Lago Atitlan

In my search for places to visit away from cities, I happened upon this gem. I'm staying in San Pedro, on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. The lake was formed by a volcanic explosion 84,000 years ago (like Crater Lake in Oregon) and is surrounded by 3 other volcanoes. These pictures were taken from the deck of my hotel room. Yesterday, I rented a kayak and went across the lake to a high ledge and jumped in the lake. Jill and David showed up a couple days ago and they are going to take spanish lessons here for 2 weeks. This is the 4th place our paths have met. 

During my time in San Cristobal, there was a funeral for a bishop who was loved by many of the indigenous people of the area http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/world-news/rebels-pay-tribute-to-former-bishop-2512897.html . The square around the church was amazing as people from all around came to pay their respects. I then headed for the border, on yet another beautiful mountain road. Not too much trouble there and my first night in Guatemala was in a bustling town called Huehuetenango (pronounced way-way). The road followed a rushing mountain stream for many miles.