Since our volunteer work would only start after the Xmas holidays we had 2 weeks to "kill". We decided to do a tour of Guatemala starting with a visit to the famous Lago Atitlan and afterwards getting up into the highlands to do some...
...what could it be that the 4 women of the family were craving for for at least the last 6 months?? Yes, you are right, it is horseback riding.
...what could it be that the 4 women of the family were craving for for at least the last 6 months?? Yes, you are right, it is horseback riding.
After the Xmas events I decided to get my bicycle out and test the countryside with a guided tour (I guess it is just a marketing trick of the agencies to tell you that it is too dangerous to go on your own). However, after the 5 hour tour I had to admit that the small agricultural paths between the fields had been pretty difficult to find.
The night before "Fuego", one of the 3 volcanoes surounding Antigua had been active again and for the entire day there was a several thousand meter high ash and smoke clould hanging above it.
The drive to the lake was a challenge in itself with lots of parts of the road having been washed away by hurricane Stan and hills requiring first gear to get up. We went to the Southside of the lake where Kate had been 18 years ago. To get away from the gringos, since there had been only 3 or 4 houses at that time. It turned out that it had been a slight exaggeration. The town had already 15.000 20 years ago and had now grown to 50.000 through massive attraction of tourism. Nevertheless, we managed to get to stay in the backyard of the nicest hotel in town from where we did a few excursions to the local weaving cooperation and some old Maya ruins up a hill. The views of the lake surounded by volcanoes were breathtaking.
