One of the villages of most
beautiful lake in the world is Santiago Atitlán. From Panajachel Atitlán you
can take a boat for half an hour to arrive this nice place in the lake shores. When
you arrive here many friendly people come to you to offer their service such as
Tuc Tuc, or a vehicle of 3 wheels in fact is a motorcycle, to give you a tour
by the town. This place has an amazing view to the lake and astonishing view to
the Santiago Volcano. When you begin to walk through this village there is a
hill where you can find crafts and also painting work, made by local people of
the place. You can find textiles and also crafts made of wood, purses and cloth.
By this small hill, at one point of the village you can rent a tuk tuk, for 5 quetzals
for person about 60 cents of American dollar, take you in a distance of 1
kilometer and half to the main church, that has the name of Santiago too.
Santiago was a disciple of Jesus Christ the one who arrives to Spain by the
path of Santiago.
Atitlán means among waters,
in this place people of the mayan descent tzjutujil lives. It is one of those
places in Guatemala where the man still using his mayan costume, we have places
here such as the market, where you can find fresh food, vegetables, seafood,
fishing of the lake on Sundays, also in the central park you find the map of
the lake. A big coin of 25 cents that Guatemalans calls choca, there is a woman
of that place wearing her costume known like Tocoyal.
The priest Stanley Francis
Rother lives on that place in 1981 and was killed by the death squads of the
government. He had a radio station and translates to tzujutuil the language of
the place the new testament, and also helps the people of the place with the
crafts.
The church of Santiago is
one of the older churches in Guatemala 1625, and the saints wear different than
the saints on a regular catholic church. The prayers of the mayan woman are
loud to Jesus Christ and the saints.
Like part of Santiago
Atitlán and Sincretism, we have to Maximón or the keeper of the lake, is a Saint form some people of the place,
that when people prays to him takes tobacco and alcohol, and get drink on the
front of this Saint for finish the thirst of their ancestors. Maximón is taken
from house to house each 2 months from the cofrades of the place. If you want
to enter to have a picture with Maximón, the people ask you 10 quetzals such as
1.50 dollar for picture and you can leave money there, the decoration is a
mixture among the catholic religion and religious syncretism.
Blog Post By: Francisco Grazioso
General Manager
Toscana Tours Guatemala
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