The shuttle bus in true Guatemalan style was late and took almost double the time to arrive in San Pedro. Fighting it’s way through traffic, roadworks and then a very windy, steep road comparable to that of Lanquin (although Lanquin still wins the award for ultimately the worst ever road) and what felt like endless stops in the towns surrounding Lake Atitlan, I think our shuttle was as exhausted as we were at its termination destination of San Pedro. Local children banging on the windows, and a swarm of hotel workers hovering at the doors of the shuttle, not hesitating to harass us the moment we stepped out. Struggling through with leaflets, pamphlets and multiple people trying to sell us rooms at their hotels, we finally managed to get our bags down and escape this chaos. We were bundled into a Tuk Tuk like a bag of laundry, flashbacks of Asia passed through our minds as we revved away up the hill to our hotel. Our hotel was situated at the end of a long wooden track, and suspended on stilts above Lake Atitlan itself. We could hear only the constant hum of insects, a blissful contrast to the noise we had just escaped downtown. Our room was nice and spacious and for once, did not require an awkward struggle up staircases with our bags-bonus!

The next morning we headed out to explore the small town. The lake provides a very tranquil atmosphere, noticeably San Pedro felt laid back and peaceful. There are many surrounding towns which lots of backpackers opt to see, although pressed for time and cash we chose to remain in San Pedro, but we were eager to explore the lake. We rented a Kayak for a small fee for an hour, which was great fun. We saw the town from various angles, recognising it’s uneven houses, each uniquely styled and painted an alternate colour from its neighbour. We kayaked on past locals, jumping off rocks into the river and waving excitedly at us.

Surprisingly to us, the lake also seemed to be the local launderette, we saw several women with barrels of clothes, washing and ringing then hanging out on rocks to dry. It is fascinating to us the cultural differences when travelling. Despite having the option of a washing machine at one of the multiple launderettes within the town, these local folk are choosing the river instead. There is something refreshing about observing such a simple act being carried out in the most natural and earthy way possible. When travelling its moments like this that make you re evaluate life and the complications that come with it and if in fact they really are obstacles as you see them. Hayley had a very deep reflective time on the Lake, analysing much about our travels and our lives back home and fully appreciating the beautiful world we have been born into and how unique each culture is. This is one of the main reasons we choose to travel, the world is a big place and there is so much to see, we like to absorb ourselves in different cultures and traditions. So far we were loving every inch of Guatemala.

Jonny splashed Hayley out of her trance-literally-and we continued our venture along the lake. Asides from Hayley’s deep thoughts, Kayaking was a great choice to see the lake and town, with mesmerising views. Hayley’s arms were beginning to ache, so it was Jonny’s task to get us back before the hour was up. We weren’t very good at being in sync prior to Hayley’s arm fatigue. The sun warmed our skin and our mouths were dry once back on land. We sat at a bar over looking the lake, refreshing ourselves with vibrant fruity smoothies. Jonny gave in to the temptation of some Asian Cuisine, ordering the bar’s speciality Pad Thai and demolished it within minutes. As the sun began to lower itself we strolled back to the Hotel.

En route, Hayley’s eyes were glued to the jewellery vendors, their various stoned jewels glistened in the sun. She bartered with the seller and was thrilled with the new necklace, boasting Jade and Moonstone which now decorated her neck as we walked on through the streets. Remember that italian bakery the guy in Antigua recommended to us? Coincidentally we stumbled across it on our walk home and couldn’t resist purchasing a ‘Pan Au Chocolate’, which was promptly demolished-mostly by Hayley. He wasn’t lying they were incredible croissants, soft and doughy with chocolate evenly spread throughout and slightly crunchy on the top. Mmmm.

Dusk was approaching, so we quickly went down to the balcony, stripped to our swimsuits and jumped in the hot tub. Our skin tingling with delight at the warm water we were submerged in. Overlooking Lake Atitlan we watched in delight as the sun slowly descended downwards, behind the mountains, the perfect finish to a chilled day.

Guatemala is an incredible country, boasting impressively green countryside, a healthy wildlife and an impressive amount of volcanoes. Endless views that will snatch your breath away, waiting a few seconds for you to absorb the beauty before returning your oxygen. Guatemalans are friendly natured, they will smile and welcome you into a place they are proud to call home. It’s refreshing to be in a country where everyone living there is a proud native and seemingly content with their lifestyle. Unfortunately the western world in our opinion seems to be the most eager to complain and criticise their origin, when in reality we have the least to complain about. We both feel blessed and fortunate to have spent time in Guatemala and would strongly recommend it. There is much to see and learn, it is diverse and visually mesmerising.

Our next stop was El Salvador and after one more quick night in Antigua we set off on our next leg. Read all about it in our next post

Jonny and Hayley 🙂