Now off to Lake Atitlán

We were picked up on time for our transfer to Panajachel Town in the highlands. Just a driver thankfully and he doesn't speak much English so it's a quiet trip - just looking out the window.

Not long after leaving Antigua, we drive through one of the pueblos (towns) - before Parramos - and nearly every second shop sold shoes and boots!

From here we start climbing (up & down). Rural, dry, dusty. One pueblo had a huge round pool with women all around the outside washing clothes communally.

In the very big town of Chimaltenango, we crawl through here in heavy traffic.

One of the more popular bus companies is called Esperanza. Which means 'hope'. Judging by the way some of them drive, that seems very apt.

Then we pass through flat land worked intensively by hand, people bent over; irrigated, very neat rows - cabbages, corn (now stubble) etc. I saw an orchard but it is VERY dry.

The town of Tecpán is next.

We keep climbing. Lots of pueblos.

Finally at the top we started to get glimpses of Lake Atitlán down below in the valley to the left of us.
We then turn left to Panajachel Town.

Villages have lots of wood chopped up into neat stacks no doubt for winter heating.
Petrol now Q22.90 (over $US3) per litre.

Sololá is the last town before we reach the lake. It situated at 2,114 m on a mountainside overlooking Lake Atitlán, some 600 meters below. Almost all residents of Sololá are Kaqchikel Maya. A large percentage of both men and women continue to wear traditional Mayan clothing.

This is the cemetery as we go past.

Very very busy then a long windy road down to the lake - lots of hairpin bends. We arrive at Panajachel Town a bit before 2:30 p.m. after a 3-hour drive.