Fenlason - Pineda: Panama and Guatemala 2023

Morning coffee.

Wall mural going to the driveway.

She's ready for today's adventure.

"The mask and costume are the channels through which the dancer transforms and assumes the natural and supernatural behavior of the represented character."

A little peek of a volcano through the neighbor's yard.

¡Vamos!

Just lookin' down the street at the Volcán de Agua volcano.

The Santa Catalina Arch The Santa Catalina Arch was built in 1694 on what is now known as Calle del Arco, or “street of the arch.” Rather than being built for aesthetic reasons, there was purpose behind the arch’s construction. On either side of the arch are two convents, the Convent of the Virgin and the Convent of Santa Catalina. Within the convents lived cloistered nuns, and in the 1690s they lived on one side of the of the arch and taught at a school on the other.

The nuns had taken vows of seclusion and had to avoid all contact with the outside world; even being seen in public was off-limits. While attempts had been made to find a school property that bordered the convent, the religious order had no luck and the nuns found themselves in a predicament. They needed to teach, but could hardly just walk out the door onto the bustling street and cross it with the public.

In order for the nuns to go incognito, the idea of a footbridge was proposed, and Santa Catalina Arch was built to join the school and the convent. Within the arch is a hidden passageway enabling the nuns to cross the street without being seen—something you would never guess if you stood below it. The arch has suffered damage over the years, especially in the devastating earthquake of 1773, but it has survived into modernity and has become a potent symbol of the city’s resilience. The French-style clock was added in the 1800s and needs to be wound every three days.

Today the convent is a hotel, the Hotel Convento Santa Catalina Martir, and the street is a hotspot for public events and gatherings. You won’t find any nuns walking across the arch, but you’ll find plenty of tourists eager to snap a photograph of this unmistakably Antigua monument, which has been recreated in countless photographs and paintings. On a clear day you can see the entire Volcán de Agua through the arch—an appropriately dramatic background for such a historic landmark.

An ice cream bus!!

Cool ceiling art.

A fountain at Cafe Condesa.

From the menu:

Welcome to the " Cafe of the Countess! This beautiful colonial house was built in 1549; it later became part of the Royal Houses in the country's capital city, Santiago de Guatemala. The first Count to to occupy the house (1609) was the Count of Gomera who served as President of the Court, Captain

General and Governor from 1609-1623, and was the first "cloak and dagger" president (non-educated) who had no vote within his own court. Successive Counts inherited the title and occupied the house for many-years until the capital city was transferred in 1775, to modern Guatemala City.

Like many old houses, this house has its bits of folklore. Supposedly, one of the Counts made an unexpected return from a voyage and found his wife in an indiscretion with the butler. Rumor has it that the butler was buried it alive by the angry Count. During repairs after the 1976 earthquake the rumor

was supported when a skeleton was discovered within the pantry wall.. and apparently had been buried standing up! Just to be on the safe side, the house was exorcized in 1992. And since the Cafe has been established, no strange noises have been heard. Perhaps the spirits are satisfied now that there are

good smells coming out of our kitchen and the gardens are beautiful once again!

Some flora.

And fauna! Just kidding.

Saw this painting in a shop and snapped an illegal photo of it for later.

"An intelligent man recovers quickly from a failure. A mediocre man does not recover from a triumph."

Just a volcano at the end of the field.

Lake Atitlán as seen from the village of Panajachel.

Is that the happiest dog you've ever seen?

The dock.

After a VERY choppy boat ride, we arrive at La Casa del Mundo in El Jaibalito.

Only reachable by boat or by walking.

The view from check-in . . .

. . . from the café . . .

. . . and from our balcony.

"Lake Access."

The charming little hotel, nestled on a mountain cliff in Lake Atitlán, is run by the owners, Bill (originating from the U.S.) and Rosy (from Guatemala).

They met and married in Alaska, where their two sons, Sebastián and Benjamín, were born.

Their dream was to build their own house in Guatemala. However, they realized they had to open their place to visitors to make a living.

So construction started in 1988 in one of the most magical parts of Guatemala, the rocky shore of Lake Atitlán. Using primarily local materials, they built a welcoming place for the family and visitors from around the world.

Finally, La Casa del Mundo Hotel opened in 1997. Bill, Rosy, and their children lived there for several years, enjoying the company of their guests while providing warm hospitality and adding creative touches to the interiors.

Today, Rosy and Bill commute to La Casa del Mundo and continue to enjoy running and working at the hotel.

Nachos.

Wine!

BEER!

No dogs (misspelled, so we're not paying attention.)

Required labeling. "Excess consumption of this product is harmful to the health of the consumer."

Fun bench.

Wandering around the property.

Harmony.

SMILE! 😁😁😁

One of my favorite photos of the week.

Chillin'.

Another favorite.

Self-portrait.

A nearby hotel and pool.

We met a woman here who asked us directions. I recognized an accent and she admitted to being from Bodensee, Germany. We spoke German together for a while.