Can you feel the serenity?

A change of pace.

I have spent the better part of a week in San Marcos, one of the 13 villages at Lake Atitlán with the intention to stay a while longer. Lake Atitlán is a popular stop on the tourist trail. At almost 18km at its widest point and bordered on all sides by volcanoes and steep hills, it’s quite spectacular. In the morning the surface of the lake is normally calm and clear, but by early afternoon the xocomil, “the wind that carries away sin”, blows from the coast. A north wind, say the Maya, indicates that the spirit of the lake is discarding a drowned body, having claimed its soul.

My name in the Mayan language, drawn by my Spanish teacher — My name in the Mayan hieroglyphics, drawn by my Spanish teacher

San Marcos I was ‘warned‘ is the hippy dippy village. Perfect I thought, yoga time!

I have been practicing yoga so intermittently on this trip that I remain an eternal beginner. Couple that with the fact that my command of Spanish is at best pitiful it was time to hit pause on moving around and go back to the beginning.

Lots of options here to practice both so I have gotten stuck in. Dare I say I almost have a routine now. So far the days go something like this……. early morning yoga class, then a lazy tasty brunch, maybe a swim, all followed by an afternoon of Spanish lessons.

It seems a great place to stay still for a while. Will keep you posted on my progress.

Haven’t had the camera out much this week, but here’s some local colours