Monthly Archive: March 2016

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?