The shart affair meant we needed to slightly rearrange plans. By this stage Sam was ready to kiss the beautiful cobbled streets of Antigua that she was still safely walking upon, instead of the alternative with her leaky condition. The next scheduled Volcano Acetanago climb with OX Adventures was going to be on the 9th which we did not want to miss. We spent another day marvelling at the unexpectedly beautiful town we were in, (and not straying far from the toilet) before bundling onto a shuttle bound for Lake Atitlan.

Not knowing what to expect, we were alert and wide-eyed throughout the whole journey and even more apprehensive about what was going to be on the other side. Edging into the clouds, the bus struggled with its vertical climb, skidding and sliding on the gravel roads as it went. It was only tourists who nervously coughed and squealed as we were thrown sideways out of our seats. Locals seemed more than fine with the drive. As we barely made the turn around the edge of the mountain side the lake was suddenly revealed. The glistening body of water was surrounded by volcanoes huddled around it like old friends. Little pockets of life could be seen dotted around the valleys and farm animals lazily wandered close by. A cloak of mist was delicately draped over the far end of the lake, covering one of the villages and snaking its way up the volcano. It was the stuff of magic! We began our descent into the valley, revealing more of this mystical setting.

We soon learnt there are about 11 villages which surround the lake, all offering stunning views and individual communities drenched in tradition. It seems there are about 6 different little towns which most gringos opt for, and we had chosen San Pedro for our first few nights. The shuttle dropped us off in the larger of the villages- Panajachel, and perhaps most set up for tourism, but still, every Guatemalan woman donned their traditional dress and streets were crammed with pineapple carts, markets and fabrics.

We wobbled on down to the little jetty with all of our stuff and boarded our “water taxi” to San Pedro.

S A N  P E D R O

Booking accomodation last minute, we hadn’t invested too much time in researching where to stay, but when we finally arrived at our hotel we were stunned. A little Guatemalan man led us up a flight of narrow little steps to a hideaway overlooking the magnificent lake, complete with two double beds, a hammock, ensuite and towels (absolute luxury) for about $12 AUD a night. We had fluked our best accommodation yet! We were also given the five star treatment of coffee in the morning when we emerged from the room, and a whole menu to choose our complimentary breakfast from. Lounging around in our hammock, drinking our morning coffee overlooking the lake was probably the best way I have ever started a day!

As we began to explore this place, the vibes just kept getting better. There were a lot of cafes and bars stretching along the water, all made from simple bamboo and brightly decorated in traditional fabrics lit with fairy lights and candles. San Pedro is renowned for cheap Spanish schools, and so there were a large number of travellers filling up these water front tables, finished their lessons for the day and now perched with a book or their new found friends. As dusk settled in, and the lake began to flick reds and purples from the sky, live music slowly filled our ears and more and more people were appearing for the nightlife here. We soon made friends with a few girls studying here for a month and living in home stays. Being much more expert at the best places to eat around these jungle tops, they took us under their wing and weaved us into the pitch black down a gravel road. We were ducking under spider webs, tripping on hidden rocks and relying on the dull light of Sam’s iPhone to make sure we were walking in straight lines. The last leg saw us edge around a cliff face and through a banana plantation before we arrived at a Moroccan-styled wonderland. Low tables were crowded around by all walks of life seated on cushions of gold and pinks. Lanterns lit the open air space and beautiful rich rugs hid the dirt floors. It was magnificent and the food was even more to die for, and all for startling cheap prices. We are still talking about the chocolate dessert we shared.

E X P L O R I N G

We used San Pedro as a base for a few days, exploring the other villages, taking in the beauty of Guatemala and falling in love with the humble Guatemalans. There was a couple of villages which really stood out to us, and had we had more time would have liked to explore more deeply. San Marcos was one of them, located on the northern shore of the lake. This is authentically-hippie and a place to meditate, detox your personality and succumb to the wilderness in silence and prayer. The one little entry into the town is overgrown with vines and street art. Women are barefooted on the ground selling all sorts of weird and wonderful concoctions, and art “shops”, jewellery stalls, cafes and yoga studios snake all the way up into the main part of town where you can also find the Smile Centre. Mesmerised, we took our time poking in and out of the offerings, blindly walking down alleyways, butchering the Spanish language by talking to the locals, and following amazing artistry into simple-structured spaces to relax and take in the view.

F R E E  C E R V E Z A

We bid our beautiful Guatemalan family-run hotel goodbye after a few days and loaded back onto the water taxi to move to another of the villages – Santa Cruz. We had heard it was imperative to stay at Free Cerveza if we were visiting Lake Atitlan, and so we had managed to book in for a couple of nights. It’s reputation did not disappoint. Everyone on the water taxi were umming and ahhing as we pulled into our teepee paradise. The sheer sight of grand looking tents, jutting out of the steep cliff face and disappearing into the clouds was enough to make anyone stop in their tracks. There were bodies swinging off a rope swing into the lake, kayaking out on the water, lying around on cushions on the floor, and sun baking on various roofs around the hostel.

Walking into check-in, we instantly felt the warmth of the place. A large central table ran down the length of the open “reception area” where family cooked three-course meals were served after the two hours of “free cerveza” (free beer). Our sensational teepee housed 4 comfortable mattresses, and a power point for each bed. It was tall enough to stand in, yet cosy enough to have to introduce yourself to your neighbour. We loved it!! Sure enough, 5pm hit, the wifi was switched off and a smorgasbord board of tourists began to resume position around the table, grabbing a cushion to rest their knees on. Beer flowed, as steins were filled up again and again and tummies began to rumble. We soon made best friends with a group of English guys; bonding over our love for London, sharing innapropiate stories, laughing at their chavvy haircut phases and teaching them how to play card games. We were more than ready for our first course by the time 7pm came around, which was soup, followed by veggie lasagna and then carrot cake! After we had drunk our weight in beer and eaten until we felt sick, the no-noise-after-11pm-policy kicked in and everyone filed off to their respective teepees for a very content night sleep. This hostel knew how to please its patrons, and we soon learnt it was booked almost every night of the week!

There is just so much to say about this sacred part of the world but not enough time or words to even express how much we were enchanted by it. With all the trappings of the Old and New Worlds, Lake Atitlan’s beauty shone throughout the landscape and in the faces of its people. Rich with distinctive culture we wished we had months to give to this amazing destination as it was truly worth every minute spent there.