Author Archive: Melissa Kaplan

Let’s keep it real here: when I first booked my flight to Guatemala to visit friends last month, it was really Lake Atitlan—that beautiful, deep blue, volcano-ringed lake of a million postcards—that I was most excited about seeing.  Sure, there were other parts of the country that interested me (and plenty I didn’t get to see that I’d like to come back to visit in the future) but that magical natural wonder was my main enticement when I hopped on the plane.  It looked so perfect in every photo I saw; every blog and guidebook sang its praises to the skies.  I was certain I was going to love it.

And I’m happy to say it did not disappoint.

When I think of Guatemala, I think of Lake Atitlan and the unique group of towns that surround it.  I remember how beautiful the sunsets were, how dramatic the coastline’s silhouette appeared (more lakes need to be ringed by volcanoes in my opinion), and the overall feeling of being in the presence of so much beauty.  It felt like life moved at a slower pace there, like it was a place you could just relax and take in at your leisure.

I love Lake Atitlan so much that I’ve already nearly managed to erase from memory the terrifying boat ride we endured from Santiago to another town across the lake, which was one of the scarier experiences I’ve ever had on the water.  But never mind, we arrived safely and celebrated our arrival on dry land with lunch at an Irish expat bar, so no permanent harm done.

And other than that, my memories of the lake are pretty much perfect: the small towns with the smiling children scampering up to greet us (including one who acted as an impromptu tour guide to help us to the beach); the flowers blooming against the backdrop of dark blue water and sky; watching the clouds drift over the volcanoes in the distance as we bobbed over the water on the small boats that carry locals and tourists alike from town to town.

And of course, one never-to-be-forgotten highlight was our afternoon at Club Ven Aca in the charming little town of Jaibalito, where we ate lunch, ordered tropical drinks, and swam in a (very cold) infinity pool looking out over the lake’s stunning vista.  (A photo of me in said pool may or may not now be serving as my facebook profile photo.  Okay, fine, it is).

There are so many places in the world I love because they’re bustling, exciting, full of art and culture and one-of-a-kind monuments and sights.  Lake Atitlan, on the other hand, is a place I fell in love with simply for its beauty; for the sense that here, life can be lived with an appreciation for all that nature has to offer us, and a desire to soak up every moment without rushing on to the next.  As our world becomes smaller and more connected, and often more hectic and stressful, this can be a rare quality, and it’s definitely one that I appreciate more and more as I move through life.

If I return to Guatemala someday, I’ll definitely hit up some new places I didn’t get to visit this time (Tikal and Semuc Champey are at the top of that list).  But I will absolutely, positively return to Lake Atitlan, explore more, and experience once again the beauty of a place that stole my heart without even trying, but simply by being.

Have you been to Lake Atitlan?  Did you love it too?  What other places in Guatemala did you enjoy?

When I began planning my trip to Guatemala, my wanderlust-filled mind was consumed with visions of a single destination: Lake Atitlan.  The volcanoes!  The lake!  The flowers ringing the pretty towns lining the shore!  Although there were other places I would have liked to see if I had more time, Lake Atitlan was my primary destination in Guatemala, and definitely the one I was most excited about.

But as we figured out our itinerary for a brief five-day visit, my friends and I decided that a night in Antigua made sense to kick off our time in the country.  It was close to the airport, we could see the highlights in a day, and it would be a good introduction to Guatemala.

And I must say, I ended up really, really enjoying Antigua.  It’s a beautiful city that I highly recommend anyone visiting Guatemala spend some time exploring.

So what made Antigua such a great first stop on our Guatemalan adventure?

My Favorite Things About Antigua

• The architecture. Antigua is a visually stunning city, filled with colonial-style architecture that is delightful to explore and makes for loads of great photo opportunities.  My personal favorites are the famous Arch, which seems to find its way into everyone’s Antigua photos (and functions as a helpful navigational tool as well; we may have gotten lost several times while wandering Antigua’s cobbled streets!).  I also really loved the town’s cathedral.

