I apologize if this post is much later than expected. I've been searching for adequate words to describe Lake Atitlan, (breathtaking, unbelievable, spectacular, and magnificent, to name a few) but none of them really do it justice. Let's suffice it to say that the Lake far exceeded my expectations. The cramped 3 hour drive filled with twists and turns as we climbed up and down the hillside was more than worth it the moment we stepped out of the car and found ourselves gazing out across an endless expanse of sparking blue flanked by majestic volcanic peak and wispy low-lying clouds.

As if the views from the ground weren't enough, within a couple hours of arriving we found ourselves trekking up through the rain forest, passing gushing waterfalls and swinging monkeys as we made our way to the zip-lines near the tree canopy. Of course, the moment we reached the first zip-line it started pouring down rain. (Have I mentioned that it's rainy season here in Guatemala?) It would be putting it kindly to say we got soaked; in reality we were absolutely drenched.

Yet, the view as I swung across the canopy on the zip-line made me

completely forget about my camera precariously stuffed in a jacket pocket and instead imagine myself in the middle of the movie Tarzan. With the rain attacking my face I felt as if the epic battle scene, when Clayton and Tarzan are lunging at one another amidst a raging thunderstorm, could have been occurring on the vines below. The adrenaline rush coupled by the stunning views made zip-lining through the canopy an adventure i'm not likely to ever forget.

By the time we got back to our bungalow hotel the rain had abated, but since we were already wet we figured a dip into the lake was more than warranted. I stayed in the water for about 15minutes before realizing that treading water is a lot harder than it seems...

That night we went to the local town of Panajachel for dinner at the Circus Bar, a cozy pizzeria featuring live guitar music and small town charm. The setting made for a perfect ending to our pretty extraordinary day.

The next morning we woke up at the crack of dawn and clambered down to the Lake with our eyes half open to catch a glimpse of sunrise. There was a definite feeling of peace that pervaded the area as the Lake calmly stretched out before us, in all its solitary splendor.

That day we went on the most amazing boat ride, renting a motor boat to tour a couple of the nearby towns. The villages surrounding Lake Atitlan are home to a mostly Indian-of Mayan descent population. Indian's make up approximately half of Guatemala's population on the whole. We watched how women spin cotton, marveled at a local carnival, and passed through the workshops of local artisans. The best part of the day was probably just sitting in the boat with my hand grazing the water, looking out on a tropical paradise.