Panajachel part 1

Panajachel… let me start with this. I have labeled several areas in Guatemala in relation to what they mean to me. For example, there is a stretch of street that I call “The Drive of Hell/Death”. I thought that with buses, car, motor bikes, bicycles and people threading in between MOVING traffic and coming within inches if not centimeters of your car, the most exasperating and the most stressful experience I had and would ever have. I was sorely mistaken and found that out in Panajachel- “The Waves of Fear and Control”

Panajachel is a beautiful lake surrounded by glorious mountains and breathtaking volcanoes. The descent down to this beautiful place was terrifying and nerve-wracking but I feel I took it well and with only a few “OH MY GOSH” ’s,” AHHHHH TRUCK” ’s, “WHAT IS HE DOING” ‘s and “GET IN YOUR OWN LANE MORON” ‘s said during the trip. I figured the worst was over and we would have a fun experience here. As we made it into one of the small towns leading to our final destination we became stuck in traffic for a few minutes before we realized the reason for it. There was a funeral procession going on down the main street. These funeral processions are not like any in the states. Here you have several family members, friends etc. hoisting the coffin on their shoulders and proceeding down to the church or burial site. Along with these people carrying the coffin is close to if not all the people that have ever come in contact with the deceased. As they made their way down trucks were honking their horns, cars were trying to pass through the throng if people. I was a little disturbed by the lack of respect but then again the culture here sees death all the time. It was sobering to say the least and I made the last leg of the descent in a thoughtful silence, a prayer for the grieving family and one more for protection of the people walking in hopes they would not get hit.