Φωτογραφίες

Lake Atitlαn, 50 km west-northwest of Antigua, is a large volcanic lake in the Guatemalan Highlands.

Recognized to be the deepest lake in Central America, estimates of its maximum depth range up to 340 meters. The lake is surrounded by three volcanos on its southern flank. Lake Atitlan is further characterized by towns and villages of the Maya people.

Lake Atitlan is renowned as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and Aldous Huxley famously wrote of it:

"Lake Como, it seems to me, touches on the limit of permissibly picturesque, but Atitlαn is Como with additional embellishments of several immense volcanoes. It really is too much of a good thing."

The lake basin supports extensive coffee growth and a variety of farm crops, most notably corn. The lake itself is rich in animal life which provides a significant food source for the largely indigenous population.

Source: Lago de Atitlan
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I visited the area when I was a university student, crossed the lake with a ferry to stay in the fishermen village Santiago Atitlan. The local pension costed me approximately 2 dollars per night, breakfast included. The only setback was that, when I woke up early in the morning to catch the first ferry back, I realised that the doors of the pension were closed and there was nobody around. My efforts to find the owner proved to be unsuccessful and I missed the ferry.

Well, I’m glad I did.

That's how I witnessed to the fishermen fishing in the mist and local Mayan people who came with the ferry carrying their fruits, vegetables and dried fish to the local market. That was one of my most memorable experiences in Guatemala.

Scanned from slide, increased sharpness, contrast & shades, applied sepia & Neat Image.