La Camioneta or Burra as the locals call it, is the primary mode of "public" transportation between cities in Guatemala. Now I put the public in quotes as these buses are maintained, cleaned, and decorated by their owners- for the most part being privately owned.
With colorful names like "la Hermosa" or "el Fuego" and hotwheel-esque flames painted on the side, these buses are spectacular(and very hard to miss).
El Mercado Central Antigua, Guatemala
Much unlike transportation in the US, the camionetas are reliable, on time, and quiet. The drivers and commuters were lovely- offering their seats, giving travel directions, and much more.
My adventure began as somewhat of a personal challenge. I laid in bed two nights before my ascent of Acate considering all the possible things I could do(other than sleep in and eat mangoes every day). I wanted something challenging yet rewarding that let me see a completely different part of Guatemala.
6 AM the next day came sooner than I would've liked. I wandered through the dimly lit, labyrinthine streets of Antigua in the vague direction of the bus station. Nestled just behind the central market, you walk through three different worlds as the colonial city dissolves into bustling stalls and the stalls transform into busy intersections. The market was quite busy during rush hour with people selling goods, commuting to work, and all the buses taxing like an airplane runway.
Taking the green camioneta (right) to Chimaltenango
From what the driver described the journey would be 3 transfers and take about 4 hours before arriving at Lake Atitlan. This was daunting as I was worried about how to know when I needed to get off, where, and what bus I would need to take. I put my fears aside, bought some mango, and settled in for the journey ahead.
The first leg goes from Antigua to Chimaltenango. You're met with beautiful views of the Guatemalan countryside, farmland, and roadside tiendas. The bus window gives you a spectacular panoramic view as the scenery fluctuates from flat farmland to overarching trees. We stopped a few times along the way before dropping I hopped off right outside a feed store where I was greeted by some baby chicks. I went up to the store owner and asked where I catch the next bus and he calmly directed me around the corner. Within a minute of turning my back, I heard frantic shouting behind me: "el bus senor, el bus azul, corre, Senor!". I followed his finger to a blue bus rounding a corner and started sprinting- trying to beat the bus to the highway entrance. I caught them just as they were about to merge: out of breath and sad I didn't capture the interaction on film. I jumped on and settled in for the longest leg from Chimaltenango to Sololá.
I won't lie. I was asleep for most of this and have no recollection other than the driver tapping my shoulder in Solola letting me know it was my stop. The bus to Panajachel was directly ahead of me. We waited for about ten minutes and then were off on the short 30-minute ride to Pana(the town at the base of the lake). From here, it is a short boat ride across the beautiful Lake Atitlan.
Speeding Across Lake Atitlan
Note: Bring anti-nausea pills, the trip from Sololá to Pana is all windy roads. Beautiful mountainside view of the lake but wow.
Here's a little doodle I made of the trip
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