Kate's Guest Blog

As I write this I am sitting on the ledge of our balcony, which is overlooking Lake Atitlan, drinking a glass of wine and listening to my parents attempt to shoo what we all hope is the hotel cat off of Linda's bed.  I've taken about 80 pictures of nothing but landscape but I don’t think any of them will completely do it justice.  My portion of the trip- a measly 6 days- is set up for the first 3 days in Antigua, the next 2 at Lake Atitlan, and the last day and a half back in Antigua.  But let me start from the beginning...

Lake Atitlan From our Balcony

 I arrived here in Guatemala on Thursday at about noon.  Even with the pictures and blog entries I had read leading up to this- along with the bit of international travel I'd already done- you still never know what to expect.  A few bumpy flights and a 40 minute taxi ride later we were in Antigua.  We had a relaxed first night in town, and walked around the park, had a great (albeit gigantic) dinner, and a quiet night at the apartment.  The next day was my solo adventure on the Guatemalan walking tour.  This was my parents' idea, and a fantastic way to spend the first full day in Antigua.  It gave me a great perspective and history lesson that I think is crucial to seeing a new place.

Our Cooking Class!

Quite A Spread!

The next day adventure was the cooking class- which I may or may not have insisted upon but I think was a great experience for everyone.  We met (and alienated) some really nice people, learned some new dishes, ate a great meal, and all in all had a really nice morning.  On the menu was a dish called Pepian – a traditional Guatemalan soup dish with vegetables, chicken, and rice. We also made chiles rellenos and tortillas. Making tortillas is easier said than done- I believe 3 were dropped by me alone, and I am almost certain that my dad has this on video.

Pepian – a traditional Guatemalan soup dish with vegetatable dinner

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We arrived in Lake Atitlan yesterday midday, and this has got to be one of the most beautiful hotel locations I've ever stayed in.  I am not ashamed to say that we spent the entire first afternoon lazing away on the terrace reading, napping, catching some sun, or a combination of all three.  Our dinner was served family style in the hotel restaurant.  The little cafe pushed all tables together to form a large L and was lit only by candle light.  We sat next to some lovely and interesting people, and while the food was not the best meal we have had since I’ve been in town (good, not great), the ambiance and atmosphere were outstanding.  Today was a little more of the pace we are accustomed to while traveling.  We woke up early, had coffee in the cafe (some more than others) and took a local boat/taxi across the lake to the town of San Pedro.  This is known for being a hippie back-packing commune, stuck in time.  So, sounds great.  After a VERY crowded, bumpy and wet boat ride via public "launcha" across the lake, we had breakfast at the dock in San Pedro and set about exploring the town.  To do over again, I would say this may the more interesting place to stay.  While our hotel is gorgeous, this town had a lot of coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, and most importantly, did not require a tumultuous boat ride to enjoy breakfast.

Farewell Dinner with the Old Folks

My time here in the country is about to end. We have dinner tonight, a 4- hour bus ride back to Antigua tomorrow where we will have dinner and will likely have time for little else.  I am going to leave here as anyone should leave a vacation; with several hundred pictures, a solid sun burn, and a little less money than when I started. My only regret is that I did not talk myself into taking more time off to spend in such an awesome place.