is what I and my fellow german Peter, a painter who lives in Australia, had been doing there for two days. This is one area in Guatemala where I would not hesitate to go back and explore more. From Nebaj, I made my way to Todos Santos Cuchumantanes, a small town in the highest mountain range of Guatemala. I only stayed here one night as i felt that my time has come to move on to my next adventures.
Now back in Xela, I will head to Antigua tomorrow and will leave for Copan Ruinas, Honduras. There, I will spent two days and then head for the small island of Utila to either just relax or take up a diving course (depending on the cost).
