Guatemala 2018

Sunday4thNovember

Early wake-up for this 3rd day around Lake Atitlán as we have an appointment at 3 AM with Julian at the foot of the hotel! This departure in the middle of the night should allow us to reach the top of Indian Nose (the Indian's nose according to the silhouette drawn by the mountains) for sunrise...

Julian and his hat walk fast and go straight ahead! Having lent my headlamp to Christelle, I stick to his heels as much as possible to benefit from his light. But the slope steepens and Julian doesn't falter, nor do I if I don't want to find myself wandering in complete darkness!

Phew, after 2 hours of walking, a short break to admire the nocturnal panorama that unfolds as we ascend. The moon, stars, and city lights make us not regret our short night's sleep!  

Then Julian points out a small distant glow far beyond the mountains encircling the lake... Incredible! It's the Fuego volcano that has erupted!!! When we were in Antigua, it seemed very calm. We would learn later that 4000 people were evacuated to avoid the same scenario as in June 2018, which saw 114 people die under the volcano's incandescent clouds.

Fortunately, the volcano is only having small, harmless eruptions. No need to worry, just enjoy the superb viewpoint...  

Day has broken and it's a failure because despite our early start, we didn't manage to reach the summit before sunrise! At the same time... it happened under the clouds, so no regrets!  

The San Pedro volcano with the towns of San Pedro de la Laguna and San Juan la Laguna at its feet.

A desmodium.

This is where we should have been if we had been faster!  

Some skilled climbers gain a little more height... surely to elevate their sensations at the same time... Look closely at the following photos to better locate the position of the two daring ones...  

For us, we'll stop there. We take the path back to the valley, but this time by day!

Zoom on San Juan la Laguna.

A dahlia coccinea and a mimosa.

Mexican sunflowers and Tagetes lunulata.

Coffee drupes.

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima).

First, we return via San Juan la Laguna.

A pharmacy, a hair salon, a restaurant, everyone has found their style and it's full of personality!

The hat, an inseparable accessory for men.

And here is the profile of the Indian Nose! I'm not sure but I'd say the chin is on the right and the nose in the middle... 

Lunch break at Nick's place.

The view from the restaurant terrace.

And here is our hotel, the Mansion del Lago.

We take another lancha to continue our discovery of the lake villages. Here we are on the pier of Santa Cruz la Laguna.

A small panoramic view from the pier with the Toliman and San Pedro volcanoes.

The village is perched high on the mountain slopes.

The new church "La hermosa".

Here, no need for a gym to strengthen your thighs!

This "Partido Patriota" (Patriot Party) logo, regularly seen on walls, is the name of a former small political party that disappeared in 2017 following corruption scandals...

Churches are not lacking. Here's another one. Men are on the right, women are on the left, with their hair covered by a scarf.

In the small sloping streets, you'll find all sorts of inhabitants...

No need to be in a cemetery to fly your kite. However, the electrical wires pay the price... 

Football game in front of the old church.

Blue, purple, and black style for the huipiles of Santa Cruz la Laguna.

And we go back down the streets to catch the next lancha.

Small cloudy headdress for the San Pedro volcano.

The setting sun makes the waters, mountains, and sky blush...

Monday5November

Last breakfast around Lake Atitlán.

Before leaving the region, we make a stop in the town of Santiago Atitlán.

Here the clothes are truly surprising, especially for men with these white Bermuda shorts finely striped with red! They are characteristic of the "Tzutujils", one of the 21 Mayan ethnic groups in Guatemala.

Women are not to be outdone with this superb and most original "hat" made only of a simple ribbon! 

Demonstration to support it!

However, it won't protect you much from the sun...

And now with the moving images...

Here we are in front of the Santiago Apóstol church (Saint James the Apostle) and its large square.

The church dates back to the year 1541.

The interior greatly resembles other churches with its large wavy ribbons extending from the ceiling along the entire length of the nave. This also helps to conceal the sheet metal roof that replaced the vanished vaults.

Here, more than elsewhere, you'll find statues dressed in curious costumes that don't really seem to be from the period...  This mix between Catholic religions and Mayan customs is very common in Guatemala. Especially since this is the historical area of the Tzutujil people. They have lived around the lake for several centuries. Today, there are fewer than 100,000 Tzutujils...

"The first traces of this people date back to the Postclassic period (900 to 1500 AD) of the Mayan civilization, where they already inhabited the southern part of Lake Atitlán. In 1523, the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado, with the help of the Cakchiquel Mayans, defeated them in a confrontation near the village of Panajachel where they lost part of their lands and control of the lake."
© Wikipedia

It's up to you to find the 2 statues on site that were not honored with fabric clothes!

Embedded in the altar, what appears to be a reliquary, possibly containing the blood of Stanley Rother, an American missionary priest who served in Santiago Atitlán until his assassination in 1981. He was beatified on September 23, 2017.

The Tzutujil will primarily pray to the statuettes in traditional costumes, representing centuries of Mayan beliefs.

Almost all the statues have been dressed, even Christ on the cross or the one enclosed in his glass coffin... 

One of the church doors opens onto the cloister surrounded by arcades.

A quick look back at the statues arranged in the nave.

The holy water font.

A little stroll through the market.

Ah, the famous beans we eat every morning in our frijoles! Red, white, black, your choice!

Ha. I don't see any white Bermuda shorts with red stripes... Visitors from neighboring villages, surely!

Oh yes, go ahead, you, with your shopping bag on your head!  

And we hit the road again to leave this small protected area of Mayan civilization. And rest assured, the roads are not as steep as the signs suggest!  

Lunch at Valle Nuevo restaurant. An opportunity to show you a typical menu, 30 Quetzals are worth approximately 3.5 euros.

And prominently displayed in the middle of the restaurant, France's nice run in the World Cup in Russia... 

A short stop on the road that leads us to Chichicastenango, our next stop, an opportunity to admire the superb green-clad relief...