Travelogue of Fern’s visit to Guatemala for the purpose of advancing the Water for Life project for Chajmaic, Guatemala (page 3)
December 17, 2018
Before the meeting with the lawyer, we saw Lago de Atitlán, on our way to Panajachel. This is a photo of Ricardo and me with Atitlán behind us:
After the visit to the lawyer, Fern took a lancha (speed boat) from Panajachel to Hotel y Café La Casa del Mundo, which is situated between the village of El Jaibalito and the town of Santa Cruz La Laguna on Lago de Atitlán. The lake was formed from a massive volcanic crater by an eruption 84,000 years ago. Surrounding the lake are more than a dozen towns and villages, each with their own flavor, and with the indigenous people’s culture very much alive, despite the massacres during the 36-year unarmed conflict (ending in 1996) that led to the deaths and loss of land of so many.
Fern has been to Lago de Atitlán three times since 2005, each time staying at La Casa del Mundo. It is the place closest to heaven that she has ever found. Since 2005, she has seen the development of the hotel rooms, individually going further up the mountain. Each room has a view of the lake and its own terrace.
This is a view of Fern’s hotel room from 2015:
View from Fern’s hotel room, La Casa del Mundo, December 2018
On the first day Fern took a hike to visit the village of Jaibalito. It has developed immensely since Fern first visited in 2005, now with a school, supported by donations through La Casa del Mundo. The dirt path for the hike was windy, rocky and mountainous. It is the path that the villagers of Jaibalito take every day when they leave their village (unless they take a lancha).
After the hike, Fern took a rest on a deck prior to the incredibly sumptuous collective dinner that allows visitors to be introduced to other guests from around the world.
The next morning Fern rose early to see the sun rise over the volcanoes.
And, Fern took a hike and went on a mountain ridge for an incredible view of the lake before checking out of her room and taking the lancha back to Panajachel.
