My second big hike here in Guatemala was an amazing experience. Walking through forests, villages, over mountains, and finally to the sacred Lake Atitlan, I got to see so much more of the country. I did this hike with the nonprofit hike group, "Quetzaltrekkers" again and it was just as good of an experience as my last two day hike with them up the volcano "Tajamulco."
However,this hike was much more of an endurance run. We were on our feet almost all day Saturday and Sunday, and it was tough, my feet are covered in blisters now, but like the hike in Tajamulco, it was an amazing challenge (especially at the end!). I loved seeing the post-card like scenes from the top of the mountains and it was a great experience to see the rural villages. The kids would just sit on the side of their houses and wave to our group...so cute!
Description of the hike - http://www.quetzaltrekkers.com/guatlake.html
As is traditional with "Quetzaltrekker" hikes, there were two Guatemalan kids with us on the hike. For this hike, two 13-year-old boys named Henry and Alvaro. The "Quetzaltrekkers" organization supports a clinic, a school, and a shelter here in Xela with their funds, and they also bring along 1-2 kids on all their hikes. Henry and Alvaro were definitely hyperactive, but great kids! It was fun to get to know them. Unfortunately I found out that Henry was abused as a child and ran away to live in the shelter (after living with a couple other families on the way), and now even at age 13, he wants to be a hike guide someday. He was always in the front of our line, telling us things about the hike. :)
The last day of the hike Monday was a lot of fun (and thankfully much shorter). As a highlight to the trip, we got up at 4 am and climbed a cliff for 20 minutes to watch the sunrise over the sacred Lake Atitlan. It was gorgeous and then we ate some yummy oatmeal on top of the mountain. We then went down the mountain to the lake and got to swim before heading home in a bus. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to do this hike. I don't know if I'll have time to hike much more b/c I'll be traveling a lot next month (to El Salvador and Oaxaca Mexico with the group), but I'm looking forward to hiking the volcano, Santa Maria with my group as well. Now to bed, because I'm exhausted, but miss you all! <3
The view of the lake before the sun came up Monday morning -
Henry and Alvaro curled up in a sleeping bag watching the sunrise -
Coffee beans!
Swimming in the beach at Lake Atitlan...
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