Goodbye Atitlán & Crossroads Café

On Friday we took a little day trip to the lake for one last look at the beauty and splendor of the volcanoes and water, and to say goodbye to our friends, The Roberts, who own Crossroads Café in Panajachel. Needing to liquidate our space in Quiché, Brittany decided to bring a big bag of various clothing items down to give Adele and the girls. Hopefully they can get a good second life out of these things.

Previously, Toby had been promised the cheesecake recipe Adele uses, so we came to collect on that! But, we also wanted drink some delicious iced lattes while we snacked on homemade tiramisu and cinnamon rolls. :p Lungi was assisting Mike in the coffee shop that day since her and her sister, Kasha, had a week break from homeschool, but she took a little time out to learn Backgammon with Brittany. Then, after securing her first win against Brittany (getting 3 set of double sixes at the end), she proceeded to beat Toby as well. We spent a few hours at the café until they were closing for lunch and then gave our farewells to all the family members. Mike even gave a free t-shirt to Toby as a parting gift. The Roberts' company, hospitality, and wonderful café will be missed greatly. We plan to continue ordering their coffee when we're back in the United States.

After our caffeine fix we went in search of some traditional men's clothing used by the Mayans. Very few communities still wear the men's traje, while the women use it prevalently. Luckily we were able to find a very beautiful pair of embroidered shorts worn by men in Santa Catarina Polopó and two matching belts - not cheap mind you, but worth the quality and uniqueness. While we were in the area, we also decided to purchase a few coin purses, a long scarf-like textile, and two customized pens. We ate a delicious vegetarian lunch of tofu pita sandwich, tabbouleh, and burrito at Bombay Café before heading back on the bus to Quiché.

Lago de Atitlán and all the communities that surround it have been such a welcome break to our life in Quiché. Anyone who has been here can attest to the peaceful majesty of the blue lake and the three towering volcanoes that surround it. We have come down here more times than we count since it is only about 2 hours bus ride from where we live and never ceases to amaze us. This haven will certainly be missed! Goodbye for now Atitlán!