I Liked Pana – So What?

The views of the lake were the highlight for me. Watching the mist clear to reveal the towering volcanoes across the lake was my sunrise ritual. Anything that can make me happy to get out of bed before the sun is high and hot has got to be spectacular.

The people in Pana, a very diverse group, were a delight. Everyone seemed contented and relaxed. The indigenous people from nearby towns, whether they were working, selling, buying, or just hanging out, seemed comfortable with the many tourists. The business owners, from all parts of Guatemala and the world, were a friendly crowd, always full of information and not uptight about making the sale. Although we have heard most hippies and new-agers have fled for less developed lakeside villages, Pana still has its fair share. They seem to love their town. Tourism is this town’s main industry, and it shows. We were here in December, and national tourists seemed to outnumber international ones about ten to one. Once again, we all seemed happy and relaxed. The only unhappy people we saw were tourists, heading across the lake to find the "real" Guatemala, not seeming to notice they were already there.

The Hotel Monterrey is a great place to relax. It was built around 1910, and even though it has been remodeled various times, it still feels like an old-fashioned resort. It is on the waterfront and not fancy at all, but it has an incredible view across the lake.

La Cueva del Oso is a restaurant close to the Hotel Monterrey that serves incredible food. As much as I liked Pana, its restaurants left something to be desired. We had almost given up hope. We ate here the night before our departure and were in hog heaven. La Cueva del Oso (The Bear’s Cave) specializes in grilled meats.

Nearby villages surround the lake. There are maybe ten or fifteen of them. Most are small, traditional and very interesting. A few are accessible by paved road, a few more by dirt road, and all by a hiking trail, but the easiest and most entertaining access is by boat. Lanchas, boats that function like public buses, pick up and drop off passengers along a predetermined route. Boats can also be hired by the day or hour.

Quick Tips:

Calle Santander (the touristy street) offers most necessities. There is a pharmacy, travel agencies, small stores, hotels, restaurants, and the ATM and banks mentioned below.

Money Matters

There are three banks near the intersection of Calle Real (the main road) and Calle Santander (the touristy road). There is an ATM, which I used, on Calle Santander, about halfway between Calle Real and the lakefront. Twice I had no problem, and twice it rejected my cards.

Warnings

Lake Atitlàn is large and can get very rough, particularly in the afternoons. If you are prone to seasickness or are nervous on boats, plan accordingly.

A Quick History

There was originally a Kaqchikel village here. The Spanish came and built the church in 1567. Agriculture became important, and then tourists started to arrive in the early 1900s. Tourism became the town’s main industry during the 1960s or ‘70s.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking
The town is small and relatively flat, making walking easy, and there are cute little taxis available when walking isn’t an option.

Public Transportation
There are buses that go to other nearby towns, but lancha (boat) is the easiest and most extensive form of public transportation.

Car
Driving is very easy in Pana, but not necessary. The only heavily trafficked road is Calle Real, the main road through town. Other streets have, virtually, no traffic. Road signs and addresses are almost non-existent, and the few there are are useless since the locals don’t ignore them.

Best Way to Get Here

Car
Personally, I think the best way to get here is by car. We drove to Pana from Chichi. We stopped numerous times to take in the spectacular views and we also stopped at a roadside stand for a bite to eat. From Pana, we drove along the eastern shores of Lake Atitlàn and down to the coast. Although not as breathtaking, this drive was also beautiful, and there were various interesting stops to be made.

Bus
There are frequent buses connecting Pana to Guatemala City, Quetzaltenengo, and Chichicastenango. There is also a bus to Antigua.

During our first hours in Panajachel, we had almost run over Santa Claus and had been served a terrible lunch, and I had fallen and scraped up my nose and knees. We needed a room to clean up in and relax. We couldn’t find the guesthouse that had been recommended to us, so we followed signs to the Hotel Monterrey. It had a large parking area, which was not gated but seemed secure. This was a good start.

Libby checked us in while I sat in the car licking my wounds. She came out with a big grin on her face. We had a room, and at about US$40 a night, we weren’t going over budget. A kid came out to help us with our luggage, which, after our shopping stop in Chichi, had become an unmanageable mass of chaos. As soon as I got through the lobby, I knew what Libby had been grinning about. The view was spectacular. Past the hotel’s flowering gardens was Lake Atitlàn with cloud-topped volcanoes towering over it. It was getting on to be late afternoon, the flowers were glowing, and the lake was shimmering. It was beautiful.

