We´re
back in ¨civilization¨ after a week isolated without electricity in the little
town Santa Cruz at Lake Atitlan. (sorry mum if you worried, we haven´t been
kidnapped or bitten by some tarantula, we´re actually 100% healthy and 100%
happy).
For some days we´ve been taking our scuba dive certification at the wonderful
little commune/hostel Iguana Perdida and diving in the volcano lake Atitlan.
I was so scared of the hole thing in the beginning. Not only the scuba tanks,
breathing underwater and all the horrible instruments but just to be wet and
swimming in water sounded super scary!! But here I am!! Hooked on it and happy
with my license in my hand!! The landscape around the lake looked like a matte
painting from KingKong the tops of the baby volcanoes surrounding the lakes
were hidden in a mystical mist and dark clouds but the lake was warm, hot
and sunny. Underwater was a magical green dark lake-world with nymphs, trolls
and mermaids swimming between the volcanic hot springs and sunken ancient
trees!!
If we haven´t been studying our dive theory lessons we´ve been on adventures
to the nearby small villages and their markets. Nikos has even been participating
in the annual Lago de Atitlan Cup!! That´s true, your favorite Sneek has defended
the Iguana Inn together with 4 other happily lost gringos as a goalie against
the village of Santa Cruz!! 9-2 to the Guatemalans, but what a fight!!! (You
might have read about it in the sport section in LA Times.) Otherwise the
nights without electricity have been wonderful calm and fireflies and weird
tropical thunder lightnings have entertained our dark nights. Every night
we met wonderful people and the owners of the Iguana Perdida and our loved
Scuba instructor are friends we would love to introduce to you.
Yesterday we heard an unusual sound of a car engine and realized how lucky´we
were. (Read that again all LA-ers! Imagine a place where car sounds are so
rare that you´re not used to it!! -Have fun on the 405 and think of lucky
us when you hear the car alarms outside your windows!! he he he)
Well, tonight Friday, we´re back in civilization and might hook up with
Arthur -OoooooohYeahhhhh- friends Tina and Josh or some other people we met
and go bar hopping between the cobblestone streets in Antigua. Nikos wants
a Greek Gyro and tonight a friend of a friend is spinning cuban music at the
bar el Peru!! You should join us!! ;-)
Tomorrow we´re heading up north towards the jungles and then Belize with
more scuba diving!!
We love you all
kisses
mr & mrs. Open Water Divers
