Lake Atitlan is surrounded by Volcanic cones that have for millennia given the region fertile soil. Along with nice maize, avocados and bananas the communities around the lake have used its waters to complement the variety of foods on land. Fewer and fewer boats go out on the lake each day as the number of fish has dwindled. The farmers have also needed to go further and further from their village to farm the land. Santa Catarina Palopo has not been spoiled by tourism and the women and men still fish and farm as their grandfathers did before them. Sometimes when there is an abundance of food the villagers will even head into the capital city to sell their unique goods, like crabs from the lake or hand woven clothing.
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