The hotel is set up basically motel style with a two-story strip of rooms facing the lake. The building is blue and white, with a blue and white awning and blue chairs outside the rooms from which to take in the view. There is a very comforting, old-fashioned feel to the place.

The kid finally managed to drag the last of our stuff into the room. We kicked back in our small space and relaxed on our twin beds. The mattresses were sort of overstuffed and wobbly. I relaxed myself right off the bed and onto the floor, landing on my wounded knees but managing to keep my nose out of danger.

The furnishing was basic, with a closet, nightstand, and desk/dresser. The bathroom was also small, functional, and clean. The water pressure was decent. To get hot water, we had to go to the front desk and have someone turn on the water heater. There were few people staying in the hotel. When the place is busy, the water heater is always on. The room was clean, quiet, and comfortable once we learned how to balance on the beds.

The grounds, covered in grass and flowering shrubs, go all the way to the lake. There are little palapa umbrellas for shade and a rickety dock on the water. The hotel also has a restaurant open about 2 hours per meal. We never timed it right to eat there.

We loved this hotel for the view and the old-fashioned charm. The rooms were okay and the staff was friendly but sometimes difficult to find. We understand this hotel might not be around for long. It has been sold or is for sale, so changes might soon be coming. What a shame.

It was lunchtime and we were on Calle Santander again. We seemed to be getting in a rut, but at least there were plenty of restaurants from which to choose. We spotted Guajimbo's Parrillada Uruguaya sitting between the Llama de Fuego restaurant and the 3-by-10 Taco restaurant. We had never eaten Uruguayan food and figured it would be a nice change. We checked out the menu in front of the establishment. It offered the usual breakfast items and a large assortment of sandwiches, nothing specifically Uruguayan as far as we could tell. Various vegetarian options were listed. Maybe the dinner menu was more complete.

The afternoon was chilly, and Guajimbo has had seating on the sidewalk in the sunshine overlooking the street. Some of the sandwiches sounded pretty tasty. We decided to stay. We chose a curbside table, and the waitress soon came over with menus and took our drink orders.

The restaurant is small, with 10 or so tables packed between the street and a lath fence backed by lush plants. The few walls there are painted orange and covered with announcement boards advertising everything local, from massages and room rentals to boat trips and art shows. Pancakes and such must be a popular item here, as all the shelves were full of honey bears and maple syrup. While all the other restaurants we saw before choosing this one were empty, here at least half the tables were occupied. We hoped this was a good sign.

We ordered, and while we waited craft, venders started to appear. We put on our "not interested" faces and hoped for the best. Recently, in Antigua, we had much experience making this face to no avail. Here, in Pana, the venders are much more relaxed. Once we realized this, we actually enjoyed doing some shopping while we waited for our lunch.

I ordered the gran choripan, which was a humongous sausage served on two rolls, because it doesn't fit on one, and topped with bacon, pimento, tomatoes and a delicious chimichurri sauce. It was tasty and satisfying. Libby had the Pamplona burger. It was a decent-sized burger topped with ham, bacon, mozzarella cheese, tomato, and a sauce of some sort. It was also good.

Guajimbo's food was good, the service was okay, and it was very clean. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to eat here, but there is no reason to avoid it either. It is open for all three meals and accepts major credit cards.

Sample Menu
Chivitos Guajimbo......Q28
Beef cutlet topped with mozzarella, ham, bacon, pimentos, olives, and dressing served on a roll
Gallina Valiente......Q18
Breaded chicken sandwich topped with tomato, bell peppers, and dressing
Caliente......Q14
Grilled cheese sandwich with ham, bacon, tofu, or tempeh
Vegetarian Burger......Q11
Made of tempeh and topped with peppers, tomato, and sauce

It was lunchtime and I was in the mood for a salad. On our many wanderings along Calle Santander, we had noticed many people eating salads at the Restaurante Las Palmeras. We thought we would try it. We took a seat right next to the street.

The place was small and tidy with basic furnishings. The tables were covered in colorful, locally woven cloths. Even though we were the only patrons at the time, it took forever to be noticed. We were finally given menus, and the waitress grudgingly took our drink orders.

