San Marcos – Realigning our chakras in hippy heaven

San Marcos is a small village set on the shores of Lake Atitlan. The views are particularly splendid from this point as set in front are two volcanos which crown the lake. The waters in this area are rumoured to have mystical powers which has meant this is now a haven for new age hippies to congregate.

There is only one main street in San Marcos but there are posters everywhere offering different types of therapies, treatments and massages, as well as yoga, meditation, chanting and chakra aligning. You can get your tarot read, your palm read and also your mind read. You can be cleansed with herbs, flowers or Chinese cups. If it’s crazy and ‘out there’ you will most defiantly find it here. We even found some therapies designed for the modern day vampires.

I loved the place. Karl was not so keen. I was willing to embrace the new experiences. Karl, on the other hand, wanted to get the boat to San Pedro to drink beer in the English pub.

However, in the four days we were in San Marcos we both sampled a few of the offerings.

Introduction to Meditation

Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays a two hour introduction to meditation course takes place at Hostel La Pez. For 40Q per person you are talked through the basic techniques. This turned out to be Karl’s favourite activity, mainly because you got to spend two hours lying on your back listening to relaxing music.

Yoga

We stayed in Hostel de la Lago which is the best place to do yoga in San Marcos. The hostel has its own platform on the lake which has the best views. There are yoga classes’ every day at 7.30am and 9am for 40Q pp. During our stay we attended three different yoga classes each offering a different styles. The views are amazing and even more spectacular in the morning sun.

Holistic therapies

During our stay we decided that we would each have one of the treatments on offer. After much deliberation I decided not to do the flower therapy but to go for a necessary beauty treatment instead. Karl went for a more alternative massage called trigger point therapy, although we are both sceptical of these things he said it did help ease the pain in his calf.

Herbal Remedies

At our hostel they held a two hour introduction to herbal remedies class which I attended. Karl declined saying it was a load of bollocks. I went into the class more open minded. I wouldn’t say I learnt anything revolutionary although it has inspired me to grow a herbal garden when I get back home and to experiment with tea infusions, although I’m not expecting the teas to perform miracles.

There were only a few sections which mentioned growing plants in line with the moons cycles and drying herbs in the sun to absorb the suns energy that I thought may be leaning slightly more to the crazy side, but overall it was a good way to spend the afternoon.

After four days we both had enough of being woken up at 4am with chanting and we had seen enough women with hairy armpits to last a lifetime. So with a stretched, cleansed and glowing body we jump in a boat and head over the lake to the backpacker friendly town of San Pedro.

Karl almost ran there for fear that I suggest we stay and make him take part in the story telling circle.