Leaving comfy San Marcos de La Laguna, one night in Panajachel and bus journey to Quetzaltenengo, the second most populated city in Guatemala. Beautiful thermal springs and football with locals.
Time to head back to a faster pace of life, San Marcos you have been a dream and I will not hesitate to come back with people who would be sure to appreciate your beauty. I feel content with the choice to depart after 5 days in this small pocket beside the lake. This place does attract special people and next time I would like to discover more of these personalities. After having the last decadent yet healthful breakfast at SamSara and video calling with family, bags were prepared and the boat was caught in order to reach the larger settlement of Panajachel for one more night lakeside.
The family owned hotel in Pana called Mirador Panajachel was comfortable as it felt like a large family home with private rooms and a terrace, it also had a great viewpoint (mirador) at the top of the building where the owner serves breakfast for guests. I met the family one by one which was a nice touch. They recommended I visit San Catarina if I fancied taking a dip as it was cleaner than other spots. It was a 15 minute journey on the back of a pickup truck, which set me back 5 Quetzal - 50p.
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San Catarina was an aesthetically pleasing town, the multi coloured buildings guaranteed this whilst the traditional clothes worn by locals added to the charm. The locals were very friendly and inquisitive and gasped in realisation that I was not in fact an American, and had travelled so far to arrive here, which never fails to reinforce how much of a blessing it is to travel. There were quite a few people swimming although the water was choppy, which the locals say is unusual.
I spoke with a fisherman about the fish in the Lake, he said there were plenty and he wasn't worried about them running low despite fishing being one of the most desirable jobs in these parts. He also spoke about how the lake is shaped like un upside down mountain that is up to 350 metres deep at its peak, this he said makes him feel better about fishing as there should be a lot of fish down there. Lake Atitlan is a seriously impressive lake, one that is certainly worth visiting and can cater for every type of tourist with its scattering of old Mayan settlements on the extensive shoreline.
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Later on that day I found a traditional Salvadoran Pupuseria in Panajachel. Pupusas are stuffed thick flatbreads, I ordered beans, spinach, garlic and mushrooms. They were served with fermented cabbage and veg with spicy sauce. Recommend.
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While eating I spoke to a proud Panajachel local and he recommended I visit, Rio Dulce, Flores and he said the 11 hour bus journey from south of Guatemala to Tikal in the north was worth the mission, he showed me photos and videos of the the wildlife, the ruins looked beyond remarkable. I am sold.
