Chicabal Lake is a Guatemalan lake sacred to the Mam Mayan people. The lake is located in the municipal boundary of the town of San Martín Sacatepéquez in the department of Quetzaltenango. A crater lake, Laguna Chicabal was formed in the crater of Volcán Chicabal at an elevation of 2,712 meters (8,879 feet). The terrain surrounding the lake is a cloud forest.
Chicabal Lake is billed as the center of the Mam-Maya "cosmovision", and Mayan traditionalists still use the several altars on the lake shore. Restrictions are placed on visiting the lake during the early part of May so that Mam people can celebrate their traditional ceremonies without disturbance. Because of its spiritual importance, swimming is prohibited in Chicabal Lake.
Here is an aerial view of it I got off the internet because obviously we don't have a helicopter! :0)
Entrance parking
Lookout area
A couple of men doing some repairs!
Here is another internet picture...
Because this is what we saw of the lake when we got down to it! :0(
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| Karate Kid |
After we walked around the whole lake it was time for the dreaded steps back up! That was the hard part! Not only all those steps but at high elevation! Many rest stops on the way up!
So after all that walking and stair climbing, we deserved a much needed soak! Next stop...
Fuentes Georginas!
A superb natural spa in a spectacular setting, Fuentes Georginas is an 8km drive uphill from Zunil. It's named after the wife of 'benevolent dictator' Jorge Ubico, who customarily comandeered the installations on weekends for his personal use. Four pools of varying temperatures are fed by hot sulfur springs and framed by a steep, high wall of tropical vines, ferns and flowers. Though the setting is intensely tropical, the mountain air currents keep it deliciously cool through the day. There is a little 500m walk starting from beside the pool, worth doing to check out the birds and orchids. Bring a bathing suit; towels are available (Q10 plus deposit). Lockers cost Q5. Hurricane Agatha ripped through the spa in 2010, all but destroying the installations. Fortunately, it's been completely rebuilt and restored, though patches of the road in remain perilously damaged.
Besides the restaurant/bar, which serves great grilled steaks, sausage and papas, there are three sheltered picnic tables with cooking grills. Big-time soakers will want to spend the night: down the valley a bit are nine rustic but cozy cottages, each with a hot tub and cold shower, barbecue and a fireplace to ward off the mountain chill at night (wood and matches provided). Included in the price of the cottages is access to the pools all day and all night, when rules are relaxed.
This felt soooo good! (upper most pool - the hottest, but not too hot this day) Not too many people around 1:00pm...
...But that began to change around 4:00pm when bus loads of indigenous people came for their time!(bottom right corner of pic) There are signs that say you must where a bathing suit, but NOT enforced! The indigenous got in with their tipico clothing, not really to soak but to bathe! So then it was time for us to go! Good thing the water flows continually down the hill! ;0)
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