volcan pacaya

its always gorgeous in the morning here, then turns to rain at about 3pm.  i was just sitting on the patio roof listening to the competing church music coming from several places.  not long ago it was all rock bands.  i can't seem to catch a sun rise, its way too early.  i'd have to see it from the other end but i'm too old to stay out until 5am.

i tried to get out earlier today and beat the street traffic so i left my room at 6:15 to run and the roads were still crowded.  everyone is trying to get the best spots for all the sunday street markets.  i have a long day of shopping ahead of me that i'm not looking forward to, its time to buy gifts for the family and figure out how to mail things.  i don't know why i hate shopping so much but whether i'm at a mall or arguing with a 4 foot tall woman it seems the same to me.

yesterday i climbed up to view volcan pacaya, which is kind of erupting right now.  it was a vastly different experience than the volcano in san pedro.  a van picked me up at 6am, then spent 20 minutes driving around picking up about 15 other people.  we had a truck load of germans, english, spaniards and a korean (who kept walking away when i tried to talk to him, he was kinda cute), for once i was the only american.  we drove about an hour and a half outside of antigua, through crazy highways and rundown small towns.

our driver was determined to get there in good time and since i was the first pickup he made me sit in the front with him, i got to witness every moment of his skillful yet scary driving.  nothing like tearing down a curvy mountain 2 lane highway at top speed trying to pass every motorcycle and chicken bus on the wrong side of the road.  i feel like i'm getting used to it, and maybe even picking up some tricks for when i get home.  probably not so legal there, though.

the final town we drove through was so poor it looked like corrugated metal pieced together for houses, people were out hanging laundry or returning from the woods with their days supply of firewood.  but again, they had million dollar views of the volcanoes and you could see all the way to the pacific ocean.

each house had a fire going and smoke pouring out, combined with the hour and a half of diesel fumes from the highway, it made my eyes burn.  its hard to understand why the air is still so clear here.

finally out of the van and we're instantly surrounded by children trying to rent walking sticks for 5q (about 70 cents), painfully thin dogs, and men on horses wanting to sell us a ride.  the crowd was so thick it was difficult to walk 5 feet.  our guide finds us and off we go, followed by the caravan of children and horses and dogs.

this volcano hike was much easier and shorter than in san pedro, it was a wide winding path of loose volcanic rock, never too steep.  we took breaks every 20 minutes or so for the slower people in the group.  the views were breathtaking as we got higher, we could see multiple volcanoes, mountains, and all of guatemala to the ocean.  the boys with the sticks turned around after about 10 minutes but the men on horses followed for a while, waiting for anyone to show fatigue and want to buy a ride.  it was pretty annoying, about 10 guys all yelling 'taxi!' every few seconds.  one guy rides up to me and tells me that his horse is bigger and he's pretty sure it can hold me.  thanks.

after a final plea for rides the guys turn around and we have some quiet in which to enjoy the panoramas.  amazingly about 30 minutes up the trail there are 2 women selling cold sodas and bags of chips (which is also why i'm gaining so much weight here, soda and chips and pastries are the only foods that the tiendas sell, you really have to seek out fruits and vegetables and no one even knew what organic meant when i asked, i was directed to a plant nursery a couple times).

the wide path eventually turned into a skinny volcanic trail across an old lava field, with smoking vents on all sides.  no flowing lava, though, very disappointing.  this is the volcano that has been flowing a bit but i haven't seen any yet.  i think i'm destined to never see actual lava.  the one time i went to the big island to see lava it had stopped a couple days before i arrived, then started again after i left.  some day, i guess.

we went into a cool cave with water dripping everywhere, then over more crazy rock formations to the base of pacaya.  no one is allowed to climb to its summit but it was a great view from where we were.  the peak is split and bits of smoke coming out, and more smoke from countless places all the way down.  our final stop was at a giant vent that smelled like a sauna, and we stood there and roasted marshmallows.

another good experience and great sight seeing.  but just like the ruins, i might be done with volcano climbs.  its about time to get back to the ocean.  a few more days of spanish class then i head north again to semuc champay to check out the underground rivers, then hopefully soon some lazy sunny days of scuba diving and margaritas on a beach.

but for now its time to put away my happy face and get ready to get argue with the locals.  i need to remember that every starting price at the markets is over twice as much as they will sell for, no matter how many starving kids and lazy husbands they have at home.