This post contains ten photos of Lake Atitlan and surrounding shoreline scenery taken in September and October of 2012, and then highlights 83 photos taken all around town on September 15, 2012. These latter photos give a fun glimpse of rural life in this part of Guatemala.
As usual, the photos in this post are thumbnail images. Please click on any photo to enlarge it. The thumbnails leave much to be desired as far as colors and resolution – plus the thumbnails clip all of the edges. I use thumbnails for the post itself, because it gives people an opportunity to get a summary glimpse without downloading huge amounts of data for the high-res photos.
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE TO HIGH RESOLUTION
September Lake Images
These first five photos were taken on September 13, just a week before I began a three week trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.
This one is taken from the main San Marcos boat dock looking out toward the Toliman Volcano (first two peaks on left) and the Atitlan Volcano (peak on the right). If you click on the photo for more detail, you will see the edge of the boat dock itself, showing how high the water is at the edge of the dock.
This photo is from the same spot, just panned a little to the right, with the San Pedro Volcano prominently highlighted on the right. I love the sky in this photo.
And another, panned a little more to the right. The town of San Pedro La Laguna is at the base of this large volcano, just to the right (left of the foreground tree trunk). This tree in the foreground used to be a huge tree, but died and was cut down when the lake levels rose.
San Pedro is less than ten minutes by boat, and is where I have been going quite frequently to have all my dental work done (more in a future blog).
This is what is left of the “new” boat dock that was still being built when I arrived in San Marcos in April 2010. I would guess the lake is up about 20 feet from that time, because the base of this building used to be at least 10-15 feet above lake level.
Another view of the “Posada Schumann” (a little hotel by the boat dock). Every year, the water creeps higher. This little wooden path (built from pallets) is about to be consumed by the lake.
October Lake Images
These next five photos were taken about four weeks later, on October 18, 2012, just after returning from my trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.
This is what is left of the bottom portion of the main boat dock. The lake has risen enough in my absence that they removed the wood in preparation to raise it yet again.
Another photo of the Posada Schumann. If you look close, you can see the difference in how the lake now hits the old hotel room on the left. The little wooden path in front has already been raised up to make it possible to walk above the rising water.
This photo shows the same area where the roof of the “new” boat dock building used to be sticking out. The roof was removed, but the support posts were left standing. The water has gone up high enough that the posts are no longer visible.
This little house (about 100 feet from the dock) belongs to the woman who owns and runs Las Piramides del Ka (the meditation center where I attended for four months in 2010). This is the highest the water has reached.
Another view of the Posada Schumann hotel rooms (obviously closed) and the wooden path in front of them.
Guatemalan Independence Day
The next 83 photos were all taken around the town of San Marcos on September 15, 2012. I was in a “camera mood” that day, and there was an abundance of culture to capture.
This is a store near the center of town called “Tienda El Centro.” I occasionally do a little shopping here for things like bread and tortillas. The closed window on the left is the only pharmacy in town. The woman who runs it is the mother of the doctor I used to visit in San Pedro, and the mother-in-law of the dentist I am seeing so frequently now (July 2013).
She opens the pharmacy when she wants to. I rarely see her here.
This street vendor sells fried chicken and French fries. The blue column at the right of the photo is part of the basketball court. I have occasionally purchased fries and chicken here.
A typical mother and daughter on the left, with a couple of young women on the right.
View taken from a little park in front of “Tienda El Centro,” looking down at the chicken/fry vendor and the basketball court (blue columns). Hidden behind the tree on the left is a little store where I usually buy my water about once per week. My apartment is just behind that taller building that is partially hidden by the tree.
As I sit in the little park waiting for the annual parade to begin, this man is setting up a display of various fabrics for sale.
From my same position, I am now looking across the street at the Catholic church in town. I love the huge tree in the courtyard. I am often blessed with the opportunity to listen to loud music and celebration coming from this church and adjacent courtyard, as my bedroom window is only about 100 feet away.
The blue wall is part of the tiny store where I buy my purified water (5 gallons at a time). My apartment is directly behind the three-story building that rises above the store. It is hard to tell in this photo, but just above the blue wall is the roof of my apartment.
A close-up of the store where I buy water. It is really small. The man with the green vest is one of a few traffic police here in town. There is often one down at the boat dock, and usually one or two by the entrance to town, charging cars a few quetzales to drive into town. They also occasionally come out to block the street for a parade (like today).
