This past weekend we spent in the mountains where there lie a volcanic crater that just so happens to now be filled with water creating the beautiful Lake Atitlan.
We arrived Friday in the pueblo of Panajachel where we had time to mosey about and do some shopping, (or looking) before heading to Solomon's Porch for dinner - a restaurant ran by an organization that ministers to the people of Panajachel.
Saturday morning we set off across the lake to San Juan where we would stay for a night...
We were all packed in this little boat, so cozy... and this picture is far from quality but... i had to post it... see that small girl on the left... that's my friend Emily! :)
I have a slight obsession with flow pants (pantalones tipico) and... well there were TONS in Panajachel! SO...I failed to resist, these are the latest addition to my wardrobe
This is volcan San Pedro(?) I think...there's lots of volcanoes around here...
These poor people... due to all the rainfall over the past several weeks, the lake is high leaving this house halfway submerged... I really don't know how they're still living in it?!
This is our hotel in San Juan, the perfect get-away...slightly desolate, and with a great view of Lake Atitlan, I loved our stay here
They even folded my towel cute!
While in San Juan we had the opportunity to tour two cooperatives, the first one was a coffee co-op. Here we toured the gardens and learned all sorts of things about the coffee production process.
Along the way, we passed these two small children, carrying stacks of sticks on their heads so that their families could use to cook... :-/
These green grape-lookin things are coffee beans... NOT ripe!
So the coffee beans grow in the fields...
when they're red, they're picked
next the miel (honey) surrounding the bean is removed,
then they're rinsed,
roasted,
ground...
and enjoyed!!
this picture is of a dude, riding his moto, in the streets of San Juan... I just happen to really like it
Next we went to a woman's co-op called Llema where we learned how the mayan woman use all sorts of plants to create natural dies that they then weave together to form beautiful merchandise.
In the shop they showed which plants, leaves, figs, etc. were used to create which colors...
Each of us students then were able to learn how to, and help create a woven chalina (scarf) - This lady was who I worked with and, I forgot to add a picture of the final product but... I did work on it some... she was just much faster at it lol
I liked the side of this building and the man sitting there made it picturesque
This was our view standing outside my room at the hotel... simply amazing really...
And I also really liked this shot of the dock and how the water was so glass-like that morning
i heart hamacas
Sometimes photography gets me...
Me and Emily
The tuk-tuks in San Juan are way cooler than the ones in Antigua...they're much nicer, and red!!
We came across this lady outside a church in Santiago Atitlan (another pueblo we visited, on Sunday) and she did a demonstration of how to properly wrap that immaculate traditional head piece of hers.
These kids are cute... and dressed in traditional Mayan clothing
Sunday evening we returned to Panajachel and had dinner at Sunset Cafe overlooking the lake
Monday morning Emily and I wandered a bit and enjoyed some freshly squeezed OJ from a street vendor while we sat next to this pooch who was working on his tan
This is a grandeur overview of Lake Atitlan, the city down on the left is Panajachel
And these are mis companeras :)
Oh, and not from the trip but... from something I found in the artesan market the other day and absolutely LOVE... tres monos!!
And this is my new purse I purchased at the woman's co-op in San Juan.
This is now the second time I've commented on these pictures for this post... yesterday for some reason my comments didn't save, which is sad, because they were more original but... Anyway, the weekend was quite lovely and now today back at it with 8 hours of spanish (4 this morning, and 4 after lunch)... One week left and I'm heading to Costa Rica!!!
This Sunday we're taking a day trip and flying to the Mayan ruins of Tikal... will surely have some more sweet pics to share then!
Tchau for now amigos!
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