On a balmy morning in April I'm sitting in the courtyard of my hotel at the crack of dawn watching Lake Atitlan, waiting for the clouds to drift and reveal the three volcanoes that dominate its landscape. With none of the other guests awake yet, I am enjoying the serenity. Pleasant birdsong from tiny, swallow-like creatures referred to locally as choc (meaning to dip and dives) is the only soundtrack.
As the sun gradually emerges, a body of water spanning roughly 50 square miles begins to reveal itself in full glory, shining a spotlight on Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro volcanoes before flooding every village with light. Speed boats, like specks of white, begin to whizz through the blue waters, ferrying locals and tourists from one edge of the lake to the other.
