Feliz Cumpleanos in Santa Cruz February 6, 2015
Bruce has had the good fortune, thanks to his excellent planning, to celebrate his February 6th birthday in a variety of fascinating locales. This one is no different. Not long after we had arrived in Pana last month, he was on the net, booking 3 nights in a lovely AirBnB that we had learned about from a passing acquaintance in Antigua. After mid-day lunch on Wednesday at Ana's house, we caught a launch, headed for the tiny pueblo of Santa Cruz La Laguna, only 20 minutes from Pana. Our destination was the amazing home of an American woman by the name of Jeanne.
The town of Santa Cruz, nestled up on the mountain, seen from our boat.
This little boy sitting on the board, being pushed by his sister on the street of Santa Cruz, is doing what kids without snow do :)!
Lake Atitlan has long been a place of spirituality and pilgrimage for the Mayan people. At a crossroads in Jeanne's life, the serenity and beauty of the lake called to her. She left the USA, built an incredible home here, and now rents out the spare bedroom through AirBnB. The unusual round design of the house, as well as the lush gardens surrounding it, are its most striking features at first glance. Once inside, however, the bold architectural concept continues to amaze the visitor. A tiny interior garden, open to the sky, onto which all the rooms open; the bath that allows the bather to look up at the stars; the lovely tiled, outdoor shower just outside the bathroom; the cozy little sitting area with a small oval fireplace - it is gorgeous! In the morning, we sip coffee on the wide veranda with Jeanne's two friendly dogs, looking out over Lake Atitlan with its palette of blues: the blue, blue water rippling in the wind, the dark blue volcanic mountains in the distance, and the sky-blue sky with fluffy white clouds scooting across it.
Lush gardens provide Jeanne's home with privacy.
Our private little porch with hammocks at the back of the house.
The tub beside a large open space, looking out at the stars and the outdoor shower.
The enchanting interior garden of Jeanne's home, open to the air above. One of the doors opens to our bedroom.
Yesterday we walked up the steep hill to the settlement of Santa Cruz. Jeanne had suggested that we might enjoy visiting an NGO (non-governmental organization) called Amigos de Santa Cruz (please google it to see the incredibly good work that it is doing). One of their projects is a culinary arts school to train young folks to cook in restaurants. Cafe Sabor Cruceno offers hard-working teenagers an opportunity to find a passion and a career in the creation of healthy, beautifully presented food. They reportedly serve some of the best Guatemalan food on the lake. We couldn't agree more (not that we've sampled a lot :). The taco that I ordered, topped with a fresh salad, was creative and delicious and very reasonably priced!
The steep road rising from the lake to the pueblo of Santa Cruz.
A woman who is not young, walking up the steep road, carrying a load of firewood on her head, and a load of something else on her back.
Juan Carlos and Santiago, the aspiring young chefs at the Amigos de Santa Cruz cooking school cafe.
On our walk back down the road, we were serenaded by the sounds of roosters calling, modern music pumping out of a radio, a hammer chipping away at rocks, and tuk-tuks chugging up and down the mountain.
For the past two evenings, we have eaten dinner at The Iguana Perdida (the Lost Iguana), a lakeside hostal, resto, and dive school. The owners, a Brit and an American, serve evening buffet meals family style, which gives diners a chance to meet and chat with other travelers. Most of the travelers are bright young wanderers with great travel stories. Last evening, after the meal, a very special movie was screened. It's a documentary, called Mayan Blue, and it tells the story of a recent underwater archaelogical exploration to discover the ancient Mayan religious site, called Samabaj, which is located 102 feet under the waters of Lake Atitlan! The producer, Dawson Barnes, was on hand to thank the owners of La Iguana Perdida for originally telling him about local rumors of the existence of this magical place.
Under these blue waters lies an ancient Maya city and pilgrimage site, dating back to the years 200 BC - 200 AD.
Today we took a walk along the lake. The walkway consists of a patchwork system of rock walls, dusty paths going up and down the shoreline, sandy bits of beachfront, and wooden planks suspended about 2 feet above the water (which is rising dramatically every year, inundating trees and docks). We passed swanky water-front homes owned by rich gringos or city folks from Guatemala City, as well as a couple of nice-looking resorts. We stopped at one, a retreat center called Villa Sumayan, for a smoothie.
