Friends on Lake Atitlan

After a day of rest in San Pedro La Laguna, we packed up to head across Lago Atitlan to Panajachel, only to get a message from our friend Orion, who had hosted us back in November in Bodega Bay, California. He was in Panajachel, just a short ride across the lake, and could we meet up, he wondered? It couldn't have been better timing. We said good bye to our host Mikaela, who had let us camp on her roof for just a few quetzales a night with a great view of San Pedro, navigated the alleyways down to the lake, and hopped on a launcha for the quick ride across the lake. Unfortunately, the lake was still shrouded in haze, so we didn't get great views, but we did get a sense of just how big the lake was.

It was lovely to see Orion again. He showed us the Spanish school he was attending, and brought us back to his homestay hosts' house where we met Angel and Luki and their children and another of the students, Bruce. We were thrilled to get to camp on their roof and spend the night chatting away and sharing food. We resumed conversations over an early breakfast the next morning, then sadly took our leave to attack the steep climb up away from the lake.Read more