Day 3 and it's a launcha (boat) to San Juan La Laguna.
The day was beautiful...sun was out..and the sky was blue. After coffee at El Dorado I met the group at the hotel along with two of MF staff and our friend Stephanie who actually knew where to get the boat we were looking for.
It was so nice to be on the lake again and with perfect weather.San Juan is a village of women"s co-ops and I have a couple of favorites. I had arranged ahead of time with Francesca, one of the ladies who runs one of the co-ops, to demonstrate the process that is used to achieve such beautiful textiles.
They produce their own dyes from natural sources and then dye the cotton and wrap it around an apparatus that then creates a loop at each end that is then placed on a rod at both ends. One end is tied to a pole...or tree or any place they can put a hook...and then the other end is attached to a strap that they slip around their backside which makes them part of the loom...this is called back strap weaving and most all Mayan women's clothing with the exception of the cortes (skirts) are done by this method. From dying to completed product can take at least 3 days. With these fair trade co-ops the women who produce the product receive 90% of the sale and the other 10% goes to the running of the store. Then the shopping began! We worked our way up the hill and saw many beautiful things. We then arrived at the restaurant Artesano for a wine and cheese experience.
I had heard of this place but had never been...I think it will continue to be on the agenda from here on out. It was a wonderful experience. As we returned to the boat a few other items were purchased and then it was another relaxing ride back across the lake to Pana in time to rest up before the party at my home.
As usual Mathilda cooked a magnificent meal for us. I always invite my local friends so we ended up with about 26 people. I think everyone enjoyed themselves.
The day was beautiful...sun was out..and the sky was blue. After coffee at El Dorado I met the group at the hotel along with two of MF staff and our friend Stephanie who actually knew where to get the boat we were looking for. 
It was so nice to be on the lake again and with perfect weather.San Juan is a village of women"s co-ops and I have a couple of favorites. I had arranged ahead of time with Francesca, one of the ladies who runs one of the co-ops, to demonstrate the process that is used to achieve such beautiful textiles.
They produce their own dyes from natural sources and then dye the cotton and wrap it around an apparatus that then creates a loop at each end that is then placed on a rod at both ends. One end is tied to a pole...or tree or any place they can put a hook...and then the other end is attached to a strap that they slip around their backside which makes them part of the loom...this is called back strap weaving and most all Mayan women's clothing with the exception of the cortes (skirts) are done by this method. From dying to completed product can take at least 3 days. With these fair trade co-ops the women who produce the product receive 90% of the sale and the other 10% goes to the running of the store. Then the shopping began! We worked our way up the hill and saw many beautiful things. We then arrived at the restaurant Artesano for a wine and cheese experience. 
I had heard of this place but had never been...I think it will continue to be on the agenda from here on out. It was a wonderful experience. As we returned to the boat a few other items were purchased and then it was another relaxing ride back across the lake to Pana in time to rest up before the party at my home. 
As usual Mathilda cooked a magnificent meal for us. I always invite my local friends so we ended up with about 26 people. I think everyone enjoyed themselves.
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