Antigua, Guatemala

Today makes two weeks since we arrived in Antigua.  Both Teresa and I are totally loving our experience here.  We are taking Spanish classes in the mornings and the afternoons are a mix of homework and activities around town.  We rented a small flat at the end of town with a small kitchen and a kick ass rooftop deck with a view of all three volcanoes around.  One of the volcanoes is active and regularly puts a show spewing lava and smoke high in the sky.

Here are a few pictures from Antigua for a taste of what are our days like.  I will be adding more posts for Antigua since there is so much stuff around here.   The town is absolutely beautiful.

Family and friends have been asking to put pictures on the site from our last month and a half of travel.  We will be doing that in the next week or so.  I will be adding posts with older dates to keep events in order so look for new posts prior to this one.  We hit some really cool places to make it down to Antigua so stay tuned.

 

 

The most beautiful lake in the world

That was one of the many things I read about Lago Atitlan.  I was skeptical, but the lake didn’t disappoint.  The lake was our last stop with my parents.  Time to relax.

We got to the villa I had booked around 5 pm.  If you recall, we left Semuc Champey at 6:30 am.  We were for the most part distracted by getting the truck into the garage.  This took us the better part of an hour.  There was however time to take in the picturesque view.   Lago Atitlan is surrounded by 3 volcanoes.   Imagine this view framed by floor to ceiling windows and you’ve about got it.  Mom was giddy with excitement.

After all the driving, we took the last 3 days pretty easy spending our time exploring the local villages, flying around town in the tuk tuk taxis, and taking advantage of the hot tub and sauna.  G and I also had the pleasure of celebrating Mom’s birthday with her, although Dad did have the satisfaction of reminding me in front of her.  Classic Charlie Batten.

The lake is serene.  There is also plenty of  culture, hiking and boating to keep you busy.  We also heard rumors that you can kite board on the lake.

All and all, we had a great time with the parents.  And for all my worrying, they were troopers the entire trip.  Thanks mom + dad!

PS The submerged buildings in some of the shots are a result of the lake rising.  The lake is in a crater and doesn’t drain.  Each rainy season means the water level rises a little.  You’ll also notice a handful of shots from a local weaving collective.  All of the dyes they use are organic and made from local flora.