THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS - Guatemala - page 200

brightly painted A-frame cottages. There's a Guatemalan mail ( El Correo ) drop-off here.
Closer to town is pleasant Posada del Bosque Encantado (tel. [phone],
www.hotelposadaencantado.com , $20d),withroomshousedinacharmingadobestructure
and surrounded by tranquil gardens. The rooms have Guatemalan furnishings and vaulted
ceilings; some have an extra bed on a second floor loft.
Near the top of the path leading straight up the hill from the dock at Posada Schumann
is Hotel y Restaurante Paco Real (tel. [phone], www.hotelpacoreal.com , $17-25 d),
with simple but comfortable rooms and shared or private bath. The wooden, thatched-roof
cabanas include Guatemalan furnishings and woven reed floor mats in a peaceful garden
setting. There's a restaurant and bar on the premises where the highlights include Mexican
dishes, seafood, and curried pineapple chicken.
Food
Enjoying a wonderful lakeside location west of Posada Schumann is French-owned Tul
y Sol (tel. [phone] or 5854-5365, all meals daily) offering decent sandwiches served
on thick slices of bread, grilled fish, and pasta. Located up the path toward town from
Posada Schumann, Il Giardino (tel. [phone], 4 P.M.-midnight Thurs.-Sun.) serves de-
licious burritos, pizza, and spaghetti dishes in a tranquil garden setting. It also has Inter-
net access. Next to Las Pirámides, Il Forno (dinner only) is another recommended Italian
restaurant. For breakfast all-day, your best bet is Restaurante Las Mañanitas (at Hotel
Aaculaax,8A.M.-4P.M.daily,$2-5),whereyou'llfindtheusualstaplessuchaseggs,fruit
smoothies, granola, and pancakes in addition to more exotic cravings such as shakshuka
(a spicy Israeli egg-and-tomato dish similar to huevos rancheros ). Heading into the town
center from the lakeshore and crossing the main road through town, you'll find Blind
Lemon's (tel. [phone], www.blindlemons.com , 11 A.M.-10 P.M. Mon.-Sat.), inspired
bybluesmusicianLemonJeffersonandhousedinapleasantcolonial-stylecourtyard.Tasty
burgers, pizzas, steaks, chicken, and pasta are on the menu. There's live blues on Fridays
starting at 8 P.M. and movies are shown on a big screen almost every night. It bodes well
forthenewestrestaurantinSanMarcos, F'e (tel.[phone],7:30A.M.-midnightdaily,
$5- 12), where you can feast on curries, pastas, meat, and fish dishes in a sublime garden
atmosphere accented with Guatemalan textiles. There's a covered second-floor patio bar.
Information and Services
Casa Verde Tours (tel.[phone]or7721-8344, www.casaverdetours.com ),ofSanPedro
fame, also has an office in San Marcos and can arrange transport and local hikes. They are
located at the top of the hill along the trail that leads straight into town from Posada Schu-
mann. Another option is the newly formed Jóvenes Mayas (tel. [phone]), composed
of local community guides offering English/Spanish guided hikes to local waterfalls, San