Guatemala 2026 Sketchbook Workshop - Part 1

I asked for a sign...

The wind blew my ancestors in from over the mountains

They hung over the lake like stars

My dreams brought the elders with long dark hair

Singing ancient songs woven with wisdom

Magic always comes in threes

In February of this year (2026) I travelled to Guatemala to attend Amy Bogard's Travel Journal Workshop.  My friend Joyanne and I planned to arrive early to travel before the beginning of class.

I flew into Guatemala City and took a taxi to Antigua to meet Joyanne.  

Meet in Antigua

Joyanne had flown in even earlier to go to the beach at Monterrico.  So we decided to meet at Posada San Sebastian for one night before heading out to... 

LAKE ATITLÁN

Panajachel

We took a taxi from Antigua to Panajachel.  It was about a three hour drive through the mountains.  I didn't take Dramamine, but I had it on hand in case I needed it.  I sat in the front seat and felt fine (although Joyanne felt a little car sick sitting in the back).

Our hotel, Hotel Jotam, was conveniently located within walking distance of the main street and the boat dock.  I really liked how clean and new our hotel was.  And it was a little back from the road so we didn't hear the traffic noise.  One day I accidentally left my window open and didn't realize it until we were out and about. I called the man at the front desk and he closed it for me.  Everything was in its place when I returned and it made me feel safe and well taken care of.  I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone staying in Panajachel.

After we arrived we decided to take a walk down the main street, Calle Santander, shown below.  It is a bustling street that leads down to the lake lined with shops, hotels, and restaurants.

We walked down to the lake and found ourselves at a restaurant called Atitlán Restaurante y Café.  The view was amazing, and I had my first limonada con soda, which was a burst of delicious flavor.  I can't remember the name of Joyanne's drink, but it was very pretty. 

You never know what will spark a sketch...but these three women I saw from the restaurant walking along the dock, were the inspiration for my first sketch (for reasons you will learn later...most of my sketches were done at home from photos).

Below you can see the first spread from my sketchbook.  I did the map of Guatemala before the trip.  And the map of Lake Atitlán was a map I re-made from a photo I took from a tourist agency along the main street.  I wish I could give credit to the artist, but I do not know where it came from.  Also, the corn image was inspired from an image on a napkin from 7 Caldos (great restaurant!)

Sketch Inspiration

We walked down to the public docks on our first full day at the lake.  These beautiful murals of embroidery motifs were painted along the walls on our way there.  Although they haven't made it into my sketchbook yet, I might tuck them in to empty spots from previous years.

Below you can see our first destination on the lake...San Juan La Laguna.  We weren't sure if we should take a private or public boat to get there.  When we arrived at the dock there was a man who gave us a pretty good deal to take just the two of us (I think it was around $60 in total).  I wasn't sure if we should just wait for the public boats which were around $3.  We hesitated a bit and then agreed to go with him in the private boat.

When we got in the boat the man indicated that we could sit in the bow so we could see.  But the man gunned the boat, and we took off, as my Dad would say, "like a bat out of hell."  Poor Joyanne slid right down into the hull.  I was very concerned when I looked down at her lying there.  She had recently had shoulder surgery and was being careful to protect it.  She managed to get up and sat in one of the seats, indicating she was OK.

Here is a photo of a justifiably pissed-off Joyanne and our driver.  Someone got an earful when we arrived.  I tried to help translate, but she didn't really need a translator...I think he understood.  On the way back we took the public boat.  We had a wonderful time chatting with our fellow travelers and seeing all the stops.  I would recommend the public boat to anyone travelling across the lake.

Aside from the incident, the ride was stunningly beautiful.

Below is one of my favorite photos from the trip...liquid lake, hazy sun, and volcano-clouds.

I was also inspired to sketch one of the houses we saw as we made our way to San Juan La Laguna.  It looked like a castle embedded into a hill.  

Each day

the sun

water

and wind

painted the mountains

a different shade of joy

San Juan La Laguna

Joyanne had done a wonderful job researching where we might want to go.  And San Juan La Laguna did not disappoint.  

When we got off the boat we were greeted by these colorful, floating umbrellas that created a vibrant pathway to follow...La Calle de las Sombrillas.  

As we started walking we met a German man who lived in town.  We asked where we should eat breakfast, and he said he would take us to his favorite place.  It was not easy to keep up with him as the hill was substantial.  But it was totally worth it.  The food was absolutely delicious and the view was stunning.  I tried and tried to find the name of the restaurant later, but I wasn't sure.  It might have been the Restaurante Pa Muelle.  I know for sure that it was about halfway up the hill on the right (as you are looking uphill).

The view from breakfast

Below is a watercolor I did at home after the trip from a photo I took of the umbrella street.  I loved the image of the woman wearing her traditional dress balancing her basket under all the umbrellas.

