JANEGOes to Guatemala
- Jane Thompson Hasenmueller
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Steve and I pack our bags each year and take off for cooler climates. What was once three months in Europe for Steve's work is now a break from the heat of Belize. Last year, we went to Italy, but this year, we decided to forego the long flight and stay closer to home. We decided on Lake Atitlan and Antigua, Guatemala. Not only was the flight short, just over an hour, but the mountain air is much cooler, a welcome respite from the heat.
Lake Atitlan is one of my favorite places on earth. The beauty of the lake and the volcanoes rising around its edge are spectacular. There's a mystical sense about this place, the mist that lingers on the mountain and above our heads in the village, the forest that lines the shore, and the many Mayans who still wear traditional clothing of bright woven fabrics, with wide belts and embroidered tops, add to the mystical atmosphere of a place that time seems to have forgotten. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of modernities, but I love that feeling of time slowing down (even more than in Belize) and that each day holds its magic.
We are at around 5,100 ft altitude here by the lake shore, but the village is close to 5,500 ft. We have climbed to the village via the trails a couple of times, but on Sunday, I walked up the steep road to the top and Steve ran (twice, no less, that's him, not me). The altitude adds to the workout. Having lived at 7200 in Santa Fe, and moving to sea level in Belize, getting our high altitude back on takes a bit of time, but we're doing it.
Yesterday, we ventured into Panajachal via the water taxi. The lake was calm going to town, but rough coming back, so rough I think I might have been pounded to an inch shorter. I thought the Caribbean was rough some days, but this lake...wow!
We came for the beauty and stillness of being somewhere where there is not much distraction. Here, the only distraction is that of our own making with our phones. There's not much to do. Not much to see. We visited the villages around the lake last time we were here. It's too cold to swim. So what's the attraction? The joy of being. That's all. I've read two books and am almost finished with a third and fourth. I'm writing, walking, and cooking simple fare. I thought Belize was slow living. This is the epitome of slow living.
I know this is a luxury not all can afford to do. Believe me, I'm grateful beyond reason that we can choose to leave our Belizean "living in a vacation" life, to go somewhere new on vacation. But then, most of my life, I've found ways to do that by simply reading. As a result of books, I've been all over the world, from Afghanistan to Kenya to China. Reading has afforded me a life of curiosity and wonder, regardless of my location, and for that, I am most grateful.
Where do you want to go? Tell me and I'll recommend a book to you!
"Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and widen and expand our sense of life: They feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our buoyancy is restored. We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It's like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea. You can't stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship." – Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Peace and joy my friends,
Jane
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