Our first excursion was to Lake Atitlan, it was an amazing
eye-opening experience. Our tour guide, Abraham, was very knowledgeable and proud
of his Guatemalan heritage. He was eager to tell us about Guatemalan culture
and history. Our journey started on the Pan American highway; you can take this
highway all the way to United States. As we started getting closer you could
see different types of indigenous people. In Guatemala, there are many different
indigenous people who have different beliefs and ways of life. The way they
dress can let you know what village or tribe they come from, their different
type and class. Many indigenous people have very little education and work very
hard for their families. We met one of these families…well actually a little
girl named Sofia when we did a quick restroom break. She was at a small stop
where her family sells paintings, and other small goods, snacks, and to use the
restroom.
Once we got to Lake Atitlan, it was an amazing view. The
story is there was a volcano that erupted and made a huge crater. There is a
dark spot in the lake which is said to be an underground Mayan temple. It got
covered and the lake was formed when there was a huge rain/monsoon. There are
many different tribes that live around the lake. We visited Saint Peter, Saint
Santiago, and Saint Juan. Each town is named after a saint and an indigenous
name. We visited the co-op and learned how the women make their crafts such as
weaving shawls, scarfs, bags, etc. They work so they can pay for their children’s
schooling. Each town is like an Artisan town; there are painters, crafters, and
many different clothing shops.
This was such an amazing tour to do with breathtaking views,
and very fun boat ride (hang on tight). We saw many shops, and people, which
was just a small part. There are many more towns around the lake, bring your
walking shoes though as you climb up some steep hills.
No comments:
Post a Comment