Lago de Atilan, Hippy Heaven, and Van Aca
Yesterday morning, Liz and I sadly said goodbye to Antigua (for now) and struck off on the next leg of our adventure, ending in Lake Atitlan. The lake is ringed by volcanic peaks and has stunning scenery. I can't do it justice, so I'm linking to photos of it on Flikr. In a nutshell, the mountains basically project vertically from the lake shore, with "fields" of corn stretching from top to bottom on slopes so steep that I'm sure even mountain goats would tumble to their doom. The ride into Panajachel, the main town, was treacherous to say the least. The roads are steep, have hairpin 179-degree turns, and oh, crazy drivers speeding up straight at you, at speeds only seen on the Autobahn. But we made it and after a short lancha (boat taxi) ride to our hostel, we relaxed for a bit reading in the hammocks, visited a nearby town, and enjoyed a fun Tequila Thursday.
But today was truly incredible. Liz and I started the day with delicous eggs and toast outside on the porch of the main lodge, overlooking the lake. Stuffed with protein and carbs, we set off on a hike to San Marcos, a hippie haven that is 3 towns and countless treacherously steep ridges away. The first 2/3rds of the hike took us through thick jungle vegetation following a small footpath and clinging to the side of the mountain. Much of it was one foot in front of the other or else we would have been tumbling through the cornfields that stretch down to the lake (perhaps getting some airtime going over any one of the many cliffs). However, our temerity was rewarded by stunning views of the lake, small cascading waterfalls, and a soaked/mud covered t-shirt. The hike lasted three hours and we ended in the town of San Marcos. To call this a hippy town is a disservice. This is THE hippy town. While the locals scratch out livings on the vertical mountainsides, the small town is dotted with yoga retreats, massage schools, and pizzerias. Yesterday, Liz and I had visited by lancha and aranged for massages at The Holistic Center with Ito and Katherine. Our exchange yesterday with Ito went something like this:
"Hi, we were interested in getting a massage tomorrow. What do you offer here?"
"We have many options listed here on the board, and you can read all about us and learn our stories"
(we read) "This all looks great. How long do the massages usually last?"
"Time is destructive. The massage goes until I feel like it is complete. The massage is a spiritual thing and to cut it short or to base it on a time would be wrong...but they usually last 70-90 minutes" (and only cost $30).
So today, Liz and I enjoyed the most amazing 90 minute massages. How amazing? The most relaxing, deliciously enjoyable hour and half of self indulgence; I fell asleep only have Liz wake me up after 15+ minutes of napping. We sadly departed our newest happy place, only to find another happy place. Van Aca club is in between the town of San Marcos and our hostel, in the little vilage of Jaibalito. The restaurant/club is situated, as everything else, jutting out of the mountainside, overlooking the lake. We were the only people there, other than the owners (who also own restaurants in Salt Lake City and a B&B in Antigua), which gave us free reign over the restaurant, hot tub, and infinity pool that seems to empty into the lake. We gluttonously indulged in a steak sandwich, fresh guacamole, and a salad (for liz, obviously). We then relaxed (even more!) in the hot tub. Our visit was cut short though because we had to catch the last lancha back to our hostel, which was at 5:30. So here I now sit, getting ready to join my amigos in a family-style dinner, drinks, and then bedtime. However, I worry that I won't be able to sleep because I can't imagine being more relaxed than I am right now.
But today was truly incredible. Liz and I started the day with delicous eggs and toast outside on the porch of the main lodge, overlooking the lake. Stuffed with protein and carbs, we set off on a hike to San Marcos, a hippie haven that is 3 towns and countless treacherously steep ridges away. The first 2/3rds of the hike took us through thick jungle vegetation following a small footpath and clinging to the side of the mountain. Much of it was one foot in front of the other or else we would have been tumbling through the cornfields that stretch down to the lake (perhaps getting some airtime going over any one of the many cliffs). However, our temerity was rewarded by stunning views of the lake, small cascading waterfalls, and a soaked/mud covered t-shirt. The hike lasted three hours and we ended in the town of San Marcos. To call this a hippy town is a disservice. This is THE hippy town. While the locals scratch out livings on the vertical mountainsides, the small town is dotted with yoga retreats, massage schools, and pizzerias. Yesterday, Liz and I had visited by lancha and aranged for massages at The Holistic Center with Ito and Katherine. Our exchange yesterday with Ito went something like this:
"Hi, we were interested in getting a massage tomorrow. What do you offer here?"
"We have many options listed here on the board, and you can read all about us and learn our stories"
(we read) "This all looks great. How long do the massages usually last?"
"Time is destructive. The massage goes until I feel like it is complete. The massage is a spiritual thing and to cut it short or to base it on a time would be wrong...but they usually last 70-90 minutes" (and only cost $30).
So today, Liz and I enjoyed the most amazing 90 minute massages. How amazing? The most relaxing, deliciously enjoyable hour and half of self indulgence; I fell asleep only have Liz wake me up after 15+ minutes of napping. We sadly departed our newest happy place, only to find another happy place. Van Aca club is in between the town of San Marcos and our hostel, in the little vilage of Jaibalito. The restaurant/club is situated, as everything else, jutting out of the mountainside, overlooking the lake. We were the only people there, other than the owners (who also own restaurants in Salt Lake City and a B&B in Antigua), which gave us free reign over the restaurant, hot tub, and infinity pool that seems to empty into the lake. We gluttonously indulged in a steak sandwich, fresh guacamole, and a salad (for liz, obviously). We then relaxed (even more!) in the hot tub. Our visit was cut short though because we had to catch the last lancha back to our hostel, which was at 5:30. So here I now sit, getting ready to join my amigos in a family-style dinner, drinks, and then bedtime. However, I worry that I won't be able to sleep because I can't imagine being more relaxed than I am right now.
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