Caves, Waterfalls, Coffee, Birds...these are a few of my favorite things

Scenes from the Lake

In Coban

We're now in the city of Coban, geographic center of Guatemala, halfway between the highlands and the lowlands, and the halfway point in our trip. Internet connections are still too slow to upload pictures, so those will have to wait. Here's what we have planned for tomorrow:

In the morning, a hike in search of the elusive quetzal, national bird of Guatemala.

In the afternoon, a tour of a nearby coffee plantation, including a tasting at the end.

The Update

We're still hanging out by the lake. It's beautiful and hard to leave. We're now staying in an Israeli hostel called ZooLa, which is a little laid-back paradise under colorful tents and surrounded by bamboo and coffee plants. So we're laying back and enjoying the scenery, food, company, coffee, and a few good books.

We got out kayaking yesterday morning and cruised over the glassy waters of the lake, exploring the shore all the way down to a black sand beach.

Today we took a boat to the neighboring town of Santiago Atitlan, which is precariously situated on an inlet between two of the bigger volcanoes. There we paid tribute to Maximon, a local Mayan deity, who is this stout wooden statue--about the size of a hobbit--who makes the rounds from house to house. He wears two hats at once, smokes cigars, and drinks like nobody's business. People also decorate him with various colorful garments and burn a lot of incense around him. In the place we visited, it looked like the family had set up their living room for Maximon and moved all the catholic paraphenalia (including a large, sad looking Jesus) to the back. Maximon can do a lot for you. If you have a drink and a smoke and talk with him, he can visit your dreams to teach you things. He can cure your ailments. And he can crush your enemies. Maia and I left a small tip in the offering plate and scooted out.

We plan on heading north early tomorrow morning and finally leaving the lake behind. On the road ahead: more Mayan ruins, the jungle, a tour of coffee plantations, natural swimming holes, the World Cup final, and hopefully more hammocks.

Scenes from our adventures so far...

View of Lago Atitlan

Estamos Aqui: Panajachel

Buenas Noches! We´ve made it as far as the town of Panajachel on the shores of Lago Atitlan. The lake is, as reported, extremely beautiful. Volcanoes tower over verdant pastoral fields that slope down to the lake. Jungley cliffs frame several canyons where towns nestle themselves up close to sandy shores. And if you look here and there, you can see majestic waterfalls cascading through windows in the foliage. I´m describing all this in some detail because I´ve got a slow internet connection here which won´t allow me to post pictures too easily.

Today we were feeling adventurous and so set off to find the ruins of Iximche, where the local indigenous tribes put up their last massive military resistance against the Spanish in the early mid 16th century. We didn´t know exactly where it was or how to get there, but we succesfully navigated our way by chicken bus, tuk tuk, and ever improving Spanish. The site was muy interesante. We explored the ruins and read the informative placards until we´d had enough and then made our way back.

Another siesta in the late afternoon and now here we are out on the town scouting for internets and foods.

We´ve also picked up a travelling companion, Geoffroy, who is from Normandy. He´s a young law student on summer break who we met in the shuttle from Antigua. Last night we got to know each other over several cervezas, card games, and late night pupusas, and today he came with us to the ruins. It sounds like we´re both headed across the lake tomorrow to San Pedro de Atitlan, so the good times will keep rolling. The camaraderie among backpackers is amazing. Maia says she wants to write a doctoral thesis on how travellers apprentice each other.

Pictures to follow soon...

Hasta luego!

Notes from Antigua

Hola! We´ve settled in quite well here in Antigua and got our to explore the town, this time expertly avoiding the afternoon rainshowers by stationing ourselves in a cafe and watching Spain take out Paraguay in the World Cup. Nice. Below are some pictures from our day, including:

A Maian Statue
El Catedral
Writing in the courtyard of El Museo del Libro de Antigua
and
Ferris Wheel Foreground/Smoking Volcano Background: which do you think has killed more people?

All is well and will update again soon. Hasta luego!

Pictures from Antigua

Made it. Are safe. Wet.

Hi everyone. We made it to Antigua this morning after an all night flight and a short taxi ride. Antigua is beautiful and--as of 10 minutes ago when we stepped out the door--quite rainy. After a short nap, Maia and I timed our walk perfectly with the afternoon thundershower. We are awesome! Photos to follow...