• The Parque Central. This lovely green space functions as a gathering spot for locals and tourists alike, with everyone gathering on the beautiful sunny afternoon we visited to sit on park benches, people watch, take in the magnificent buildings, and of course, eat.  It’s a really nice respite in the center of the city.

• The Convento de Capuchinas. This convent was damaged by earthquakes but restored so that now you can walk around and get a sense of what life was like for the nuns who resided there centuries ago, even looking into the remains of the eighteen nun’s rooms built in a circle on the patio.  Bonus: there were loads of gorgeous flowers blooming all around the convent; some of my favorite photos of my trip were snapped here.

• Everything’s Yellow! Well, not everything, but when I think about Antigua, I think of yellow: the yellow of the arch, of the buildings sprinkled throughout the streets, of the bright sunlight that bathed the city in a morning or afternoon glow.  It’s a bright, cheerful place, and I think the color affects the vibe and impacted my mood when I was there.

• The Food. Before arriving in Guatemala, we were told not to get too excited about the food, but that Antigua was the best place to get really good international cuisine.  It was true; while Panajachel’s food was better than I had expected, Antigua is Guatemala’s culinary star.  We didn’t have much time to eat there (sadly) but my favorite meal was our dinner at Luna de Miel, a restaurant serving every kind of sweet and savory crepe you can imagine.  I went with the chicken, avocado, and cheese crepe and it was hands-down the best meal of my trip (and began my tradition of eating avocados every day—something I’d like to make a regular habit even now that I’m back home!)

Have you been to Antigua?  What did you think of it?  What were your favorite places?

It’s been less than a week since I got back from my first trip of the year, and although it’s grey, rainy, and pretty gloomy outside, nothing can dim my memories of one of my new favorite places on the planet: Guatemala.

I fell hard for this small country tucked away in Central America (like many others before me).  I went to Guatemala with very few expectations, willing to open myself up to what I found there and let it surprise me.

And it did, in the best way possible.  I loved Guatemala.  I am now a convert, evangelizing to everyone I see that they must visit this astounding country for themselves.

So, what’s so incredible about Guatemala?  Why do I think everyone should be rushing to book a ticket there, and explore it from top to bottom?

I’ll be putting together some more detailed posts over the next few weeks about my time in Guatemala; what I saw, what I did, and what I ate (obviously).  For now, here are some of my first impressions of Guatemala, along with photos to illustrate its beauty and charm far better than my words ever could.

My First Impressions of Guatemala

• It’s Beautiful. This is the one observation that forces itself on you as you travel around Guatemala: it’s simply one of the most stunning locations I’ve ever experienced. It’s a visual feast.  I’ve seen incredible natural beauty in places like Italy, South Africa, Thailand, Greece, and Iceland, but I think Guatemala can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any of them.  Elaborate colonial architecture; yellow buildings reflecting the sun’s rays till they appear almost blinding; a lake ringed with volcanoes; water views perfectly framed with trees and flowers.  Yes, Guatemala is beautiful.  My photos don’t really do it justice; you have to see it for yourself to really understand.

• It’s Full of Friendly and Happy People. Obviously this is a broad generalization, but I don’t think I met a single person in Guatemala who was really unfriendly (well, maybe one or two boat captains, but I’ll overlook that), and the overall vibe of the places we visited was very friendly, welcoming, and happy.  As we traveled through small towns around Lake Atitlan, children would scamper up to us and say, “Hola!,” people would smile and nod at us in the streets, and everyone seemed to go out of their way to be helpful.  Moreover, I was very impressed by how generally happy the Guatemalans we encountered seemed to be; there’s a friendly, relaxed vibe in the country that I really appreciated.  Especially given the turmoil and sometimes horror of Guatemalan history as recently as a few decades ago, this warm, cheerful attitude from so many people we encountered really made an impression on me.

• It Helps A Lot to Speak Spanish (or have a friend who does). You can get by in Guatemala without any Spanish, at least for a few days, but it really does help to know at least a little.  I was incredibly fortunate to be traveling with a friend who had mastered the basics and spending lots of time with other friends who live in the country and are fluent Spanish speakers.  This not only helped us communicate more effectively, but opened up whole new worlds to us via their translation of conversations we would have otherwise missed.  Takeaway: I need to get myself to a Spanish class asap!

