On the Lake

Today we left early (very early) to head to Lake Atitlan. This is the biggest lake in all of Guatemala. But we were a bit tired...

Mom and Emma bright and awake

After our three hour bus ride we arrived and ate breakfast. It was very good - much more than we expected with a "free meal" included in the tour!

Us at the restaurant

Then we headed out on the lake. Below are some of the amazing pictures of the view and the three volcanoes that surround the lake

Panorama view of the lake

Us on the boat

Us leaving the doc

Beautiful country side around the lake

Three volcanoes in a line

We stopped at three Mayan villages to learn about their history and tour the towns. Each town had some exciting adventures. At one we learned about the process the Mayans use to make their cotton and die it the color they want by boiling various parts of various plants

Cotton demonstration

Emma trying to weave cotton

Tyler trying to weave cotton

Josiah trying to weave cotton

The various plants they use to color the cotton

Dying the cotton using banana juice and the plant of choice to get the desired color

Emma demonstrating the colored yarn that was died right in front of us!

Tyler holding out the cotton strands 

Video of how they take the string and get it ready to be weaved

Once died, the long process of weaving begins. This will be a scarf

After our weaving demonstration we headed out for our second town. At the second town we happened upon a parade put on by a school. The theme was "People who changed the world in the Bible, Heroes who changed the world in the past, and How we can change the world today" Below are pictures from this adventure: 

Can you see the cross on the hill as we approached the doc?

Getting reading to doc at town number 2

These guys are dressed as Jonah

These girls are dressed as Esther

More costumes!

Not sure who these were...

Martin Luther!

More Martin Luther

View from a large Baptist Church

Us on the church balcony 

Emma and Nicole enjoying the view of the lake

The famous "first church" is not catholic - its Baptist! 

Then it was back in the boat for town number 3. At this town we saw a church where a priest from Oklahoma came during the civil war and helped the poor and the children avoid being forced into the army. However, the priest was shot dead in his church. His body was returned to his family, but the people of the community requested that his heart remain in the church and the family agreed. We were able to see the tomb of the heart and the room he was shot in (complete with bullet hole in the ground and blood stain on the wall). 

Emma enjoying the ride to the last island

Josiah also enjoyed the ride

The church was decorated in red and gold for a celebration that was yesterday

The tomb of the priest's heart

(creepy and neat at the same time)

Kids posing in front of one of the alters in the church

Enjoying lunch before heading home

As we headed back it began to rain so there are no more pictures as we quickly returned the travel agency and loaded the van. Another interesting story (sorry no pictures) was when traffic got bad our drive took a "detour" around the traffic. This detour is hard to describe in American terms... it was a dirt road, full of potholes and slippery mud, and ruts, and streams of water from the rain, and we bottomed out constantly and I felt like we were going to get stuck several times... but we made it back home safe and sound! And now, after a long weekend of adventures - we are off to enjoy some well deserved sleep! Goodnight all! Thanks for keeping in touch. We enjoy the comments!