The menu is extremely long, with something for everyone. There are 15 steak dinners listed, 23 seafood entrées, and 21 chicken dishes. All main courses come with vegetable soup, salad, vegetables, rice or potatoes, and garlic bread. Also are offered typical dishes, a plethora of sandwiches, and 13 different salads. The 19 pasta dishes come served with soup, salad, vegetables, and garlic bread.

The restaurant was starting to fill up, and the waitress still hadn't taken our order. We called her over to no avail. Many of the people arriving were regulars and were grumbling about the service. It seems things usually weren't this slow and unfriendly. The waitress eventually ambled over and took our order. We also reminded her of our drinks. She glared and stomped off.

After a long wait, we were served. By this time, the restaurant was packed. I ordered the avocado salad. It was beautiful. On a bed of shredded lettuce were many small avocado halves surrounded by shredded carrot and topped with onion, tomato, and olives. It was served with a tangy vinaigrette and garlic toast. The vegetables were incredibly fresh and the serving was large. Libby had garlic toast.

About halfway through my delicious salad, I asked for the check knowing it might take a while. I finished lunch and smoked four cigarettes before the bill came. I dug through my purse searching for the right amount of money. We didn't want to wait for change.

My meal was wonderful, the prices were good, the establishment was clean, and sidewalk seating is always a plus. The service was lousy, but people at neighboring tables assured us this wasn't usually the case. I cautiously recommend Las Palmeras.

Sample Menu
Beef Tenderloin in a Marsala Sauce......Q22
Whole Fish in a Lemon Sauce......Q25
Beef Filet Cordon Bleu......Q30
Curried Chicken Breast......Q25
Chicken and Herbs......Q22
Garlic Shrimp......Q35
BLT......Q17
Chef Salad......Q23
Pasta Alfredo......Q18
Spinach Lasagna......Q20
Chicken and Potato Salad......Q23

We made various trips to neighboring towns from Panajachel. Our last day there we were planning to take the lancha (boat) to some of the lakeside communities not accessible by car, but unfortunately, a nasty wind (xocomil) kicked up and the few boats still operating were full.

Solalà
We left our hotel early Tuesday morning to go to the market in the town of Solalà. The weather was cold, and having no top on the Jeep, we weren’t sure if the trip was worth the suffering. About 5 or 10 minutes out of town, we turned into the town of San Jorge La Laguna. We had heard about this town perched on the edge of the cliff and wanted to take a quick look. We got out of the car and walked a short way. We were rewarded with a spectacular view of the lake. All doubts as to the worthiness of the outing were forgotten then and there. San Jorge La Laguna is known for its bodiless Maximòn (a very interesting Guatemalan idol), but we didn’t look for him.

Back on the road, it was just another 5 or 10 minutes to our destination. Traffic was heavy and the streets were packed with people heading to the market. We found a parking place and followed the crowd. Soon we were in the market. There were colorful displays of fresh fruits and vegetables, blankets, lots of plastic items, pots and pans… all kinds of things. The Solalà market caters to the locals; tourists do not enter the equation when deciding what is sold. We saw some unusual fruits but only ended up buying bananas.

The Solalà market is held on Tuesdays and Fridays and is famous for its sturdy bags made of wool. Many townspeople, including the men, still wear their traditional outfits.

San Antonio Palopò
After lunch one day, we followed the road that hugs the coast east of Pana. We first came to Santa Catarina Palopò, a small town just 5km from Pana. We stopped to walk around a bit. It was very peaceful. We later read of a shop where you can watch weaving, an art gallery, and hot springs. We somehow managed to miss all three. We did see the cute little church. The town is known for its reed mats and its blue, green, and yellow huipiles (blouses).

Back on the road, heading out of town, we saw signs for various hotels but not the hotels themselves. They must have been hidden behind the large walls that run along much of this road. The mountains in this area are terraced and heavily planted with produce and, judging by the smell, mostly onions, although we saw plants of all shapes and sizes.

After another 5km, we entered San Antonio Palopò. We parked on the soccer field. Below us were women washing onions in the lake, on the horizon were the majestic volcanoes, and behind us, up the hill, was the town and its beautiful church.