San Marcos La Laguna

After four countries in a week, it was time for some R & R.

I´d heard about the yoga schools of Lake Atitlan, up in the western highlands of Guatemala, way back in November, and promised myself that if I stopped this way, I´d partake. Actually, the school my friend had told me about was Las Piramides, a residencial complex on the lake which offered ¨metaphysics¨classes and a ¨Lunar Course¨ending in a week-long fast. I believe there´s also a vow of silence involved. And you know how I fall for that crunchy, baggy-pantsed hippy wisdom.


Lake Atitlan itself is shockingly beautiful, clear and blue and unspoilt like any mountain lake worth it´s salt.

But San Marcos La Laguna, the town where Las Piramides lives, has turned out to be a destination in and of itself. It kind of reminds me of Oregon Country Fair... or maybe a gnome community. The lake-side center of town doesn´t have a single road that is passable by car. People run about their Guatemalan adventure on dirt and cobble-stone paths and we´re in the jungle, so everything is completly overrun by colorfully-flowered vines and massive tropical trees.

And there´s hippies running every which way, a total Veneta vibe. Vegetarian options on every menu, more massage and reiki studios than corner stores. Though the ´spiritual reawakening´school proved a bit heavy, even for me, I´m back doing yoga classes after a five month break and am getting back my limber glow.

But running all this tree hugging and fire dancing, it´s the Guatemalans themselves that are the most amazing part of this place. They are nice, first of all. Not a single man, woman, child or household pet has passed me on the path without a friendly ´Hola!´ (shockingly image-oriented remark to follow) And their clothes! The women, from ages 8 to t0, wear traditional Mayan outfits, all made from the colorful woven patterns this region is famous for. Short sleeved blouses tucked into floor length skirts, bound up by a sash is the standard look, each with it´s own rainbow of colors in flower and animal designs and complicated geometric shapes. It´s the most glorious clashing of hues and patterns I´ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing.

In contrast, the men and boys are in T-shirts and jeans. Sadly, the cost of a male costume- around $200 according to some sources- is prohibitively expensive for the guys to be ´fitted in traditional clothes. But culture is preserved in different ways. Families live in the same town for hundreds of years. And every local I´ve met so far still speaks the traditional Mayan language, a ¨ch¨-heavy tounge I am butchering with a meat cleaver as I try to pick up it´s ¨Thank You¨´s and ¨How Are You¨´s.

And of course, I´m already scheming on an outfit of my own. I swear, along with the other ´garb´I´ve bought, I´m going to be one of those poor souls who cross over from Tijuana sporting head-to-toe ¨I´ve been in Central America¨wear and dreadlocks. But whatever, so be it. Okay, maybe not the dreadlocks...

***

Oh and! You know how movie stars and politicians get interviewed? Well apparently dirty backpacking hippies get interviewed too! Super stoked that Chelsea Smith, who runs the Hostelling International website, thought it´d be cool to ask me questions about stuff. Hell yeah! Check it out... and this crazy Guatemalan bell flower...

http://hipostcards.wordpress.com/


Peace and Love,
CD