Easter without eggs and boating in Atitlan

Easter in Antigua was definitely an experience. Perhaps not something I'd like to experience again but without a doubt worth seeing once. The city has less than 30 000 inhabitants and during tourist season three times more visitors but on Easter week about 300 000 people come to see the huge processions taking place all over the city. Never heard of processions? Here's how it goes: First you close the streets where a procession is going to take place from car traffic and people start making 'carpets 'on the streets. These carpets consist of saw dust in different colours, flowers and all possible ornaments you can think of. The whole distance of the procession (can be more than 12 km) is covered by there colourful creations and if you wish to make one, you'll have to do it for 7 consecutive years. Most of the carpets are absolutely beautiful and watching people make them very fascinating, but from some you can tell that it's their 7th year and they don't give a shit anymore.

Then it's time to destroy the carpets by letting hundreds of people march straight through them. And many of these people will be among those carrying massive sets of wooden statues weighing up to 3000kg. It's a tough task but they walk kilometres in sometimes brutally hot weather, and they actually PAY to do it. Each procession takes hours and hours and people participating take turns in carrying the statues and walking beside them so that they don't drop dead and join their savior's house party too early.

Sides of the streets are packed with people watching and following the procession taking photos and trying to breathe in the overwhelming incense smoke. Rest of the streets are filled with tired drivers trying to get somewhere when almost all streets of the city are one-way and half of them closed because of processions. Taxis and, my personal favourites, tuc-tucs, motorbike taxies, cost double 'cause getting anywhere in or out of the city takes forever.

I stayed in Jocotenango, a 30 minute walk from Antigua centre, at Pampa's place. Pampa is Guatemalan CS king who's hosted over 200 people and known by everyone in the local community. And he's cool. Visit the Facebook page of his interesting Europe project here! I spent four nights at his place; first one with a Colombian girl, Diana, and two English girls, second one with Diana only, third one with Diana and two Guatemalan friends of one of Pampa's two flatmates and the last one with an English girl and Kanadian guy. So the place was busy, but there was room for all of us. Not much but enough.

I'm not going write what I thought of Antigua during semana santa 'cause it's not fair to judge the city after only seeing the place so overcrowded, so I'll get back to this after I return to Guatemala later. What was interesting is that I met two Finnish speakers; a Romanian dude who had lived in Turku and a Argentinian guy who had spend time in Tampere. The Romanian Codrut kept me and Diana company all Friday as we walked through the city markets admiring the incredibly handicrafts sold by local people.

On Sunday it was time to leave the city for a bit and go climb a volcano. I felt quite weak in the morning 'cause parasites (that seem to make friends with every travellers belly) and natural remedies recommended to get rid of them and to keep them away don't seem to be quite what my body is used to, but looked forward to the hike; first proper physical exercise I've had since I left Sweden. And the work-out was definitely a good one! Climbing on fairly steep ground for 1,5 hours in high altitude gets you sweating like a pig and takes your breath away in more ways than one. But as you get closer to the top, you'll find it was so worth it.
Lava flows from previous years as far as the eye can see, balancing on breaking pieces of volcanic rock to get closer to the red lava glowing ahead of you and finally roasting your marshmallows there is pretty awesome. The incredible sceneries you see on your way to the lava and the volcanic explosions from the top of the volcano in the dark on your way down aren't that bad either. Damn shame my camera isn't any better than it is.

If you're planning to climb the Pacaya, which I warmly recommend if you find yourself in Guatemala here's some useful info: transport from Antigua and back + guide less than 60 GTQ (6€), entrance 40 GTQ (4€). Take the afternoon trip leaving at 2pm. Things to take with you: flashlight(!), warm clothes (jacket), shoes that won't melt in the heat (read: not sandals!), any kind of gloves to protect your hands from cuts you get very easily from grabbing the lava rock, rain coat, a sandwich or something else to eat, marshmallows to roast on the lava and at least 1 litre of drinking water, a beer if you're into that. If you can be bothered to carry an extra beer someone will without a doubt offer to buy if from you for 50 GTQ as you get to the top. If you happen to have a pair binoculars, you'll see the lava explosions better than anyone else. You won't regret buying a stick from the kids selling at the entrance for 2-3 GTQ (don't pay the 5 they ask for) but remember to give them a hard time as they ask you to donate in back to them as you get down again. Those adorable little bastards.



If you're planning to travel anywhere from Antigua by anything but the chicken buses compare priced you're offered to those of travel agent at 6. avenida norte, 50 next to the Merced. You might save quite a bit. My next stop was Panajachel by lake Atitlan (bus 43 GTQ (4,30€), 3h) where I surfed with Sandra and her son Leo from Monday to Wednesday.




Lake Atitlan is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in Guatemala, and sure it was nice, a big lake surrounded by mountains, volcanos and small villages. It's just that if you grew up in the lake land of Finland, there aren't many lakes that can impress you that much.





But it was fun taking to a boat ride to a nearby town of San Pedro de la Laguna and Sandra and her son very extremely friendly and charming. In two days Leo gave me more kisses and hugs than I've received in the last four weeks altogether.


One of the neighbourhood girls had her 15th birthday party in their garden on the day I arrived and it was fun to see kids playing like kids, trying to hit the piñata to get the candy and eat creamy cake with their eyes sparkling as their parents are run the show and play DJs. I think most kids in Scandinavia celebrate their 15th birthday by getting drunk with their friends as far away from their parents and smaller siblings as possible...



I gave Leo and Sandra big goodbye hugs on Wednesday morning and now after four chicken buses (altogether 51 GTQ, 5€) and 8 hours I'm finally in Tapachula. Disappointingly enough Mexican border control did neither strip search me nor steal the dollars hidden in my backpack – where's the world going to if you can't count on them to do that...