Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

The shuttle arrived at our hotel in Antigua at 7:45 AM. We were the first pick up. Our second stop was nearby and we collected a friendly, very clean-cut, young backpacker. He told us he was Italian, from a city near Venice. When we pulled up in front of the third stop we saw a sign on the wall that told us it was a Lutheran Retreat Center. “Great,” Alex said, “We’re going to be riding for two hours with a bunch of religious fanatics.”

“It’s ok,” said the Italian with a smile, “I’m a Jehovah Witness.”

Alex and I donned earpieces and listened to music from his Ipod the rest of the ride.

Getting to Lake Atitlan from Antigua was not pretty; not at first. The road took us through impoverished towns, even by Mexican standards. However, about an hour through the two hour drive, the road vistas opened up to farm land and sweeping valleys, revitalizing our senses. Descending into the quaint little lakeside town of Panajachel, we were assaulted by Guatemalan children wanting to carry our luggage to the boats. Volcanoes provide the backdrop to the lake, and breathtaking views.

I believe that water, clean water, consistently elevates the beauty of a place; whether it be the ocean, a river, stream or waterfall, or a lake. There is something special about being on or near the water. Lake Atitlan must be one of the most beautiful places on the planet.

And I’m certainly not the first to think this. The information in our hotel room at Villa Sumaya, says, “Lake Atitlan is known by the Guatemalans to be the center of the universe, where God seeds of mankind evolved.”

Villa Sumaya probably deserves a blog entry all on its own. Accessible only by boat, it is an oasis that serves as a yoga retreat and spiritual healing center. It boasts lush gardens, stunning views, winding paths that spill into secluded meditation or lounging areas, all set on the edge of the lake.

On the night of the full moon Alex performed a Maya fire ceremony. It was just the two of us. When the fire was nearly complete, Alex had me lay on the grass with my eyes closed while he walked me through a visualization exercise. When we’d finished I opened my eyes. Sitting around the fire was the hotel owner Wendy, and her two daughters, Celine, age 8, and Chloe, age 6. They had placed red roses around the fire. I had no idea that they had arrived, so quietly, so respectful.

These beautiful girls, French-American by dissent, were born and raised in Guatemala and speak four languages, including the local native dialect. They are fascinating children who have been brought up in an environment of spirituality, healing and creativity. They evidence a kind of wisdom in their expressions that far exceeds their years.

We spent our few days lounging in hammocks and lounge chairs, reading, getting massages and visiting with the other guests. A thoroughly delightful retreat that I would recommend to everyone. The food was less than great but we believe that the chef was on vacation during the first part of our visit. Things seemed to pick up when he appeared on the scene near the end of our stay.

We shared a shuttle back to Antigua, with a delightful mother-daughter couple we met at the resort. They were Australians and the daughter had just completed an exchange program at U.C. Berkeley. Small world.

It is nice to be led, instead of leading. Alex is a seasoned traveler. He has wanted to share Guatemala with me for some time. He handled all the travel arrangements and every time I began to think, “We should arrange . . .” he had already taken care of everything.