Lake Atitlan Is What I Was Looking For

If you squint, you can see the lava coming out of volcano Pacaya.

What was supposed to be four days–but turned into five days–in Antigua flew by. I wandered the town with the simple aim of gazing at colonial buildings and ruins, admiring colourful hand-crafted goods and exploring whatever chance would send my way. I also successfully hiked volcano Pacaya and got to see real lava spewing out of the top. All in all, I would highly recommend Antigua as a good destination, when coupled with Lake Atitlan.

Lake Atitlan. I did yoga here this morning!

Following a jam-packed, three-hour shuttle for $12 to a busy little town called Panajachel, and a short boat ride to San Marcos for $3,

I found myself in heaven: Lake Atitlan.

Side note: I don’t usually focus on money, but I’m still wrapping my mind around how cheap things are here. But really… I just spent $0.70 on a glass of freshly squeezed OJ.

The Mayan culture is still alive and well here. Their traditional garb is both prevalent and stunning.

On the boat ride to San Marcos met an African dancer who has been living here for three months. Based on her profession and all the talk on the boat about building drums, I should have known I was entering the land of the hippy. She recommended a new hostel between the towns of Tzununá and San Marcos and kindly offered to tour me around town when we arrived. Immediately upon walking into town, I felt a immense sense of community. On the spot, I knew I would be spending more than a couple days here.

View from Maya Moon Hostel.

Lake Atitlan is both amazing and awesome for the following reasons:

1. I’m staying on a lake. I love the sound of water hitting the shore and the cacophony from the birds, grasshoppers and mystery wildlife that I am unaware of.

Yoga on the lake.

2. San Marcos, the little town down the road from the hostel, is a yoga Mecca. I haven’t seen so many hippies in one place since Shambalah. I don’t quite fit I’m here, with my lack of dreadlocks and tattoos and all, but that’s ok.

3. I’m finally in a hostel, and it’s quiet, clean, small and best of all, it’s on the lake. Now, the next fear to concur is the chicken bus.

A jazzed-up tuctuc.

4. There are only about handful of cars and tuctucs, so all traffic is of the pedestrian nature.