Part of the walking path along the edge of the lake in Santa Cruz.
Cayucos, the traditional canoes used for fishing on Lake Atitlan.
Bruce and his birthday smoothie!
Our birthday vacation will end tomorrow, when we head back to Panajachel and Ana's home. Before we leave, Jeanne has one last treat for us. She has invited us to go with her to another lakeside pueblo, San Juan, where she teaches English to a group of young adults. We can't wait! Nestled in the oasis of tranquility that Jeanne has created here, we have come under Lake Atitlan's charm. Meanwhile, we'll have a special celebratory dinner this evening - of course. Our foodie nature hasn't changed!
Lake Atitlan has long been a place of spirituality and pilgrimage for the Mayan people. At a crossroads in Jeanne's life, the serenity and beauty of the lake called to her. She left the USA, built an incredible home here, and now rents out the spare bedroom through AirBnB. The unusual round design of the house, as well as the lush gardens surrounding it, are its most striking features at first glance. Once inside, however, the bold architectural concept continues to amaze the visitor. A tiny interior garden, open to the sky, onto which all the rooms open; the bath that allows the bather to look up at the stars; the lovely tiled, outdoor shower just outside the bathroom; the cozy little sitting area with a small oval fireplace - it is gorgeous! In the morning, we sip coffee on the wide veranda with Jeanne's two friendly dogs, looking out over Lake Atitlan with its palette of blues: the blue, blue water rippling in the wind, the dark blue volcanic mountains in the distance, and the sky-blue sky with fluffy white clouds scooting across it.
Yesterday we walked up the steep hill to the settlement of Santa Cruz. Jeanne had suggested that we might enjoy visiting an NGO (non-governmental organization) called Amigos de Santa Cruz (please google it to see the incredibly good work that it is doing). One of their projects is a culinary arts school to train young folks to cook in restaurants. Cafe Sabor Cruceno offers hard-working teenagers an opportunity to find a passion and a career in the creation of healthy, beautifully presented food. They reportedly serve some of the best Guatemalan food on the lake. We couldn't agree more (not that we've sampled a lot :). The taco that I ordered, topped with a fresh salad, was creative and delicious and very reasonably priced!
On our walk back down the road, we were serenaded by the sounds of roosters calling, modern music pumping out of a radio, a hammer chipping away at rocks, and tuk-tuks chugging up and down the mountain.
For the past two evenings, we have eaten dinner at The Iguana Perdida (the Lost Iguana), a lakeside hostal, resto, and dive school. The owners, a Brit and an American, serve evening buffet meals family style, which gives diners a chance to meet and chat with other travelers. Most of the travelers are bright young wanderers with great travel stories. Last evening, after the meal, a very special movie was screened. It's a documentary, called Mayan Blue, and it tells the story of a recent underwater archaelogical exploration to discover the ancient Mayan religious site, called Samabaj, which is located 102 feet under the waters of Lake Atitlan! The producer, Dawson Barnes, was on hand to thank the owners of La Iguana Perdida for originally telling him about local rumors of the existence of this magical place.
Today we took a walk along the lake. The walkway consists of a patchwork system of rock walls, dusty paths going up and down the shoreline, sandy bits of beachfront, and wooden planks suspended about 2 feet above the water (which is rising dramatically every year, inundating trees and docks). We passed swanky water-front homes owned by rich gringos or city folks from Guatemala City, as well as a couple of nice-looking resorts. We stopped at one, a retreat center called Villa Sumayan, for a smoothie.
Our birthday vacation will end tomorrow, when we head back to Panajachel and Ana's home. Before we leave, Jeanne has one last treat for us. She has invited us to go with her to another lakeside pueblo, San Juan, where she teaches English to a group of young adults. We can't wait! Nestled in the oasis of tranquility that Jeanne has created here, we have come under Lake Atitlan's charm. Meanwhile, we'll have a special celebratory dinner this evening - of course. Our foodie nature hasn't changed!
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