Lago de Atitlan

  Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala
Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Feliz navidad! Hope you all enjoyed a beautiful Christmas. I spent my holiday in Jaibilito which is a tiny little village on Lago de Atitlan.

My Bungalow in Jaibilito

The lake is absolutely breathtaking... and the microbus whipping around the mountains literally did take my breath away! When you arrive at the lake, you are dropped off at Panajachel which is the larger, more touristy city on the lake. From there, most places are only accessible by lancha (speedboats that leave the dock when they feel they have enough passengers to just barely float!)

Christmas Morning in Jaibilito

All in all, it is an exhilirating experience...skipping along the lake from village to village. You quickly learn to sit in the front of the boat in the morning when the lake is calm...beautiful views... and the back of the boat in the evening when the lake is very choppy and the people on the front cover themselves (and their fireworks) with tarps to stay dry.

Lago de Atitlan

On Christmas Eve, I went to the Sunday market in Chichicastenango which is really something to see!

Market in Chichicastenango

My friend from school last week, Colleen joined me in Jaibilito which was very fun. I found lots of souvenirs and many beautiful things for very, very cheap. Good shopping, but my bargaining skills leave a little to be desired!

The day after Christmas, I moved on to San Pedro la Laguna (still on Lago de Atitlan) and am using this place as my "home base" for a few days. Today, I'm in San Marcos waiting to get a massage ( I know, poor me!) and tomorrow I will travel to Santiago to see Maximon, the legendary "saint" who smokes cigars and drinks liquor...my kind of saint!

I am also doing 2 hours of spanish school every morning to learn a little more and to practice a lot. There are many, many English-speaking travellers here and it is too easy to speak English!

Yesterday, I took a 2-3 hour horseback ride through the hills and to a beautiful private beach on the lake...Unfortunately no pictures on my pretty white horse!

Horseback Riding in San Pedro la Laguna

I had a little snafu yesterday... I had decided to stay with another family while in school, but promptly moved out. The wall in my room had a hole to god knows where about 5 feet long and 2 feet high (big enough for a very large scary adult to crawl through) and the family primarily spoke a Mayan indigenous language, which wasn't going to help me much. So, I checked into a hotel in San Pedro which is very, very clean and nice... I have my own private bathroom and cable TV...it has been so long! The best part is... it's around $7US per night AND I dropped off my laundry for someone else to do this morning. Life is good (now!).

Tried to stay out of the sun for the most part today as yesterday got a little sunburned (again, poor me!) Only 1.5 weeks to go... I am already cringing at the idea of trading in my flip flops for snow boots.

I am planning to spend New Year's back in Antigua...can't think of a more ideal setting to celebrate!

Adios for now,
sara
And, Nani-Lei, am now having my share of my new favorite fruity drink... Vodka, ice and fresh watermelon.... yum!