A few children walking into town for the festivities. The Catholic church is in the background at the upper right.
Inside the basketball court is a small stage that has been erected for the festivities. I am impressed because I only see 16 large speakers in this photo (eight under the stage, and four hanging in the air on either side of the stage.) During the annual town Feria in April, I have often seen as many as 30-60 speakers aimed at my house. The curved roof tends to channel all sound directly to my bedroom window.
Looking down the main street of San Marcos (from the Basketball court looking west). On the left side, about halfway down, is a little store where I buy ice cream bars. Around the corner at the far right is the restaurant where I go for my favorite burger and fries
On the same street, but further down to the west. The man holding what looks like a pink raincoat is selling ice cream out of his little white cart.
This is one of the schools in town. This one is just above the little park in the center of town.
This photo is taken from just below the school, looking back down at the basketball court. The small stage is on the near end of the basketball court, and my apartment is just behind the building that you can see looking through the left side of the basketball (and soccer) court.
Another view in the center of town (quite similar to previous ones). My roof is in the left center of the photo, just above the blue wall.
A close-up of the traffic officer. They are “really” busy in this small, lazy town.
The parade has begun. The two young women in the center are part of the town/region royalty.
Marching with the banners from a local school.
Kids playing their drums. It is fun to see, but during certain parts of the year, I get to listen to several hours of drumming every day, as there are several schools, and they all have drums and xylophones etc. They seem to practice every day for weeks on end.
More of the children with their drums and tambourines.
A highly decorated “float” in the parade. The woman whose face is barely protruding from behind the front windshield (left of the orange balloon) is the pharmacist that I mentioned earlier.
A band made up of older youth. In addition to drums and xylophones, there are a lot of trumpets. They almost always play the same small selection of two or three parade songs.
A girl with her xylophone.
Drums, drums, and more drums … and I love those cool shades.
A group of children in traditional clothing, marching in the parade. The plastic bags some are holding contain water. It is sold here in these small bags. They tear open a corner and suck it out.
More parade fun. It makes me yawn just to look at this young yawning woman.
I love how all the signs are handmade, many with just paint on heavy paper, held by a stick.
These youth are carrying handmade signs that highlight various cultural elements of Guatemala.
The sign that the front middle boy is carrying reads “Los Ladinos.” The term “Ladino” is a typical term used to describe Guatemalan natives.
This sign reads: “… and the truth will set you free. John 8:32”
Students from another school, marching with their school sign.
More youth from this school.
And a few more. If you look closely, just above the second drum is the entrance to the tiny store (tienda) where I occasionally buy creamcicles and ice cream sandwiches sovaldigeneric.net.
More marchers from a different school. This is definitely not traditional Mayan clothing. I’m guessing these young women are cheer leaders (but I really have no idea).
The end of the parade was the basketball court. Most everyone just marched right up inside and formed this large crowd of local San Marcos residents.
Looking up toward the stage.
Looking across the back of the crowd. Several young boys are actually hanging onto the fence on the street side, suspended on a ledge that is about eight feet above the road below.
On the west side of the basketball court are a series of large concrete stair steps where these women are seated.
This style of clothing is very typical for the women in San Marcos. Almost every village in Guatemala has their own unique colors and patterns.
Looking up at more of the gathered crowd.
The formalities are beginning up on the stage.
Taken from the same spot, but without the zoom.
Another view of the large crowd that gathered to celebrate.
Some cute little girls playing with a dog, at the back of the crowd near where I was standing.
A happy participant. There are many street dogs in San Marcos. Most dog owners here do not keep them in a home or yard. It is hard to tell which are strays and which have owners. Usually, the strays are very skinny and dirty. This one looks happy and well fed. At night, many dogs run around in packs and can really be quite loud.
A group of young men standing on a wall just outside the basketball court.
Two young boys wearing a form of traditional clothing.
A vendor selling snow cones with coarsely shaved ice and many unique flavors.
Standing on the street outside, looking up toward the small park where I was taking photos earlier. (The small park is just above the wall, above the Tuk-Tuk in the distance.)
Most of the older Mayan women carry some type of cloth on their heads. It seems to come in handy for a variety of purposes.
An older man in the crowd.
A young girl eating a treat.
