A Trip to Pana

Panajachel is the city or town that serves as an entrance to the Atitlan lake in Guatemala. If you come from the airport in Guatemala city as soon as you get off the plane there will be a number of men waiting for you and offering an assortment of shuttle rides. It is very important that you have a price reference for almost everything because, as in many cities throughout the world, prices vary between locals and tourists and sometimes between tourists as well. Bargaining then is a necessity.
I wanted to go from the airport to Panajachel. First option I was offered was a shuttle straight from Guatemala city to Pana, short for Panajachel, and the price 125 USD. Yup! I shook my head and said that was way off my budget. Second offer, A shared shuttle to Antigua, and from there a second shuttle to Pana. This time the price was 120 Quetzals, the local currency, or about 15 USD. The choice was obvious. I hopped on the shuttle. Nor even one minute after that a Frenchmen joined in. I asked him what part of Germany was he from. For some weird reason I always confuse French and German accents, oh well. Then a Dutch barista showed up, and finally a gal also from the Neaderlands. We were exhausted from our endless plane trips. Apparently wheather you are coming from Europe, or in my case South America, going through the Miami airport seems to be the most likely way to get to Guatemala. Therefore, we mostly complained about the long hours, the meals, and the most minute details of our ordeals with a very light humor and the worst possible tourist attitude, haha. I guess it is a natural way to decompress. A middle ground between your daily life and the realization that you ARE on vacation.

After an hour, we reached Antigua, a five-centuries old city. I had never seen before an early PostColombus city. Rock-paved narrow roads, Tuk Tuks coming and going as a mean of transportation, and low buildings with very elaborate iron fences on the windows. Houses and little shops in different pastel colors blended in perfectly with the surroundings. We splitted ways with the two guys and wished them good luck. Anna and I walked to a little bistro three stores down from the agency´s “terminal” a 5´x 5´ room with a desk and three chairs. Everything is so small and so carefully put together. The bistro, Refacciones Patty, was a little larger. Divided in two by a countertop. On one side, a stove, a sink, racks with cooking ingredients on the walls and seasoning herbs growing on pots on the ledge of the window. On the other side of the counter, five stools, a board with the menu on the wall and salt, pepper and napkins .
We went for the dish of the day, 23 Quetzals, or 23Q, as most people say. Cucumber salad with cold slaw, and a trace of something sweet, eggs, a barbecued-flavored chicken leg, hand made tortillas and a glass of coconut water with cinnamon and a special something else.
We enjoyed every bite of it, went back the terminal and were on our way to Pana.

This time we shared the shuttle with a couple of German retirees who decided to travel the world, and a folk singer from Canada who were already on board. We began presenting ourselves, a constant scenario of almost everyday since I got here, then jumped from topic to topic until near future technology and AI came up. Yup! We unconsciously focused on the positive side of it. I guess we already were on vacation mode. We talked for hours loosing the track of time, interchanging perspectives, sharing snacks and really beginning to enjoy the journey.

Zigzagging our way through the mountains for three and a half hours we finally arrived at Panajachel, we only had 5 minutes to reach the dock and the last boat of the day. We ran down a steep street, two boats were waiting, about to leave. I helped Anna get on the boat to San Pedro since wind was blowing and the boat kept rocking back and forth. I boarded the other boat towards San Marcos, my final destination, where they would be waiting for me with a warm meal and tight bear-hugs.

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All photos and text are originals