I was goiing to walk that stretch of road from Lago de Atitlan to San Pedro as I had just gotten through hiking over a hundred miles in the jungle and wanted to keep in shape, but the hotel owner of El Bambu said it wasn't a good idea, that there were "friendly bandits" over there who would take most of your stuff, but generally if you pleaded with them they wouldn't take everything. Not wishing to experience a "friendly bandit" I took the ferry. I think it is pretty well lknown around the lake.

One must pay very close attention to local knowledge in Guatemala as to the places and situations to avoid due to increased crimes involving tourists.

This month (July) there were two reported robberies of groups hiking the Acatenango Volcano, just outside Antigua. Both groups were attacked by 6 or more armed robbers. In one group, a sexual attack was also attempted. In the other group, armed guards were shot.

At one time, tourists in Guatemala were sacrosanct. This, sorrowfully, is no longer true.