Panajachel

Wednesday 1st August

We met for breakfast at 8am this morning and then all went down to the lake to take a boat from Panajachel at one side to Santiago at the other - an 18km journey. I think Ernesto said the lake was something like 125 square miles. The views were beautiful. There are three volcanoes around the edge of Lake Atitlan, the highest reaching about 3500m.

When we arrived there we met our three guides. Two were 14, and one was 11, all boys. Apparently they've been doing it for seven years! A lovely old lady demonstrated how the locals wear their hats, and I also placed an order for a couple of special pens, to collect on our way back. My group has already figured out I'm a stationery fiend. I couldn't resist getting my own teacher pen for less than a pound though!



  
The boys took us through the streets of Santiago. There were market stalls, and first we went to a house where a ritual was taking place. Maya and Catholic religion is all mixed together here. In the ritual, there was an icon called Maximon - a wooden doll dressed with dozens of ties, and two hats, one of which is loaned to any sick people who come to visit it. The doll is given alcohol and cigarettes, and people offer money and add ties around its neck. They then ask for all sorts of things - health, good business, better exam results, love, you name it. I think this can explain it better than I can, plus pictures, if you're interested, as I didn't take any (there was a charge): http://www.mayadiscovery.com/mayan-culture/dailylife/cult-maximon.asp

We also visited a large church next to a fairground, and the boys explained some of the history and meaning behind some of the iconography there. Behind the church was the place where a missionary who did a lot of important work in Santiago was assassinated. Afterwards we wandered through the streets again and everyone got gorgeous ice creams - topped with melted chocolate and nuts. YUM.

We walked back to the boat, got back on the boat and most of us dozed on the ride back to Panajachel. After that I felt really tired, so I decided to skip lunch and have a sleep instead. Best laid plans... I ended up on skype for an hour and a half, and then just as I was finished Natasha came back to the room and we had a mammoth three hour chat before tea.

Tea was delicious tonight. Ernesto took us to a Chinese place so I had an actual Chinese dumpling for starters (those of you who know me well will know that Chinese dumplings are my absolute favourite) followed by vegetables and noodles, and dragon fruit for dessert. Beautiful. We walked back in the rain (rain! Didn't think I would need my cardigan or my raincoat at all but have been wearing both this evening) and l had an early night.