Feliz navidad y un prospero ano nuevo
Had the most fantastic Christmas and New Year. Was not planning to stay as long in one spot, but everyone fell for this place. Numerous people changed travel plans, flights and had difficulty in leaving.
Lake Aitilan is this beautiful deep blue lake resulting from the explosion of a huge volcano, around it range jagged peaks and ring of smaller volcanoes. All around the lake are little villages, which are connected by little boat taxi's. The weather is shorts and sun bathing with occasional dips in the lake to cool off. The hippest of the little villages is San Pedro. It has few streets, most people go on foot. The dusty paths wind through cobbled streets, fruit trees and coffee groves.
The coffee is superb. They pick it, dry it in their courtyards, roast it and sell it all in the same village. I never realised how much back breaking work goes into making coffee beans. Kinda feel guilty as they get paid almost nothing.
The locals are happy and friendly, always smiling saying hello. The kids wave in the street and sell some of the best cakes ever. Loads of excellent cheap and varied restaurants, loads with lakeside views. Fabulous fresh produce market, fresh herbs, strawberries, advocados, all taste delicious. Three full shopping bags cost me less than two quid. Everything a person could want is available cheaply here; 1.75 litre bottle of rum for 4 quid, bed 1 quid, etc, etc.
I spent Christmas at a hostel called Trippy's, adjacent to Bohemia and next to that is Munchies (go figure).
Christmas started on Christmas eve, which was the start of the endless party. We created a massive Christmas meal, which in the end served 27 people. Everyone did something, some created decorations, others sought cooking instruments, built a BBQ, downloaded Christmas songs, a boat trip for cheeses and other specialties. Considering there is only four rings and none of the pots had handles it was an incredible success. At midnight the whole village shakes to a barrage of Chinese fireworks. What they like here is volume not pretty colours. The Chinese explosives (you cannot call them fireworks) are more than up to the job, so we let plenty off to join in. Some are so loud that I felt nauseous as the shock waves pound my insides.
This kind of behavior, fuelled by a night watchman who could provide endless supply of rum continued for several days. This culminated in an all nighter down by the shore. Masses of speakers, fires, hard house and trance music. Masses of partiers from all over. Huge cheer as the sun rose.
Apart from behaving badly we did some cliff diving. Ouch water is hard. Well i had to do it, male pride and all that. The big cliff is about 15m above the water. Enough time to realise you are falling a very long way and an excellent way to clear a hang over.
To burn off some of this indulgence three friends and I climb a local peak, Indians Nose and camp out. Not a long hike, but steep in the thin air at 2100m. According to the local shamen, staying here has restorative properties (we can but hope). We watch the sun set and the moon rise, lighting up the distant clouds that fold over mountains tops. Some inventive cookery round the campfire. Advocado shells make good cooking pots! We can look down on the whole caldera and fired rockets to signal to our friends in the village a mile or two away.
Did a 36 hour fast to cleanse myself before New Year (some serious partying). It was better than I expected, though I consumed my own body weight in pancakes the following day.
New Year was pretty much a re-run of Christmas, bumping into old friends and dodging fireworks. The street looks as if it is covered in confetti resulting from so many exploded fire crackers.
Two friends organised a treasurer hunt around the town, which was fantastic fun. Made all the more random by the intervention by some of the local kids. Such as retrieving torn up clues from between the cobbles amongst the usual bedlam of the main market street.
Its been great, no plans, no deadlines, nothing you have to do, time slips by dreamily, hang in a hammock, chat endlessly, take all day to do nothing, go to bed or maybe not, it does not matter. Total and utter relaxation.
Lake Aitilan is this beautiful deep blue lake resulting from the explosion of a huge volcano, around it range jagged peaks and ring of smaller volcanoes. All around the lake are little villages, which are connected by little boat taxi's. The weather is shorts and sun bathing with occasional dips in the lake to cool off. The hippest of the little villages is San Pedro. It has few streets, most people go on foot. The dusty paths wind through cobbled streets, fruit trees and coffee groves.
The coffee is superb. They pick it, dry it in their courtyards, roast it and sell it all in the same village. I never realised how much back breaking work goes into making coffee beans. Kinda feel guilty as they get paid almost nothing.
The locals are happy and friendly, always smiling saying hello. The kids wave in the street and sell some of the best cakes ever. Loads of excellent cheap and varied restaurants, loads with lakeside views. Fabulous fresh produce market, fresh herbs, strawberries, advocados, all taste delicious. Three full shopping bags cost me less than two quid. Everything a person could want is available cheaply here; 1.75 litre bottle of rum for 4 quid, bed 1 quid, etc, etc.
I spent Christmas at a hostel called Trippy's, adjacent to Bohemia and next to that is Munchies (go figure).
Christmas started on Christmas eve, which was the start of the endless party. We created a massive Christmas meal, which in the end served 27 people. Everyone did something, some created decorations, others sought cooking instruments, built a BBQ, downloaded Christmas songs, a boat trip for cheeses and other specialties. Considering there is only four rings and none of the pots had handles it was an incredible success. At midnight the whole village shakes to a barrage of Chinese fireworks. What they like here is volume not pretty colours. The Chinese explosives (you cannot call them fireworks) are more than up to the job, so we let plenty off to join in. Some are so loud that I felt nauseous as the shock waves pound my insides.
This kind of behavior, fuelled by a night watchman who could provide endless supply of rum continued for several days. This culminated in an all nighter down by the shore. Masses of speakers, fires, hard house and trance music. Masses of partiers from all over. Huge cheer as the sun rose.
Apart from behaving badly we did some cliff diving. Ouch water is hard. Well i had to do it, male pride and all that. The big cliff is about 15m above the water. Enough time to realise you are falling a very long way and an excellent way to clear a hang over.
To burn off some of this indulgence three friends and I climb a local peak, Indians Nose and camp out. Not a long hike, but steep in the thin air at 2100m. According to the local shamen, staying here has restorative properties (we can but hope). We watch the sun set and the moon rise, lighting up the distant clouds that fold over mountains tops. Some inventive cookery round the campfire. Advocado shells make good cooking pots! We can look down on the whole caldera and fired rockets to signal to our friends in the village a mile or two away.
Did a 36 hour fast to cleanse myself before New Year (some serious partying). It was better than I expected, though I consumed my own body weight in pancakes the following day.
New Year was pretty much a re-run of Christmas, bumping into old friends and dodging fireworks. The street looks as if it is covered in confetti resulting from so many exploded fire crackers.
Two friends organised a treasurer hunt around the town, which was fantastic fun. Made all the more random by the intervention by some of the local kids. Such as retrieving torn up clues from between the cobbles amongst the usual bedlam of the main market street.
Its been great, no plans, no deadlines, nothing you have to do, time slips by dreamily, hang in a hammock, chat endlessly, take all day to do nothing, go to bed or maybe not, it does not matter. Total and utter relaxation.
posted by Richard at
7:33 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home