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We begin this blog on the last day of our week long spanish school. Neastled in the highlands of Guatemala, Lago de Atitlan is possibly the most beautiful place I have ever been. For five days we have studied spanish five hours a day, each with our own teacher and in our own corner of a beautiful garden. This week has been strangly calm coming from our 12 hour flight to Central America and the 3 days of adventure in the touresty town of Antigua.

A BRIEF RECAP OF MY ADVENTURES:

Arrival in Antiguia-

Though the town is beautiful (paved with cobble and painted in bright colors) the eyes of the locals were impatient. I dare say that just as many tourest walked the streets as locals.

Created during the colonial times of Guatemala there are still beautiful ruins that remain along with elegant old churches, the particular one we visited opened up to a beautiful courtyard with great lookout points of the surrounding volanos and hillsides.

Panajachel:

This town is full of local Guatemalans mixed in with Hippies from all over the world. These people live off of selling jewlery to tourests and add an interesting mix of culture.

This is a picture of me and my teacher... I had never thought of myself as a giant before coming here.

Our favorite pass time here is to rent a Kayak and venture onto the lake with a few cervesas!

Climbing Volcan Pacaya:
Wake up at 6AM, catch the bus loaded with American tourests, one and a half hours on the bus of hell up into the green mountains covered with coffee bean crops, join the tour at the front the to aviod the Americans and armed guard carrying the automatic weapon, hike two hours up the dirt trail through the mystical jungle and increasing downpour of rain, at the end of the dirt trail climb the sharp jagged hardened lava rocks for twenty min. until you reach the pools of active lava ozzing out of the heart of the volcano. Breathe.