"The most beautiful lake in the world"

Being on the road for a month and a half can create some undo stress. And also some tight shoulders and a sore butt. 
After departing Antigua, we steered our Forerunner towards Lake Atitlan to rest our bones. I was curious, especially since a German explorer named Alexander Humboldt called it "The most beautiful lake in the world" in the early 1800's, and the phrase stuck.
Let's find out. 

It took a little talking into to get Dinh to go. As usual.
I explained that it was the deepest lake in Central America. 1,120 feet. We HAD to go see it!
After driving an extremely windy road, we set up camp for a couple nights in the small town of Panajachel. 

We found an economical hotel owned by a very hospitable man whom had triplets. Pretty cool. 
With no reservations, we caught a boat one morning that took us on a 15 minute ride to a hotel called "Casa del Mundo". We had heard rave reviews from Julie and David, the couple that owns the orphanage in Jalapa. 
The boat that carried us to this magical spot was just big enough to fit 20 people, max. The motor in the back revved as it seared through the green crystal clear water. 

As soon as we stepped foot on the "Casa del Mundo" dock, we met the owner, Bill. 

After getting settled into our quaint room with a spectacular view of the lake, we talk story with Bill and discover that he's from Alaska originally . My kind of guy . 
Casa del Mundo was this unique, hobbit-like hotel, built over many years by Bill and his Guatemalan wife. It was quite impressive.

 We planned to stay 3 nights, but ended up staying for 5. It easily earned the award as my favorite destination of our trip. 
The tranquil vibe mixed with the romantic feel of being nestled on the side of a mountain overlooking a peaceful lake was enough for me to fall in love with it. 
Surrounded by 3 volcanoes, Lake Atitlan is about 10 miles long and 5 miles wide and speckled with the occasional Mayan village on its shores. 13 to be exact. 

Gazing at the breathtaking view, I imagined a mythical lake monster making his home out of Lake Atitlan. My creative mind relished in this kind of environment and I decided it would be a great place to write a book. Some day....
Since the waves on the lake can get somewhat rocky towards the afternoon, Dinh and I putzed around in a kayak one still morning. We discover that the lake is beautiful from all angles. Coasting by houses perched on rocks and fishermen in small wooden boats, we wave with a friendly "buenas dias!"

Bill explained that he lost some of his real estate when the lake rose 15 feet over the last few years. Seeing some of the submerged property was like looking at a sunken ship. 
During a hurricane in 2010, the sewage treatment plant for the 13 villages was destroyed. So guess where the doo-doo goes now?
Yup. 
In the lake. 
Because of this sanitation problem, we didn't swim in the lake, or eat any fish from the lake. Ewwwey.
The food at Casa del Mundo was delicious, albeit a little pricey, so we found a restaurant in the nearby village that was a fraction of the price. It was owned by a German guy named Hans. He was like the saint for the whole village. The village kids came to him to use his internet and to rent his bikes. 

He was the go-to man and had really helped out the community throughout the years. The restaurant had 3 tables, which were full morning til' night. The majority of the customers were expats from all over the world, who moved to Guatemala for a better life. We had numerous quality conversations with these interesting individuals, all the while surrounded by Hans's dogs, chicken and ducks.
At least twice a day, Dinh and I would make the 10 minute trek along the shoreline, through the woods, then through the village, to Hans's restaurant. 
We took the water taxi to explore a few of the neighboring villages one day. We simply flagged down one of the water taxis passing by and hopped on. After a short while, we were in the village of San Juan. 

Filled with amicable locals, we enjoyed walking around the village, witnessing their daily life. 

The locals still wear traditional Mayan clothes. Pretty neat-o. The women wear shirts and skirts that are intricately embroidered. It's so beautiful to see.  

After 5 fun-filled days, we left with fond memories of the area and vowed to return again one day. It was the perfect place to slay our stress.
On our last night, there was a lightening storm. The flickering lights sporadically lit up the sky behind the volcanoes, giving us a glimpse of the amazing landscape for a split second. It was such a memorable moment.
Til' next time Casa del Mundo!!