Guatemala

This was a LONG day.  We docked at Puerto Quetzal and boarded a bus to Lake Atitlan.  We had made a last minute change in plans, giving up the included trip to Antigua, a UNESCO world heritage site, and opting for touring the highlands and taking a boat to visit a Mayan village in the quest for textiles at a women's co-op.

Along the three hour drive to our destination we were stalled in an accident-related traffic jam.  Although we were out in the middle of nowhere, or so it seemed; as soon as traffic stalled vendors of all types appeared along the road to sell refreshments to stranded travelers. Surprisingly, vendors appeared on site before ambulance and police.

Our destination is a lake formed in the crater of an extinct volcano.  Along the way, we passed an active volcano emitting smoke.

Driving through sugar cane fields, banana groves, pineapple fields, acres of rubber trees and, as we reached a higher elevation, rows and rows of coffee plants.

Fun facts I didn't know:

• A banana plant only produces one giant cluster of bananas in eight months, whereupon the plant is cut back and grows again from the cut-back base.  The banana cluster is bagged on the tree in, in this case-blue plastic, to protect the skin from damage until it's harvested.  
•  Arabica coffee is the best.  The plants are grown in the shade of other vegetation or are covered with mesh screen.
• Latex comes from the rubber tree.  The tree is tapped, much like a maple tree is tapped for syrup.  Workers are paid about $11 per day to tap and maintain 600 trees.

As we climbed higher we drove through Mayan villages. Villages that are side by side may speak different languages.  Children and adults alike smiled and waved as we navigated the narrow mountain road.

At Panajachel on Lake Atitlán we dined on a porch overlooking the volcanic lake.  A boat ride to the other side of the lake followed.  As we boarded the boat, indigenous women boarded along with us and made a show of hiding from the captain and crew.  Upon discovery, our group encouraged the captain to let them stay.  "As long as they don't bother you."  They proceeded to lay out their wares and didn't leave us alone until we arrived at San Antonio Palopó.  I think this was all a bit of theater to amuse us tourists.

Approaching San Antonio Palopó, we spotted the ladies of the village doing their laundry.

Notice that they all wear the same clothes.  Each village has its own color and pattern, like seaside Irish villages have their own cable knit patterns.

I quickly made my way to the women's co-op on the hill and made some purchases.

 With some time to spare, we ducked into this place for a beer.  Hotel Nuestro Sueno is on Trip Advisor,

The owner, an expat from LA in grubby white t-shirt, shorts and suspenders, told us he built this place in the late 80's when he couldn't tolerate his LA commute any longer.

We retraced our steps down the winding mountain roads and arrived back at the ship 2 1/2 hours later.  Gravity was with us, although we had to stop midway so that our driver could help a second bus whose tires were overheating on the way down.

Passing by the vendors that line the path back to the bus, I spot lots of the same items I saw at the women's co-op.  Oh well.