Day 6 June 2 Panajachel, Lake Atitlan and Santiago Atitlan

Genelle recognized Julio Cochoy last night in a restaurant where we were watching the "girls" play marimba. Genelle and Julio had sat next to each other years ago in a van. Julio experienced the violence in his native Guatemala as a child. He is from a village on the other side of the lake. He is author of a book, “Voces Rompiendo el Silencio de Utatlan” (Voices Breaking the Silence of Utatlan), includes testimonies from 36 families from the town.

As Genelle and Julio talked they realized they are working in many of the same ways. Genelle shared the teaching guide that she uses.

He offered to drive us today from Panajachel over to the market in Santiago. In his pickup we road around the bottom end of Lake Atitlan from Panajachel to Santiago. . The trip was about 2 hours. We took the boat back just before it started to pour - again! Below are pictures of the market.

We came upon another celebration of Corpus Christi. But my battery is almost gone - it's time for dinner and I am really cold having sat in a cafe doing this for and hour and a half. 

It's my husband George's birthday today. We miss him. I toasted him with a hot chocolate which he would have loved.

They say this is where clouds are made!

Lunch in Santiago Atitlan with Julio Cochoy, an indigenous man with whom we are spending the day.

Men everywhere wash their vehicles. See the splash guards that say 4 WD. Funny - there are only three wheels.

Most of the men have given up their traditional dress for every day. However see the short white embroidered pants.

Linda and Genelle get thread braided into their hair. I of course do not.

The marimba girls - they were great. It is unusual in this culture for women to play. Their parents own the restaurant.