Lago de Atitlan

Having spent just over a week in Antigua, we departed on Monday 3rd October, happy in the knowledge that Footloose Lucy's problems had finally been sorted.

Our next destination was Lago de Atitlan in the Guatemalan Highlands and the road there definitely put Lucy to the test (which she passed with flying colours). The road was mostly tarmac with pot-holes but we had a long ascent up into the clouds and then we descended via a series of tight hairpin bends into the little village of San Marco on the shore of the lake. The view of the lake from the top would have been stunning had we not been surrounded by mist and cloud!

Lago de Atitlan is a huge volcanic lake and is a truly beautiful place.  Imagine an aquamarine lake about 8km across, an average of 1,000ft deep, surrounded by 8000 ft high volcanoes, with little villages dotted all around the edge which you can only reach by boat. 

View of lakeside village, Lago de Atitlan

Local fisherman

We stayed at a lovely place just outside San Marco which had a few apartments and rooms and a large grassy area for the likes of us. We camped in a lovely spot where we were woken each morning by the reflected light of the rising sun coming up from the waters of the lake. Quite magical!

Campsite, Lago de Atitlan

Dawn: view from the rooftop tent

Lucy at the campsite

The next couple of days were spent pottering around San Marco and San Pedro, the town on the opposite shore of the lake, and we even managed a little kayaking. But mostly we just enjoyed looking out on the beautiful lake and the moutains beyond fading into the mist.

View to the East

Mountains fading into the mist

We left San Marco yesterday and this time we were treated to the wonderful view from the top which we had missed on the way down.

Looking down on San Marco

Last view of the lake

The trip to Lago de Atitlan marks a wonderful end to a wonderful stay in Guatemala. In spite of our time here being blighted by troubles with Lucy, it has not spoiled our enjoyment of this beautiful country and its wonderful people.

We are spending our last day here back in Antigua and tomorrow, Saturday 8th October, we will hopefully be crossing the border into El Salvador. And so a new chapter will begin.