Home » Guatemala » Into Guatemala 1989 [Part 3 of 11 Parts]

Day 5 Searching for Pascual Abaj (continued)
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Day 6 Lake Atitlán, Sapphire of the Maya Highlands

Into Guatemala 1989 [Part 3 of 11 Parts]

Jo
2004-03-05 22:45:04

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[Photo 1]

Could someone please get those TOURISTS out of that holy shrine!

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[Photo 2]

After seeing Pascual Abaj, we definitely need something trivial and colorful. The vibrant marketplace provides this relief.

Day 6 May 28

Lake Atitlan, Sapphire of the Maya Highlands

[Photo 3]

After Chichicastenango, we headed for Lake Atitlán. Mauricio, Roberto's former classmate, joined us along the way. At a roadside restaurant, we took some time off to get more acquainted with Mauricio and the local beer. While I found the Guatemalan lager Gallo flat and unremarkable, Mauricio turned out to be a lively and jovial character, bubbling with anecdotes and witty remarks. He would liven up many a dull moment in our highland travels.

We reluctantly resumed the ride . As we passed by a few cows near the road, Madjid began smacking his lips. We had not eaten meat in a while, and no beef at all since we arrived in the country. "That's where we can get our next meal!" he exclaimed. Roberto, apparently not hearing this, drove on.

It was already dark when we arrived in San Andres Semetabaj. Here we rented a cottage from Don Otto, a prominent local of partly German extraction. At over six feet tall, lank, brown-haired Don Otto did not look like the typical Guatemalan. The evening was pleasantly spent chatting with this cheerful fellow, who entertained us with tales of archaeology, and mentioned that he had recently found a Maya tomb in our cottage's backyard. (Surely enough the following morning, we saw a wheelbarrow and mounds of earth still beside the fabulous dig.)

At dawn today, we discovered our cottage's picturesque location high up one of the mountains overlooking Lake Atitlán. ...