It has been four days since we arrives in San Lucas; we are starting to get used to how things go around here. Submerging yourself in a new culture one day to the next is not as easy as it may seem. We´ve had many incredible experiences these days; San Lucas Guatemala sure has more to it than meets the eye.
This weekend we did not have to work; we had a lot of time to explore around the town. Guatemala definitely is an incredible and beautiful country. From the third floor of our hotel one can see Lake Atitlan, a great portion of San Lucas, many other lake-towns, and towering mountains and volcanoes. At night one can gaze at the stars in a way that would never be possible in a big city as San Diego. One can experience nature in the purest form here.
Yesterday, January 13th, we took a boat ride to Santa Catarina and Panajachel. Lake Atitlan is definitely bigger than it seems to be from our hotel; it is about 380 meters deep. The boat road was very gentle and peaceful; the lake was incredibly still. We first arrived at Santa Catarina. We only stayed there for about 45 minutes. Santa Catarina seems to be a small, peaceful town. 6 others and I walked to a pier where we took a couple pictures. We had to leave when we noticed it was a private property. Our next stop was Panajachel. Panajachel is a big town. As soon as we stepped foot on the ground we were swarmed with vendors trying to sell us souvenirs. Panajachel seemed to be very touristy. After walking around, we saw people bathing in the lake, and a man taking off the ground with a parachute and a huge mechanical fan strapped to his back. After several attempts the man finally took off successfully; the spectators applauded. We had lunch at a nice restaurant overlooking the lake in Panajachel. We had a choice between churrasco carne asada, fried chicken, and fried fish (I am not sure what kind of fish it was). The group did not seem to like the churrasco (too chewy). We enjoyed the fish very much except some of our group had a hard time figuring out how to eat it. The fried chicken was average; just like chicken one might eat in the U.S. The boat ride back was not so pleasant. The tide was rough but nevertheless we made it home in time for dinner.
I have been definitely enjoying this trip. The people are amazing. Walking on the street 2 out of 3 people will stop and say good morning/afternoon/night to you. It is hard to see this in a big city. Everyone in town knows each other; it is like you may see in movies. Overall I have been very happy here and I am looking forward to the next days. To anyone reading this while worrying about his son, brother, boyfriend, or friend I tell you to stop worrying! Every single person in the group is having an incredible time. It truly is one of those unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
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