Once we left the umbrella street we entered another called the Calle de los Sombreros.

The sidewalks of this street were painted in every color of the rainbow, and the street itself was painted with gorgeous murals depicting Mayan stories.

I particularly liked this bird mural on the wall.  And I loved the Mayan symbols everywhere.  One of the stores we went in showed how each color used in the textiles is created from specific plants.  I was in heaven!

After shopping for a bit we stopped to each lunch.  We shared a plate of french fries, and there was green catsup!  The view from lunch was incredible!

This was the view looking down from our restaurant onto the umbrellas.

I didn't think this street could be more festive until we walked by these marimba players.  Their music was so fun, and I felt super joyful just being there.  

To listen to a short clip, click below.

On our way home we took the public boat. We only had to wait about 10 minutes before our boat filled up. And we had some really lovely conversations with our fellow travelers who had hiked one of the volcanoes and were boating to all the little towns along the lake. One other thing I would recommend is to return home decently early. We had heard the waves pick up in the afternoon making for a rough ride. We had enjoyed ourselves so much that we ended up leaving a little later than expected (maybe around 2:30-3:00?). And the choppy water really was hard on the tailbone as we approached Panajachel.

Santa Catarina Palopó

Once back in Panajachel, we decided we still had time to visit the nearby town of Santa Catarina Palopó.  

We took a tuk tuk and it was quite a ride.  The road between Pana and Santa Catarina went way up and then way down.  It was about a fifteen minute ride.  

Santa Catarina Palopó was much smaller than San Juan La Laguna.  I think we missed the main market day.  We did visit the beautiful Hotel Villa Santa Catarina.  I would love to stay there some time.  

I didn't know it until the last minute, but my friend Amy (the one leading the upcoming workshop) happened to be staying in Santa Catarina Palopó.  We visited the house she was staying in, and it was gorgeous!  I was particularly struck by these adorable bird planters which I ended up including throughout my sketchbook.

Below is a photo of the pool and view where Amy was staying.  She is probably going to add an extra bonus trip at this location next year.

The video below includes much of what I talked about above but is set to fun music.  Turn your volume on!  (Music by Tunetank from Pixabay)

Below is another spread from my sketchbook that includes the mountain house along the lake, the blue bird pot, and a drawing of an embroidery.

The blue bird held a succulent that perfectly fit the size of the planter.  I absolutely love when a planter and pot go well together.  And the look on the birds face peeking around the leaves was so charming.  Sometimes I can spend a long time searching for the perfect quote to go with an image.  But when I saw this drawing, the phrase "Don't be afraid to show your true colors" popped right into my head.  

The final sketch in this post was inspired by a photo of a huipil (traditional tunic) I took on a previous trip.

I loved the subtle repeated bird pattern.  For my drawing I decided to have a repeating cat and bird.  What I didn't know when I began this project was how much I would enjoy translating embroidery into watercolor.  I found it weirdly satisfying to draw each thread and add a little shadow beneath to indicated the poofiness of the threads.  When I finished, I felt something was missing.  Then I realized I needed to add the tiny white thread lines.  Looking back at the drawing, I was so pleased with the effect.  It is funny what can bring one happiness.

CONCLUSION

I have always loved the idea from Rumi that what we are seeking is also seeking us. It implies a universe that is receptive, attentive, and aligned with us. When I finished this drawing and saw the surprised look on the cat's face, I thought the slightly altered quote below fit perfectly.

What you hunt

is hunting you.

I also Googled the original phrase and found this quote..."Some interpretations suggest that what you are seeking (love, peace, joy) already resides within you. As author and speaker Dr. Saloumeh Bozorgzadeh notes, a literal interpretation of the Farsi phrase can be, 'What you seek is with you'."  What a thought!  That throughout our entire lives, with all its struggles and triumphs, the very "thing" we most desire has been our constant companion.  What if happiness lived with us at all times...at the core of our being, closer than close?  What if simply being is a joy? 

Part of me ever longs to be devoured...by love.
—John Butler

And to consider the reverse is even more mind-blowing. What if this joy desired us?  What if joy longed for us to know it?  "The Latin root of desire is dēsīderāre, which means 'to long for, miss, or request.'  It is often interpreted as 'to await what the stars will bring' or 'to feel the lack of stars'. It is derived from de- (from) and sidus (star or constellation), suggesting a celestial connection where one waits upon fate" (Google).  But what if the stars live inside us, hiding in the most obvious spot...secretly burning in the dark, vastness of our being?  What if that longing, that waiting and lack, is the reason we come here...to hunt for something we thought we lost.  But what if we are the very thing we are hunting?  We are hunting for ourselves!  The cat and bird are one!  A giant game of hide and seek...for the sheer thrill of it...for the love of love.

“I never wanted a quiet, sensible sort of love. I wanted to be devoured.”
—Beau Taplin