Hola -Smitty here, keeping things rollin' on...
We took a full day to recover after our New Years Eve night, it was necessary and we spent the day lounging around on bean bags and watching Guatemalan pirated DVD's at the hostel. I think I made a run to subway later that day too- the Italian BMT sub is Hangover Heaven!
The following day, we left with a friend and took a 2+ hour bus ride to Lake Atitlan. Our shuttle took us on a winding road to the town of Panajachel, and from there we went to the docks and caught a water taxi across the lake to the town of San Pedro. While en-route, I had the luxury of becoming a human shield for Caitlin and Al so that they would not get splashed on. (This was NOT a voluntary move and I was not pleased about coming out of the boat looking like a wet dog).
When we got there, we followed our amigo who had been to San Pedro before, and wound up at a place called Café Atitlan. I had a great first night out flying solo as my companions were dead tired and total party poopers. We moved the next day to another spot called Mr. Mullet's Hostel which became our home away from home. For only 30Q/night (that's $3.70 USD!) we had a 4 person dorm, free Wifi, HOT SHOWERS (yes - few and far between) brand new mattress that allowed me to sleep like a baby, Kitchen, etc. More then all the fabulous amenities, what won me over was the atmosphere and the overall friendliness of the staff. The owner Tim aka Mr. Mullet himself, is a very chill guy and has put together a solid place for the weary traveler to rest his or her head. I highly recommend anyone passing through San Pedro to stay at Mullets- its cheap, its cozy, and its a real, real good time.
While we were in San Pedro we had a little fun and brightened our horizons with an array of new activities. We kayaked around the lake, we did an afternoon of horseback riding, explored the local market (where you can stuff yourself for less than $1 US dollar full of delicious local dishes) and we even attended a roaring local Basketball match, where some quetzals were thrown down for bets on the winner of the game.
One of the best things about San Pedro however, is the American Style BBQ that takes place at Deep End Bar & Pool every Sunday afternoon. You can get anything from beef or pork ribs, to burgers, rump steaks, even bacon wrapped fillet minion (and one plate can easily feed two people) They also do 5Q tequila shots on the hour, every hour [interjection from Caitlin: our group of friends teamed up with one goal in mind: DO NOT LET KATIE DISCOVER ITS THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF AN HOUR. She had the habit of showing up with a tray with 15 or more shots, and just scanning like a deadly eagle, looking for some poor person to hand a tequila shot to. Even more than she loves tequila, Katie loves making people do tequila shots with her. Especially once she finds out you loathe tequila]. Sunday, fun-day amigos!
I can honestly say that I had TOO much fun here, and eventually, to save myself from mortal peril due to excess enjoyment of life itself, we had to make moves to keep keeping on.
Author switch! So I agree with everything Katie said. San Pedro is an amazing place, probably the stop on our journey where I've felt most at home. There's a ton to do- kayaking, jumping off the "trampoline" at San Marcos, trivia night at El Barrio, impromptu Aussie weddings at Buddha Bar, horseback riding, poolside lounging, and heaps more. And yes, we did do ALL of the aforementioned activities. Our team did abysmally at trivia, I remembered my love-hate relationship with horses, and was a proud bridesmaid in the wedding of Brent and Taighen (our favorite Aussie couple, whom we first met in Lanquin. Fun fact- Brent is responsible for my "Reggie" nickname). Not sure if it'll hold up to Australian law, but it was good enough for all of us!
I also strongly agree with Katie's last statement- San Pedro will eat you alive if you aren't careful. From the deadly happy hour at Zoola hostel (free shot with every drink from 4-11pm), to the late night partying at Buddha bar, to the even LATER night after-party at Psy-House (an uninhabited house that turns into an unlicensed bar and trance club once everything else shuts down) it's easy to let itineraries, goals, and life in general slip away as you fall into a comfortable rhythm with great people. We planned on being there for a few days, and all of a sudden ten had flown by! I fully plan on returning to the Lake for the last portion of my trip, and can't wait to reunite with some truly epic individuals.
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