I wanted to make a trip to Lake Atitlan, partly because it is spectaculary beautiful, and I hadn't visited since before covid - but mostly to visit Pedro - the young man whose college education I paid for. He is now an elementary school teacher, and I wanted to deliver some books for his class.
Richard didn't want to come, but a new Canadian friend, named Marnie, did. I arranged accommodations in our own casita at Posada de Santiago, where I have stayed a few times before. The place has changed hands, but is just as beautiful. It is almost like a resort on the lake - gardens, swimming pool, Mayan sauna, hot tub, kayaks.
The drive to Panajachel was comfortable. Usually the shuttle is a big van, but this time, they took us in a big bus with comfy seats. It is a new route, avoiding Chimaltenango, a horrible industrial town. We left Antigua at 8:30 and arrived by 11:30. Easy peasy.
In Pana, I went shopping with Marnie at a wholesaler of locally made crafts, which was an interesting experience. She spent $600 for stuff to sell back home for an NGO called Paso por Paso (Step by Step), and I bought 2 dozen beautiful beaded butterflies. We also visited the partner NGO, which is where the puppy shot was taken.
Then we had a delicious fish lunch - Marnie's treat for helping her.
We squeezed onto a boat that was just leaving. The boats have changed to a more closed in design. They keep out the wind and water, but also block the view, unfortunately. The price hasn't gone up. Still Q25.
Pedro met us at the dock, looking well and handsome and happy. We chatted for a bit, with Pedro getting some good-natured heckling from a bunch of young women. They were speaking Tzutujil, so I don't know what they were saying, but there was lots of giggling.
We were too tired to go anywhere with Pedro, so we took a tuktuk to the posada, with a plan to meet him after breakfast today.
Our accommodations are exceptionally gorgeous. (photo of my bedroom) I had a wonderful hot bath last night in the biggest bathtub I've ever seen. It is made of very smooth concrete.
We ate dinner in the restaurant, and were served by Nino, (photo) who has worked there for as long as I remember. On his "comfortable" salary as a waiter, he started a very small school of 11 kids in his community years ago. I remember him telling us about it, and donating a bit of money. It has grown and grown and an American Rotary club got involved. It is now a lovely school with 60 kids, 15 computers, and a library. Nino is rightly very proud. He is just as sweet as ever. Sadly, he lost his wife last year.
Unfortunately, Marnie is fighting a stomach parasite, and they were winning the battle this morning. She just wanted to stay in bed, near a toilet.
I met Pedro and he took me on a walking tour. He has been working on his English, and wanted to practise, so we spoke English most of the time. He said that his favourite subject to teach is Tzutujil, because he recognizes how important it is for kids to learn to read and write their first language. I learned my first Tzutujil word "sheezcara" which means good day. I practised it to greet people as we walked around, and got big smiles in return.
We walked past Parque de Paz (Peace Park), which is a memorial to the many people killed during the civil war, which only ended in 1990. This area was particularly hard hit, with many people killed, maimed, or disappeared. The American family who built this posada, sheltered many families during that time.
From there we went to visit one of Pedro's big sisters who recently married Carlos, a construction worker. They live like so many indigenous Guatemalans, in a very small, very basic home. Block wall construction, corrugated metal door and roof. They have a few chickens in a coop outside the door. They have one tap with running water, a luxury compared to the days when they had to walk to the community pila. There is a wood burning stove to cook on, with a chimney - a relatively new concept here. Formerly women cooked over a fire, indoors, with the smoke gradually dissipating through cracks in the walls or an open door. Respiratory problems were rampant.
Then we walked down past women doing laundry in the lake, into town to visit Pedro's family.
First to greet us was his dad, a tiny, sweet man, who only speaks Tzutujil. He thanked me for the help I have provided.
A younger brother brought plastic seats for us to sit in the kitchen where his sister, Marie, was preparing a salsa. Another younger sister was beading a hummingbird while we chatted in Spanish, English and Tzutujil. She is 16, and her goal is to go to medical school. She has the same bright look about her as Pedro. In fact, all the siblings look robust and bright.
I have often wondered how Pedro gets the modern brand name clothes that I see him wearing - Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Adidas... Apparently he gets them at the paca (thrift shop), for a few quetzales.
When Marie finished preparing the salsa, she was embroidering a huipil of birds, the emblem of this town. The real name of Santiago before the Spanish, was Tzikin Jaay, home of birds.
I mentioned that I also enjoy embroidering, and found a photo on my phone to share. They were fascinated to see my work - so we scrolled through dozens of photos of my weaving, knitting, sewing, rug hooking, braiding, tapestry, felting. Each photo was passed around the circle with lots of questions about the various techniques. In one photo of my bird tapestries, we could also see a woven wool piece from Bhutan - and they all thought it must be from the highlands of Guatemala, because the patterns are so similar.
I returned to the posada to check on Marnie, but she is still feeling poorly. She had an appetite though, so we had some lunch.
Soon I'm heading to the hot tub to watch the sun set over the lake.
Back to Antigua tomorrow. I'd like to spend more time here. Antigua is getting too busy.
