Adios Mexico, Hola Guatemala!
Adios Mexico, Hola Guatemala! Panajachel, Guatemala |
The shuttle picked me up at El Hostalito around 8AM. The ride took the whole day, reached Panajachel at 6.30PM.At least the road wasn’t as relentlessly curvy as the one that goes to Palenque. It was a smooth ride. The views were beautiful with rolling mountains and hills. Very foggy at some areas, like being in the clouds. Going through immigration processing in Mexico and Guatemala customs was fairly straightforward. No questions asked at Guatemala, simply stamped my passport with 90 days. And the Dutch Saved the Day Since my supposedly travel companion from San Cristobal bailed out on me last minute, I was left alone to fend for myself with my halting Spanish.
Problem is we were meant to find hostel when we reach the place, so I didn’t making any bookings. I can’t speak Spanish so I was left in a mild panic.It’s the first time that I come to a place without organising anything in advance, and without even reading about the place — what to see, what to do, where to stay! I was relying on my companion who speaks fluent Spanish, to help navigate the place, as was promised. Luckily, I sat next to a smart Dutch guy who was generous enough to give me his photocopied pages of lonely planet guide on Panajachel. My rule of thumb now when it comes to accommodation is, when in doubt, choose the most central place. I stayed at Mario’s Rooms and I couldn’t have picked a better value place. The guesthouse wasn’t only centrally located, it was very clean, serene and cozy too. I loved the comfy bed and fluffy pillows. There’s a cable TV, en-suite, free wi-fi and complimentary water. unexpected great value for A$24. It’s so cozy, I could just spend the whole day in my room! Caldera – Lake Atitlan I believe it is a caldera. It’s the deepest lake in South America and is surrounded by volcanoes. The view from Solola, going down the lake, was phenomenal. There were around three volcanoes next to each other with almost perfect cones. I made the right decision to stay at Panajachel instead of going straight to Antigua. To end the day, went hunting for food. Although far more expensive, there were more choices here than in Mexico, especially with mariscos (seafood). And I finally had ceviches!
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