Day 4: The Majesty of Atitlan

Our hectic fourth day in Guatemala began with an early breakfast time of 6:30 am because we had to set out early on our daunting, three hour drive deep into the mountains surrounding Lake Atitlan, one of the largest bodies of water in the entire country. The quick breakfast had a new spin, mostly because it included fried plantains, and it signaled the beginning of a new adventure.

I felt I was only capable of two emotions throughout the day; I was awestruck by the escalating volcanoes enclosing the little town in which we visited first; and I had a persisting fatigue that was especially helpful in diverting the time of the drives into productive rest. After this 3-hour drive over winding switchbacks and rough terrain, we finally arrived at a small resort on the edge of Lake Atitlan. With expansive gardens and neatly groomed flora, the cherry on top of this already brilliant sundae was provided by the mountain ranges and volcanoes encapsulating this fancy hotel. We boarded a small boat which took us across this deceivingly wide lake into a small town with numerous markets.

After our arrival on the dock on the other side of the lake, and a quick photo-op with the volcanoes, we headed into the heart of the city by climbing higher and higher into the atmosphere. The first stop before shopping was one of the oldest churches in Central America, built and established by Spanish Conquistadors in 1517. Not surprisingly, Andres, our guide, enlightened us that this church was built on top of an ancient Mayan altar. This cathedral was packed to the brim with people celebrating mass, so we did not have the chance to go in. By this time, lunch was imminent, so “El Pescador” (The Fisherman), was our next stop. There we were graced with a unique style of cooking; the entire fish was presented to us instead of simply the filets that we eat at home.  It was quite the culinary experience.

A common theme in the first few “tourism” days was again repeated with the barter style marketplace, which was set on the hill we had conquered only hours before. This time however, paintings were now included in the selection of elegant goods, along with the frequent murmurs of “Adelante” (come in), “Que busca?” (what are you looking for), and the ever present “Just for you, amigo!” (vendors try and bait us in by telling us that the price they were offering was specific only to us and not to any other customers wandering through their shops).

One unique aspect of these past days that I have thoroughly enjoyed was the inclusion of three students from International Samaritan’s, “Paso a Paso Program” (Step by Step), which is a scholarship program organized by International Samaritan in order to help transitioning young adults from the garbage dump. These kids with us from the Paso a Paso program received this field trip offer by being good students and good people overall, a steep task given the responsibility and circumstances of their upbringing. All the SJJ guys chipped in to buy them gifts at the markets because they had no money to spend on anything. 

With the long drive back to the Claret retreat house looming, we decided that an hour at our final marketplace while on the trip was enough, and packed up for the boat ride across Lake Atitlan, again featuring the breath-taking views. The clouds seemed to be blending into the volcanos, boasting a magisterial presence about the entire mountain range, and providing probably one of the best panorama pictures I’ve ever had the opportunity to capture. A thunderous farewell from this beautiful place was provided by an impending storm, a consistent gentle breeze, and the raucous chop of the waves trailing our boat.

Overall, the common theme of the day for me was beauty; the day was filled with beautiful people, beautiful food, beautiful scenery, and a relaxed, care-free mood that foreshadowed a week filled with commitment to the team, to justice, and to the people of Guatemala, marked by the unity of 14 dedicated members of the SJJ community, ready to make a difference however they can.

                Written by: Drew Wagner