In the western highlands of Guatemala, hidden amongst volcanoes, fog, and jungle-covered peaks, sits Lake Atitlán. Formed by the crater when an epic volcano imploded upon itself, the surrounding hills rise straight from its shores to impressive heights. The valleys and shallows along the shores have become the sites of numerous small villages, largely populated by the indigenous peoples of Mayan descent.
One of these small villages, San Pedro La Laguna, with its special blend of Mayan, Spanish, and backpacker culture, has managed to capture the hearts and minds of many, including our own. In the shadow of the San Pedro Volcano, the town rises up out of the lake onto a hillside. The winding dirt paths, alleys, and streets meander around the hills and the lakeshore with no apparent plan, and weeks after arriving we were still making new discoveries and finding new shortcuts.
A bit off the beaten path, we learned of San Pedro from a fellow traveler while in Mexico, and decided to visit for a week or two to study Spanish. 6 weeks later we left with a great deal of angst and trepidation. We managed to escape, while many international travelers that were on journeys similar to ours have remained for months or years (or longer.)
3:30 am. At various times in the past I was still awake at 3:30 in the morning, and by staying up all night I’ve even managed to see a few sunrises. Very few. But in all my years I’ve not once set an alarm to awake at such a ridiculous hour. I much prefer to stay snug in bed until the birds have caught their worms and there is an opportunity for a decent cup of coffee and perhaps a croissant
But sometimes in the course of life, no matter how old and crotchety we are or how set in our ways we might be, we must set aside our preferences and seize an opportunity that throws itself in our path. And this is how I found myself flat on my back in a pile of mud, in the dark, a little cold, and now a little wet besides. But I’ll get to that in due course
“You’re going to Guatemala?! You need to be careful. Don’t show anybody your iPhone. Don’t carry much money. It’s dangerous there, they will kill you for your shoes!”
My friend Jake was en route to Guatemala to visit us last weekend, and this bit of sensationalist drama was courtesy of the United Airlines employee that he was sitting next to on the first leg of his trip. It is always nice when you can sit next to a knowledgeable person on your travels. Clearly he wasn’t in the sales department.
During his layover, Jake texted me to get my view of things. “Is it dangerous? How has your trip been so far? Should I still come?”
My reply? “You’re damn right it’s dangerous! Dangerously awesome! See you in a few hours”
For the low low price of 1500Q ($195), we committed to a month in a 1 bedroom apartment in San Pedro La Laguna, Guatemala. What do you get for $6.50 a night?
On the top floor of Hotel Helen, just off the water, there is a small private apartment with kitchen, bathroom, floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors, an open balcony, and a view that is worth every penny. Our friends come daily to eat and drink in our breakfast nook and relax on the balcony, more for the view than the company, I’m sure. We wake up everyday, roll over, and look out the glass wall towards Lake Atitlán and the nearby peak known as Indian’s Nose.
Indian’s Nose, Right Outside our Door
The location is superb, just off the local boat dock and a few steps from the main intersection where we can catch a tuk tuk to anywhere in town for 5Q per person (~$0.75.) The local market is a short uphill walk away, and there are many restaurants and cafes on the lake just downstairs.
“Hmm, this is interesting… I don’t understand what happened. Hold on a moment”, says our friendly neighborhood bilingual immigration officer.
About 20 minutes later he returns with a small stack of documents
“Normally”, he begins, “all US passport holders and green card holders are automatically given a 180 day visa when they enter the country. For some reason, you were only granted 30 days. But we can process your extension application here.”
Never before have I seen water so blue that it blends with the sky. Between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Palenque, Mexico, the waterfalls at Agua Azul and Misol-Ha are incredibly beautiful. Both sites are great to spend an afternoon lounging about and swimming.
