Written by: Yorlan Herrera
I got up at 0800 today after yesterday’s long but rewarding adventure into the lake’s picturesque cities. Each town had something charming: cobblestone streets with colorful houses or breathtaking views over the lake with towering mountains behind.
By 0830, I headed for breakfast. The meal was simple yet satisfying: fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, savory beans, melted cheese, a warm tortilla, and a well-seasoned sausage. It was the kind of breakfast that set one up throughout the day.
After breakfast, I took a refreshing but quite shocking cold shower. I sat by the lake with a warm cup of coffee, taking in the serenity one last time before we left at 1100. The still water reflected the sky, and the cool breeze carried the sounds of the small boats passing by. It was a perfect moment for reflection.
Before we leave, we meet up for the daily meeting: laughter and sharing of events from last night, a really fun costume party with a lot of creativity, and an awesome barbecue dinner that the hostel put out. The meal was one large piece of chicken grilled to perfection, rice full of flavor, creamy pasta, and an extremely rich brownie for dessert.
Finally, our boat came, and aboard we went for our 20–25 minute ride back to the mainland. The ride was calm yet alive, with me looking around at the little colored boats, reminiscent of the “chicken buses” of Guatemala. Brightly colored and playing upbeat music, the boats gave an added character to the day.
The three-hour drive back to the hotel provided an excellent vantage from which to realize how dramatically different the landscape could be in such a short time. While leaving the parking lot, the ground was dry and sandy; in 20 minutes, the scene turned green: tall trees and rich fields replaced the sand and gravel, and the air felt fresher as we traveled.
Halfway through the drive back to Antigua on the Pan-American highway, we stopped at Chichoy, a quaint roadside spot that sells the best peach pie. I couldn’t resist ordering one, accompanied by a diet soda. While there, I noticed two older women making fresh tortillas over a wood fire. The image and the smoky smell brought back memories of my grandmother making arepas – the Colombian version of tortillas, but thicker and heartier. It brought back memories of holiday gatherings and the comforting smells of her kitchen.
After finally arriving at the hostel, I took a refreshing shower to wash off the day’s journey. Later, I joined Pablo and a few others for dinner as we relaxed and watched the playoffs: Eagles vs. Washington and Chiefs vs. Bills. It had been such an exciting and adventure-filled week that this was a great way to come down from it. Sharing food, laughter, and the thrill of the games was the perfect reward after such a fulfilling and adventure-packed week.