This young boy is enjoying one of the snow cones. I have no idea what all those colorful flavors might be.
This young girl has a snow cone of her own. It is unusual to see young women and girls who are not wearing traditional clothing. Days with parades and school activities are often exceptions.
And another snow cone enthusiast.
This is the north side of my apartment building (facing the basketball court). The nearest wooden door used to be a business and is now a tiny apartment. The second open door is the side entrance to a cafe/bookstore. I live directly above this little bookstore. The shuttered window on the second floor belongs to my spare bedroom. My bedroom is on the far, upper-right corner, and my window is just around the bend.
Looking inside the door of the little cafe/bookstore Tikonem.
Throughout the day, the sky was frequently booming with the loud bangs of “bombas” – or firework bombs — the kind that just make a loud boom without the colorful explosions that shower down with glittering colors.
I decided to take a few photos of just how these are launched. The man in the foreground has his left foot placed on a metal cylinder. This is the actual launching tube used to send these hurling into the sky. A group of interested young boys is hanging back at a “safe?” distance.
This is the launching tube itself. If you look closely, you can see a small puff of smoke at the top. A bomba was just launched a second ago.
The man is holding another bomba that is about to be launched. I am not sure what is inside the pouch at the bottom, but it must contain a lot of gunpowder among other things. It also has a very long fuse.
The explosive ball is lowered into the tube, with the fuse end up.
The fuse dangles over the edge. In this photo, the fuse is burning. If you enlarge the photo, you can see the glow of the sizzling fire about 3-4 inches from the left lip of the cylinder. I am quite surprised by how close the man is standing as he turns around and holds his ears.
I myself am standing about 20 feet away, behind a rock wall, preparing to plug my own ears and duck behind the wall.
The smoke disperses. Seconds after the initial explosion sends the bomba into the sky, the large “booming” explosion shakes the neighborhood. I live only about a hundred feet away, and I get a lot of these going off above my roof on a regular basis. Occasionally, I hear the explosive debris falling on my roof.
These airborne bombas are a frequent part of Central American and Southern Mexico celebrations. Some say that the explosion scares away evil spirits.
A zoomed-out view, just after the explosion. The large tree on the right is directly in front of the Catholic church.
The spot where I am standing (where I took this and the previous photos) is right beside the little blue store where I buy my water. In this photo, I am looking back up to the little small park in the center of town. The “Tienda El Centro” is the little roof in the right center.
During this period of my life (Sept 15, 2012) I was going through some tough emotional times … just finishing up a root canal and preparing to travel to Oaxaca, hoping for some emotional relief from very intense emotional swings.
In the afternoon, as I walked back to the basketball court to check out the new activities that were taking place, I began to cry with pure love as I watched the innocence of these beautiful little children performing for the crowd. I cannot explain it … I just had a moment of pure, genuine, innocent love.
Another view of this same group.
And another. If I remember right, I am still wiping back the trickling tears. I felt such a beautiful energy of innocence.
Still clicking away with my camera.
A group of older children performing a dance number in their physical education uniforms.
Looking down at the crowd. I am now sitting up in the concrete bleacher seating. I caught a glimpse of Isaias’s wife and son and went to sit with them.
More of the school children performing.
This is Isaias’s beautiful little son. He is so adorable.
Isaias’s sister and a couple of his nieces. If you buy any ceremonial-grade Guatemalan chocolate, it might have been hand-peeled by her.
More of Isaias’s extended family. I am intentionally not mentioning their names (for privacy reasons).
Meanwhile the school performances continue on the basketball court below.
And another group.
This cute little girl and I had fun playing together. She loved to hold my camera and look through the viewfinder.
One of Isaias’s nephews is performing with this group (directly behind the young woman in the lead).
This fun little girl kept asking me to take another photo of her, and she was so excited to then see the photo displayed on my camera.
More people in the crowd.
Near the end of the performance, each of these children displayed a poster that they had made — each with some type of message that was important to them.
In Spanish, the pink poster in front reads, “I want to have a better life.”
This is the end of the photos for today. After this, I will have one more photo post before returning to my writing. Right now (July 30, 2013) I am in the middle of beginning the crown work on six root canals (five of which were done in the last week), so I am taking a break from writing. I hope to resume the writing in a week or two, as soon as I begin to feel consistently better.
Copyright © 2013 by Brenda Larsen, All Rights Reserved