If you’re a true Gossip Girl fan like I am, you’ll remember the “lost weekends” that Chuck and Nate used to have. These weekends were wild, party-filled getaways to random locales and were probably full of trouble. While I’m sure my past weekend getaway to Santa Cruz La Laguna was much tamer than a Chuck and Nate Lost Weekend (although there was a party), I think it still should classify as a “lost weekend,” even in a slightly different sense of the phrase. Mainly because the weekend was full of losses:
- We lost power
- I lost most contact with the outside world (no wi-fi)
- I lost my umbrella
- I lost the opportunity to kayak on the lake at sunrise because I couldn’t charge my phone and thus didn’t wake up until 9:30am
And to top it all off, the place we stayed at was called La Iguana Perdida, which means “the lost iguana.” (I forgot to ask where the name came from, I didn’t even see any iguanas.) So the “lost weekend” title fits and I’m sticking to it.
But the weekend was also full of wins. La Iguana Perdida was an amazing place to stay. It’s a fun, colorful hotel/hostel right on the lake with a wide variety of rooms. There are dorm-style rooms as well as huge suites with balconies that overlook the lake. There’s a bar and restaurant, which every night serves a family-style dinner to guests. There’s plenty of outdoor lounge space, including hammocks and a pool room. This place was so relaxing and tons of fun at the same time.
Friday night we went into the tiny town of Santa Cruz and had dinner at Café Sabor Cruceño, which was fantastic. This place had an unbelievable view of the lake, and the food was amazing, right down to its presentation. It was actually the first night that they were serving dinner so we also got free dessert (#winning). Between the gorgeous lake view and the delicious food, this place could be easily one of my favorite spots I’ve eaten at in Guatemala so far.
The sad part about this weekend was that it stormed really badly on Saturday, and we lost power. But this meant we had a candlelit dinner accompanied by live guitar music, which was a pretty cool experience.
Saturday night is also the night that La Iguana Perdida has their cross-dressing/costume party. They have a closet full of hideous dresses, obnoxious blazers, and animal print onesies that people can borrow to fulfill their wildest dress-up dreams. Even with the power out, the show went on. And although I didn’t have time to get my outfit together, some of the other guests were able to put together some fabulous outfits.
I will say, despite the many losses, this weekend was definitely a fun time. I loved loved loved La Iguana Perdida and would go back if I had the chance.
-S
Work hard, and flourish 