• The Food Isn’t Bad! I know this doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement, but when we arrived in Guatemala, our friends immediately warned us that “the food’s not the thing here.”  Still, we had an outstanding dinner in Antigua (more details to come), I enjoyed a scrumptious cheesecake/brownie combination dessert in Panajachel, and the taco dinner our friends prepared with food from the local market was divine.  And I had avocado and/or guacamole at just about every meal.  I need to keep this tradition going; new life goal!

• Lake Atitlan is Stunning, but Not to Be Underestimated. Ah, Lake Atitlan.  When I try to describe the beauty of Guatemala, this is what I’m thinking of: this stunning, deep blue lake surrounded by volcanoes and framed with flowers.  It’s one of the most incredible landscapes I’ve ever had the privilege to see.  But, on our boat ride from Santiago to another town along the shore, we encountered rough winds and enormous swells while out on the sea in our small motorboat.  It wasn’t a fun ride (the longest forty minutes of my life, which featured people falling over backwards, getting hit by waves in the face, throwing up, and even crying).  I have never been more happy to step foot on dry land again as I was when I got off that boat.  However, all our other boat trips went relatively smoothly (at least in comparison), and there is something undeniably fun about bouncing over waves with a view of cloud-ringed volcanoes ahead of you.  Just be aware that, if you see whitecaps breaking on the water, it may be a rough ride.

At the end of the day, even bumpy boat rides couldn’t sour me on Guatemala.  I’ll tell you what I’m telling everyone else I encounter these days: go.  Go as soon as possible, and stay as long as you can.  You won’t regret it.

Have you been to Guatemala?  What did you think of it?  Is it a place you’d add to your travel plans?

I can’t believe it, but my trip to Guatemala is only four days away!  Where does the time go?!?

This adventure has snuck up on me a bit, so I’ve been doing some reading these last few days to try to figure out what fun things I may want to see, do, and of course eat in Antigua and Lake Atitlan.  I’m still very open to ideas on all fronts, but I’ve also made the decision that this is going to be a different kind of trip for me: a chilled-out one.

You see, I have a tendency to over-plan my travels.  Usually, long before I touch down in a destination, I have a pretty good idea of what my trip will entail: hotels booked, activities planned, restaurants and even cafes picked out.  Yes, I’m that girl when I travel.  And come to think of it, I’m that girl in most areas of my life.  I’m a planner.  I like order and structure.  It’s an inherent part of who I am.

But this time, I’d like to leave room to be a bit more spontaneous and relaxed.  I have a few things in mind I would really like to see and do in Guatemala, but especially since this trip will be so brief, I want the main focus to be on relaxing, chilling out, taking in the beauty of my surroundings, all while eating, drinking, and having fun with friends.

Here’s my (very chill) to-do list for Guatemala so far.  Anything I’ve left out?

• Walk around Antigua and admire the beautiful architecture and pastel buildings.
• Hike somewhere that isn’t super-challenging but provides great views at the top.
• Float in an infinity pool.
• Eat Guatemalan food.
• Visit a few different towns around Lake Atitlan, hopefully by boat (because I love boats!)
• Have a fantastic meal in Antigua.
• Get a massage at our hotel spa in Panajachel.
• Visit the handicraft markets in Panajachel, and hopefully come away with a cool local souvenir.
• Lie in a hammock and look at the lake while drinking something tropical and fruity.

I’ll let you know how much of this I accomplish—but I think if I hit even a few of these items, I’ll have a pretty great trip!

And of course I’ll be posting a blog or two about my Guatemala adventure when I return, but in the meantime, you can follow my twitter account at @perpetualvoyage for some real-time photos and updates (wifi situation permitting, of course!)

Guatemala, here I come!

Have you been to Guatemala?  Is it on your list?  Any other (chill) things I should do while I’m there?