No photos exist of this day. Old posts:

This is an experience that I had in 2007:

I have to quickly share that today at Lake Atitlan (in Guatemala) I went to the house of some shamans who maintain and worship/communicate with the most important Mayan saint of their village, San Simon who is a combination derivative of a Mayan god/Christian St. Sebastian and some random conquistador. These crazy cofradias - religious leaders - were in this room filled to the brim like a shrine with dried plants and herbs, candles, fake flowers, CDs hanging from the ceiling along with more assorted important clutter, including an ornate see-through coffin covered in bright fake flowers and blinking pink lights as well as some strands of dysfunctional lights. The object of attention was a short deity idol robed in dated western style men's ties, two cowboy-like hats with silk veils tied to them, a gold chain around his neck with a wad of Quetzales (cash) placed behind his central tie. He had a cigar in his wooden mouth and a platter of coin offerings as well as a special wooden holder containing a small bottle of moonshine style liquor and a pack of regular cigarettes! Candles of significant colors and sizes were burning to the ground as they knelt on woven prayer mats to petition help from Simon for a family that visited offering money and alcohol. Apparently their son was somehow involved or maybe injured by a gun. I couldn't tell what they were saying because he was chanting in his Mayan language with very little Spanish. They burned a large quantity of incense and replaced the fake cigar in the idols mouth with a lit cigarette. All this is being overseen by a visibly high or drunk shaman in the corner - very dazed. Just when I was wondering if they were going to dump the alcohol into the little wooden man's scary mouth, we were out! Down the steps into and open fire kitchen and back into the rocky street; from one completely inexplicable world to another. This is just a glimpse that I had to share - probably one of the most unique experiences I have ever had and I intend to write more about it.