Our hotel for the next three nights is in Panajachel on Lago de Atitlan, also known as ‘gringo-tenango’ for its many expats. “Pana” is a cute although touristy town on Lake Atitlan, the 7th largest lake in Central America and one of the most picturesque in the world. The lake is surrounded by volcanoes covered in clouds and the shoreline is dotted with small towns where Mayan culture is still alive. The people grow maize and coffee on the improbably steep hillsides and make traditional pottery and weave fabrics for locals and tourists alike. We visited San Pedro, known for coffee, Santiago Atitlan and San Antonio where there is an active weaving center. Sometimes it’s OK to wander around like typical tourists.
