Sorry it's been so long since my last blog. Life has been very busy with work, travelling and interviews. The first few pictures are from Volcano Acatenango which I climbed when I first got here (see previous blog).
The last weekend I had before starting work was Easter weekend and celebrations were in full swing in Antigua. The parades got bigger and better everyday. The carpets were amazing. On the Thursday before Good Friday families stay up all night preparing their carpets. Ilse (host mum) and I left the house at 5am to see what they were working on before they were destroyed by the processions. I hadn't believed Ilse when she told me the streets would be busy with people but, she was right; there were many people walking round or working on carpets before the sun had even risen.
On Saturday, I did a walking tour of Antigua. I met a few nice girls who I hung out with for the rest of the day. We went to the market in front of the church and ate pupusas, a corn bread filled with cheese, for lunch. They originally come from El Salvador, but I knew about them from when I was in Honduras.
On Sunday, I walked to Cerro de la Cruz which has a good view of Agua volcano and the city of Antigua.
A week after starting at the school I had my first weekend away from Antigua at Lake Atitlan. It is a body of water in a massive volcanic crater in the southwestern highlands of Guatemala.
It is a beautiful place and surrounded by many small villages. I chose to stay in Santa Cruz in a hostel called La Iguana Perdida. It was quite remote and very peaceful; the only transport to and from the hostel was by boat.
I had a great few days meeting lots of great people at the hostel during 'family dinners' and fancy dress night on Saturday. I decided to do a day of diving on Sunday. It was very different to what I experienced when I was learning in Colombia as it was freshwater and at altitude. There wasn't as much life apart from some fierce crabs and other small fish. There were some hotels that had built their balconies too low down and the lake now covers them and at places you could dig your hands into the sand and feel the heat from volcanic activity!
On Monday, a bank holiday, I walked with 4 others that I met in the hostel to San Marcos. We couldn't help but stop on the way for a swim at a beautiful hotel called Casa del Mundo. The walk was about 2.5 hours (minus the swim time). When we arrived we found a taco place straight away, sadly the food took so long I didn't get the opportunity to jump of the famous platform in San Marcos and instead had to rush back to Panajachel from where my shuttle back to Antigua was leaving. I almost missed it! but luckily arrived just in time. It was a really great few days at the lake, I wish I could have spent longer there.
Carynm
2019-05-17
Carpets are amazing works of art. Must take them hours. How disheartening to have to destroy them after the celebrations. Trip to the lake looks fun - funny red hat for partying and it looks like a luminous mask for diving xxx