Guatemala - 2012

Day 13 - Mon, July 9
Pacaya

We had to be ready to leave at 6 a.m., which is before breakfast, so I bought pasteries and orange juice for us. As we were just about ready to go outside and wait, Maria Elsa handed me a bag with bananas, tuperwares of cut fruit, and rain bread toast with butter. Now we have more food than we need. AND then comes the Guatemalan problem: are there bathrooms? We don't want to eat a lot and be in trouble later on.

The panaderia (bread shop) next door. Here is one of their dogs. She is very nice. But she can also pull out all the stops, which I witnessed when a stray wandered too close. She chased it away for half a block.

Here is Conchita being dropped off by one of her brothers. She is about 20 min late. This seems to be a problem for her. I was always worried that the shuttle would come before she was there, which obviously didn't happen. Then I continually thought that if I had known Maria Elsa was going to provide breakfast AND the shuttle wasn't coming right at 6 a.m., I would have eaten, brushed my teeth and used the bathroom. Rats!

Close to the volcano. I have to say that our chaffeur seems to drive the same as all the others EXCEPT this is the only time that there have been close calls. On this trip three different vehicles (one a motorcycle) almost changed lanes into us. We had the right of way each time, but it still makes me wonder. (Hmmm - and he is the only young chaffeur, too.)

The visitor's center. Pacaya is a national park and starting to look more modern. I climbed this mountain my first time in Guatemala and it didn't look like this. The mountain had a major eruption in 2010 and wiped out everything here an in the local village, so I guess they took the opportunity to start over and make it look good.

Notice the horses (taxis) that are following us. They are available for hire if someone should get tired. It is Q100 ($12.50) for the way up.

Corn (maiz) growing in the fertile, black volcanic soil. It is always a trade off: you get good soil, but risk an eruption. O - turns out that this ground cannot grow coffee yet.

This cute puppy showed up on the trail and followed us for a while. Don't know where it came from or where it went afterwards.

A view of the valley below. Click picture for larger view.

There were only 3 horses at first, but then only 2 followed after a while. I was concerned for 4 ft 7in Conchita, since she doesn't exercise regularly and has never climbed a mountain before. You can see our guide calling for another horse. BUT - Notice it is the foreigners that are taking a taxi. Little Conchita is plugging right along.

And Juanito is doing great, too. He lives in Colorado and does a lot of climibing.

Oak, I believe.

There are two times to climb each day: morning and afternoon. My last time was in the afternoon and it rained the whole time. That's why we chose morning. And here we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the volcano.

OK - She finally gave up. I think she could have kept going.

She didn't seem as humored by my cowboy picture as Juanito and I were. Must be an American thing.

Just one of the plants I really liked.

Now we are getting above the treeline. Actually it is the area where the last eruption took out the vegetation. It is actually rather cold due to the strong wind, so I put on a jacket.

I took a movie here of the wind blowing the mist down the slope.

Turns out the where Conchita go on the taxi wasn't that far from the end of the line.

You can see the effects of the wind.

And Conchita keeps getting called by the new girl that watches the hostel when she is off duty. Conchita is still running the place when she isn't there.

Solidified magma.

At one point the guide stops at this hole in the ground. We can see steam coming out as if wind is pushing air over some heat source underground.

And in he goes.

Not far past where the horses stop, dogs begin to follow us.

This rock should be a couple of pounds, at least, but weighs just a little more than my cell phone. It is either pumice or something like it. I have seen pumice before when Laura (my older sister) and I visitd Mount Saint Helens not long after its eruption in 1980.

In this area steam seems to be seeping out of the ground.

What is our guide doing?

He was roasting marshmallows for the tourists. Years ago we were able to go to the top and look into the volcano. Now this is as far (and as hot) as it gets.

It took a lot of searching, but I finally found a very large light rock. I don't know why I am grimmacing, but I am not straining due to the weight. It is about 15 pounds for a rock that should require two hands and a lot of effort.

Ah - this is were we have a break, the tourist pull out lunch and the dogs' walk is worth it. It is a lot of walking for a little bread.

Juanito said that years ago they took a really hard route and found a river of lava. As he was leaning over it, his hat fell in and burned very quickly.

Click picture for closer view. It is obvious that this "rock" was once liquid.

What is that green stuff under the rocks? The first new life to spring up in this moonscape: moss.

Click picture for closer view.

This "gift shop" is the turning point. To the right is where we found the hole in the ground with the steam and where we roasted marshmallows. We aren't allowed to go straight ahead, where the actual peak is.

Click picture for closer view.

Conchita wanted a picture of this tree.

Click picture for closer view.

Back in Antigua we ran across this well dressed young lady poising for photos in one of the parks. Conchita surmised it was probably someone from "Miss Antigua" pageant.

Here are kids just getting out of school. Since it is right on the street there are also vendors selling candy and ice cream.