Today’s plan was to go first by boat to Panajachel, one of the very large towns on the lake. We hopped aboard at about 9am and stopped at several little towns along the way to pick up customers. The ride which was very scenic took about 45 minutes. As usual we were approached by many taxis and tuk tuk drivers willing to take on a “discovery tour “. We opted to walk into town. I found a museum highlighted on Google Maps that was well reviewed for giving the archeological history of the lake and surrounding area. The museum was actually part of a hotel compound.
The area is surrounded by volcanoes that have been extinct for a few thousand years. When they were active they built up the cones and surrounding hills visible today. Apparently so much lava was spewed out that the ground collapsed forming the lake area. That’s my understanding of the many tiny printed explanations in English. Consult a different source if you want a real explanation of the volcanic activity in the area.
Two or three Mayan tribes lived in the area as fierce rivals. When the Spanish came to invade the area, the tribal rivalry was so intense that they were unable to unite against the Spaniards. As a result they were completely defeated. Perhaps that explains some of the decline of Mayan culture.
Part of the museum showed the work of exploring and recovering pieces from towns that are now submerged. Although many of the artifacts had no explanation, they were often intact and well preserved in the fresh water of the lake. There were bowls and jugs and items that appeared to be for cooking.
We decided to walk back to the ferry to get to our next destination, Santiago. Each town has a few guides who want to show you the sights. We agreed to a tuk tuk ride up the hill to the central square. We drove through an enormous Mercado(marketplace) where all sorts of food and household goods were on sale. We had decided to stop at the central square to allow us to walk down to the area of artisans. Santiago is well known for its beadwork and weaving all of which is sold in most other towns. We found the little street lined with small shops. We approached an old woman who proudly began to show us her hand made needlework which was a beautiful poncho with birds. Although it’s tempting to buy such a piece, I decided to buy several beaded bracelets that I would donate to the fundraising auction for HUGS, the group I have joined many times here and in Vietnam and Ecuador. The group asks for donation of local artisan works. These are perfect items for the auction.
We stopped for a small bite and drink before taking the next boat to San Pedro. It isn’t possible to go to a specific destination unless you want to pay for a private boat. Otherwise travel on a launcha is point to point and the boats leave when they have enough passengers.
We wandered into San Pedro to find a Star of David near the dock. Apparently there are many Israelis who have moved here.
We then visited a museum explaining the volcanic events. It was another simple and interesting spot. As we left, it began to rain. We ended up taking a tuk tuk to the dock for the launch that brought us back to San Marcos. It’s all complicated. The launches have a plastic curtain for the rain and side curtains as well. We returned to our hotel happy to be pretty dry.
We spent the evening planning the next day’s activities and having dinner. We are still on east coast time so dinner at 6:30 is actually 8:30.
Time to rest for tomorrow’s adventure.
The Adventures of Anne 