Equipé, brother at Lago de Atitlan

Once again we took an early shuttle bus, today to Lake Atitlan. The lake is surrounded by 3 volcanoes and is considered one of the most picturesque lakes in the world. The towns surrounding the lake are inhabited by Mayans who have maintained their culture on the most part. We visited San Juan and Santiago – the Mayans in this region are known for their arts & crafts and coffee production. We also got an inside peek into their daily lives, including their worship of Saint Maximon, who the Mayans offer alcohol and cigarettes to. Quite different from the offerings I’m used to as a Hindu!

But the most exciting moment of the day for me was the purchase of my Guatemala hat – I finally had the appropriate attire to be a part of “Equipé, brother.” “Equipé, brother” – a term popularized by a Brazilian Coca Cola commercial, literally means “Team, brother” but more importantly it represents the team before the individual and in the context of our lives, the team is a group of international travelers with unique eccentricities. Just the 3 of us in the group so far:

• “Wifi Freak” – has the uncontrollable urge to look for wifi signal anywhere – such as inside caves atop a volcano 
• “Photo Freak” – insists on turning any location into a photo opportunity – such as a random building or tree 
• “Sleeping Beauty” – yours truly, aptly named for falling asleep in all kinds of places – cars, buses, boats, planes and the dinner table! 

When not partaking in our passions, we can be recognized by our unique hats – the hat of the country in which we joined Equipé, brother – 2 Panama hats and a Guatemala hat.  Equipé, brother!